​LAS VEGAS — The Philadelphia 76ers have kept a busy pace this offseason as President of Basketball Operations Mike Gansey has pushed hard to assemble a roster that complements their core stars. Gansey and the front office were active in free agency, adding Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons, and Ariel Hukporti before finalizing a major move by acquiring Jaylen Brown. While the free-agent signings may not attract the same attention as the Brown trade, they are expected to contribute meaningfully.
In particular, Simons provides coach Nick Nurse with a dependable ball-handler and scorer off the bench, someone who can help shoulder the workload and relieve pressure on Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. “I think it’s really important for us, both him and Labaron Philon,” Nurse said. “They’re capable ball-handlers who can run pick-and-rolls and score. They’re elite athletes too. If you’ve got that level of speed and athleticism, you can impact the game defensively as well. So, it’s a shift. We appear faster and more athletic overall. There are some concerns—maybe we’ll be a touch small at times, and there are other issues—but I’ll take the speed and athleticism. Now it’s about our staff putting these players in the right spots.”
Nurse’s assessment reflects a team that will look smaller on paper. Maxey stands 6-foot-2, Philon is 6-foot-3, Edgecombe is 6-foot-4, and Simons is 6-foot-3. There will be moments when Philadelphia struggles on the defensive end and on the boards, but Nurse is energized by the potential this group holds. Simons, in particular, promises a scoring punch off the bench that could give the Sixers a different dynamic than they have had in recent seasons.
“I really like Anfernee a lot,” Nurse said. “He can score the ball, shoots it easily from deep, and does so off the bounce. He’s a tremendous talent. He was playing for a team that wasn’t good, which doesn’t reflect his ability. When you watch him, you see a player who can blow by defenders and finish at the rim. He adds a dimension that makes life easier for everyone else. I’m genuinely excited about what he brings.”
Simons’ production last season offers a clear indicator of the impact he can have. He averaged 14.3 points per game while shooting 38.5 percent from three-point range across 55 appearances split between the Boston Celtics and the Chicago Bulls. That scoring ability, paired with Nurse’s hopes for a faster, more versatile lineup, should provide Philadelphia with a new offensive thrust and a different look for opponents.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire, highlighting Nurse’s reaction to the Anfernee Simons addition as part of the team’s broader free-agent activity.