Anfernee Simons arrives in Philadelphia as insurance at guard, a $6 million rotation piece buried on a depth chart that already runs through Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. Last season he shot 38.5 percent on 6.9 three-point attempts and 89.6 percent at the line across 55 games, exactly the specialist profile a crowded, over-the-apron roster needs off the bench.
What exactly is Simons' role on this roster?
He is not walking into a starting job. Maxey and Edgecombe are the backcourt, Brown and LeBron take the wing minutes, so Simons is the third guard, which is where he logged 24.9 minutes a night across 55 games last season. That workload reads bench microwave, not closer, on a roster that already has its top six spots spoken for.
What does he actually do well?
He shoots. He hit 38.5 percent from three on 6.9 attempts a game last season, 89.6 percent from the foul line, and a 57.6 true shooting mark that beat the team's own 114.3 offensive rating. A 22.7 percent usage rate says he can carry a bench unit without needing to dominate the ball, exactly the job description for a scorer stuck behind two better-paid guards.
Is his defense a problem?
Not by the numbers. His 114.0 defensive rating last season was basically even with the team's own 114.4 mark, so he was not dragging it down. A plus-3.0 net rating says the lineups he played in outscored opponents, which matters more than any single defensive number on its own, especially for a bench guard who is not being paid to stop anybody by himself.
Why does his contract matter so much right now?
Two years, $6.0 million this season and a $6.3 million player option after that, on a team already $213.2 million deep and sitting above the first apron. That makes Simons one of the only real trade chips on a roster with little other movable money.
Is he actually healthy heading into camp?
Yes, and that alone separates him from part of this roster. He is not on the injury report, while Adem Bona is day-to-day with a foot and leg issue and Tacko Fall is out with a hip problem. One less name to track before the opener is not nothing on a team already fielding injury questions in September.
Will Anfernee Simons start for the 76ers this season?
No. Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe form Philadelphia's backcourt, and Simons' 24.9 minutes a game last season fits a bench role, not a starting job.
What is Anfernee Simons' contract with the 76ers?
He is signed for $6.0 million in 2026-27 with a $6.3 million player option for 2027-28, one of the smallest deals on a roster carrying $213.2 million in salary.
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