​The Philadelphia 76ers have added a scoring guard to their lineup in free agency with Anfernee Simons. The Sixers were seeking help with ball-handling and bench scoring, and Simons’ profile fits that need. He is a career 14.9 points per game scorer and a 38.1% shooter from three, a combination that should mesh well alongside Joel Embiid. Embiid, the 2023 MVP, is continuing his return from a series of injuries, yet he posted averages of 26.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.9 assists over 38 games in the 2025-26 season, despite dealing with a knee issue, a right oblique strain, and a late-season appendectomy. Even while navigating those injuries, Embiid remains a dominant presence on the floor.
“He’s a force in itself,” Simons said of Embiid. “So, honestly, most of the time the attention is always going to be on him, and every time he gets the ball in the post or high post anywhere, it just makes the game easier for me and everybody else around him.” According to NBA Stats, Simons connected on 42.9% of his catch-and-shoot threes in the 2025-26 season, a crucial skill when paired with a player like Embiid, who draws frequent double teams and must make quick decisions. When Embiid has a clear line to a shooter, he is confident enough to deliver a pass and trust his teammates to knock down the open looks.
“I love to get catch-and-shoot opportunities if that’s what the game presents,” Simons added. “It just makes it easier for everyone. It’ll be an easier job for me to go out there and space the floor for him and create more room for him to operate.” Simons has long been a strong three-point threat. After a rocky start to his career with the Portland Trail Blazers, he found his rhythm and emerged as a reliable long-range shooter. In the 2025-26 season, he shot 38.5% from three on about 6.9 attempts per game across his time with the Boston Celtics and the Chicago Bulls. That combination of production and volume could be transformative for Philadelphia.
“I think, for basically my whole life, I’ve been a pretty good three-point shooter,” Simons said. “I’ve learned to adapt as I’ve gotten older. When I entered the NBA from high school, I had to tweak my shot a bit to adjust to the NBA three-point line, especially early in Portland. My first couple of years were rough, but I worked at it, adjusted to the line, and eventually became a solid three-point shooter.”
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire and focused on how Anfernee Simons’ presence could complement Joel Embiid, highlighting the potential for better on-court spacing and easier offensive possessions in Philadelphia. The addition is viewed as a step toward strengthening the Sixers’ guard play, bench scoring, and overall offensive versatility as they aim to maximize Embiid’s impact throughout the season.