Usually, the Philadelphia 76ers miss their top stars at the annual Blue x White scrimmage, holding them out of the fun to avoid injuries.
This year, it was a handful of reserves who didn't get a chance to play, while the entire starting five got a good run in for the sold-out crowd at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in South Philly.
Adem Bona and Tacko Fall were expected to get the afternoon off as they both deal with setbacks. Bona missed the start of camp due to a foot injury, while Fall suffered a hip injury on day two of training camp.
The surprising sit-out candidates were Anfernee Simons and Dominick Barlow. Before the 76ers reached scrimmage day, Barlow and Simons were a part of the team's practice sessions. There weren't detailed updates on why the two veterans missed the scrimmage action, but The Athletic's Tony Jones suggested it was all "precautionary."
The downside to playing it safe
Nobody will fault the 76ers for playing it safe with their players in the offseason. There is a long 82-game season ahead, and guys are bound to miss time. The Sixers don't need to gamble with anybody's availability this early on in the 2026-2027 NBA season.
Still, the absences are unfortunate. When it comes to Simons, he's one of the many Sixers players who come to the team with plenty of excitement surrounding his name. He wasn't a blockbuster addition like LeBron James or Jaylen Brown, but he's been regarded as one of the most underrated additions of the offseason.
Last season, Simons closed out his $100 million deal with a run that started with the Boston Celtics. He came off the bench for 49 games, averaging 24.5 minutes of action with the Cs. Simons averaged 14.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists, while shooting 39.5% from three.
When the Celtics attempted to boost their frontcourt before the deadline, it came at the cost of Simons. He went to a rebuilding Chicago Bulls team, where he only played in six games. Simons suffered a wrist injury, which affected his status down the stretch. While it hasn't affected his training camp availability, the 76ers might be taking it easy with him during the preseason.
When it comes to Barlow, the 76ers have a good idea of what he brings to the table already. After all, he played in 71 games for the team last year. With a new-look roster in play, Barlow has an uphill climb to earn a role with this season's roster. The Sixers want to see what kind of improvements he made during the offseason. The public hasn't gotten a glimpse yet, but Barlow could be on the court for an actual preseason game soon enough.
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