Tyrese Maxey’s offseason work is making one thing hard to ignore: the 76ers guard is not just talking like a leader, he’s operating like one.
If there were still any questions about Maxey’s place in Philadelphia’s hierarchy, the 2026 NBA offseason has gone a long way toward answering them. He’s been one of the hardest workers on the Sixers over the past decade, and he’s clearly using this summer to show every important newcomer that he means business on the floor, even before the jerseys go on.
The latest player to share the gym with Maxey is Anfernee Simons. The veteran guard, who just joined the Sixers on a short-term deal, is getting in work with one of the guards he’ll back up this season. Simons comes to Philadelphia after playing for the Boston Celtics and the Chicago Bulls last year, marking his third team since being moved on from the Portland Trail Blazers, the franchise that drafted him.
Simons entered the NBA in 2018 as the 24th overall pick. His role grew quickly, jumping from 7.0 minutes per game as a rookie to 20.7 minutes off the bench in his second season. From there, he developed into a 20-point scorer in Portland and eventually landed a $100 million contract.
Now he’s back in prove-it mode. The Sixers signed Simons to a two-year deal worth $12.3 million, with the second season set up as a player option. That gives him a path to free agency if he boosts his stock while playing off Philadelphia’s bench.
There’s at least some familiar ground for Simons in Philadelphia, too. He previously worked with Jaylen Brown in Boston, and Brown once endorsed his game and even wanted the Celtics to bring him back before they decided to ship Brown to Philly. Now the two are reunited, and Maxey is doing his part to get comfortable alongside Simons.
And it’s not just Simons getting time with Maxey this summer.
Maxey has been making the rounds all offseason. Fans have already seen the viral workout with Maxey, Jaylen Brown, and the newly acquired LeBron James.
He also got to work with VJ Edgecombe and spent time in the gym with rookie Labaron Philon Jr. He even worked with former Philly guard Jared McCain.
But the newest faces matter most, because those are the ones that will shape what this group looks like once October arrives.
Before long, the Sixers will be together as a full roster and heading into training camp. For now, these offseason workouts are the last tune-up before Media Day 2k26.
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