The Philadelphia 76ers are not messing around this summer. Fresh off shocking the basketball world by trading for Jaylen Brown, Daryl Morey went right back to work and landed Anfernee Simons in free agency.
The move gives Philly a legitimate three-guard rotation and turns Joel Embiid’s supporting cast into something dangerous. Simons averaged over 19 points per game last season and has quietly become one of the best pure shooters in the league.
He fits perfectly next to Tyrese Maxey and Brown. Maxey handles the ball. Brown attacks the rim and defends. Simons stretches the floor and punishes any defense that tries to sag off the perimeter.
This is a top-two team in the East on paper. The Celtics just lost their All-NBA wing. The Knicks lost Mitchell Robinson to Boston. The Bucks are staring down a possible Giannis exit. Meanwhile, Philadelphia went from questionable playoff contender to legitimate championship threat in about 48 hours.
The catch, as always, is health. Embiid has yet to play a full season. Paul George looked cooked at times last year before getting shipped out. Brown has dealt with lingering injuries of his own. If this group stays on the floor, they can beat anyone. If they do not, this becomes another expensive Philly cautionary tale.
Simons was one of the few free agents who could actually shift a title race with one signing. Portland let him walk after years of trying to make the fit work. Now he lands with a team that has clear roles, real spacing needs, and a championship window that just cracked wide open.
Morey has taken plenty of heat for the Harden mess and the Embiid contract. This offseason is his answer. Two All-Star level guards, one All-NBA wing, and a superstar center. That is a real starting five.
The other question is what this does to Kelly Oubre and Andre Drummond depth-wise. Someone gets moved. Philly does not have the roster flexibility to carry everyone and stay under the second apron. Expect another domino to fall before training camp.
Bet on Philadelphia. This is the best roster they have had in years, and Simons is exactly the kind of piece a title team needs on nights when Embiid or Brown cannot get going. The East is officially wide open.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
