If you ever had doubts about Tyrese Maxey’s status as a key leader for the Philadelphia 76ers, then the 2026 NBA offseason should shut all of that down.
It’s one thing for a player to talk about being a leader to gain respect from his new teammates, but acting on it is an entirely different scenario. Being one of the hardest workers on the Sixers over the past decade, Maxey has surely made it a goal to show every key player whp enters the club that he’s about his business on the court, even when the jerseys are off.
Tyrese Maxey gets to work with another new Sixers player
Anfernee Simons is the latest player to get in the gym with Maxey this offseason.
While Simons doesn’t need to get under the wing of another veteran player, he’s making the wise decision to get to work with one of the guards he’ll back up this offseason. The veteran guard just joined the Sixers on a short-term deal this offseason. After playing with the Boston Celtics and the Chicago Bulls last year, Simons is joining his third team since being traded away by his first NBA home, the Portland Trail Blazers.
The 27-year-old entered the NBA in 2018 as the 24th overall pick. He went from averaging 7.0 minutes as a rookie to garnering 20.7 minutes off the bench during his second season. Eventually, Simons worked his way into becoming a 20-point scorer for Portland and earning a $100 million deal.
After cashing that contract in, Simons is entering prove-it territory. The Sixers added the veteran guard on a two-year deal, which is worth $12.3 million. The second season is a player option, giving Simons the chance to leave in free agency if he drives his value back up while coming off the 76ers’ bench.
Simons has a benefit with the Sixers, as he previously worked with Jaylen Brown in Boston. The ex-Celtics star endorsed Simons game, and even wanted to see the Celtics bring him back, before they decided to ship Brown to Philly. The two reunite, and Maxey is doing what he can to get up to speed on working alongside Simons.
It’s not just Simons
Maxey is making his rounds this offseason. By now, every basketball fan has caught the viral workout with Maxey, Jaylen Brown, and the newly acquired LeBron James. As expected, Maxey worked with VJ Edgecombe as well. He got in the lab with the rookie Labaron Philon Jr. Of course, the Sixers’ star worked with some outsiders, such as the former Philly guard Jared McCain, but it’s newcomers that make the most waves, as that’s what’s going to matter the most when October rolls around.
Soon enough, the Sixers will come together as a whole roster and fire up training camp. For the time being, these guys are putting together the finishing touches on their offseasons before reaching Media Day 2k26.
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