Less than a day after pulling off a blockbuster trade for Jaylen Brown out of thin air, the Philadelphia 76ers aren't done beefing up the backcourt. Per ESPN's Shams Charania, Philadelphia is bringing in guard Anfernee Simons on a two-year contract worth $12.3 million. The 76ers have been having a heck of an offseason, and this signing is only further proof.
76ers land the in-demand Simons
Simons was among the most sought-after targets left on the free agent market. Golden State and Miami were two teams frequently linked to the scoring guard. There were certainly more, but Philly ultimately snagged the guard. Ironically, it's a similar situation to what transpired with Brown less than 24 hours before, having beaten out several other trade suitors.
While he's certainly not as big of an acquisition as Brown, Simons is capable of being a legitimate contributor on this team. There is a reason so many teams wanted him despite a down year split between the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls.
Over the last five seasons, Simons has proven to be an electric scorer, largely thanks to his perimeter shooting. In that span, he has averaged 18.8 points and 3.1 3-pointers made per game. As Charania points out, that's big for a team that recently ranked bottom three in bench points and 3-pointers made per game. Now, they have a big-time bucket-getter off the bench.
Simons -- who has averaged 18.8 points over the past five seasons and ranked sixth in 3s made off the bench last year -- gives the 76ers a major offensive boost after the team ranked in the bottom three in reserve scoring and 3-pointers made. His agent Bill Duffy of WME… https://t.co/r64IoBKgNT
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 2, 2026
Philly's title odds are rising
It would be hard to argue that the Philadelphia 76ers are the biggest winners of the NBA offseason after the slew of moves they've made.
Not only did they land a star in Jaylen Brown without having to sacrifice any of their young players, but they have also replenished their depth with the acquisitions of Dean Wade, Labaron Philon Jr., Ariel Hukporti, and now Anfernee Simons. Alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe, that's a heck of a quad. They look like the beast of the East right now.
The scary thing for the rest of the NBA is that the Philadelphia 76ers may not be done making moves. Under Mike Gansey, aggressive, high-upside swings appear to be the move. Adding Simons might not be the ultimate needle-mover, but it certainly inches the 76ers closer to title contention. Only time will tell if this team has another move or two up its sleeve to keep the ball rolling.
Welcome to Philadelphia, Anfernee Simons!
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