The Philadelphia 76ers made a bombshell trade to bring in Jaylen Brown. That trade completely shifted how the team is viewed in the Eastern Conference. They should now be considered a top-four team in the East if everyone stays healthy.
However, the Sixers are not finished. They are still looking to improve the bench around their new starting five. They have a bit of cap space left to make appropriate moves. Really, they had a little bit of space to make one key move, and that’s what they did.
Philadelphia had signed Anfernee Simons to a team-friendly deal to come off the bench.
GettyBoston Celtics guard Anfernee Simons drives the ball in a game. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
76ers Sign Anfernee Simons to a Two-Year Deal
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Sixers have signed Anfernee Simons to a two-year deal worth $12.3 million. That is an extremely team-friendly deal, even though there is a player option in that final season. He now becomes a key part of Philadelphia’s bench.
Last year, Simons averaged 14.3 points and shot 38.5 percent from beyond the 3-point arc last season with the Celtics and the Bulls. He is a player who can get hot quickly on the offensive end of the floor, which is exactly what the 76ers need off the bench.
The Sixers have their starting backcourt set for years to come. Simons can be the sixth man who comes in and gets them buckets. Signing him to such a cheap deal also helps their cap sheet, now that they have absorbed Brown’s enormous contract for the next three years.
Not having enough bench players is what hurt Philly so much in the playoffs against the Knicks. With a revamped starting five and now Simons, this team becomes much deeper and more dangerous. However, the Eastern Conference has become a much better conference overall.
GettyPhiladelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid dribbles the ball in a game. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
The Sixers Still are Beholden to the Health of Their Star Center
Even with all of the changes, the health of Joel Embiid still determines this team’s ceiling. If he isn’t healthy for the postseason, they have no chance. Adding Brown, who is an Ironman in modern NBA standards, should help carry the load in the regular season while they rest Embiid.
Embiid still holds the most talent of anyone on the team. His health keeps him from being considered the best player, however. He’s simply not available enough when the team needs him. The new regime in charge seems to have finally addressed that with the big trade and their signings.
Bringing in Dean Wade was a smart move. He’s someone who can shoot from distance and defend reasonably well. Add in the improvement that VJ Edgecombe should have in his second year, and the 76ers will become a dangerous team to face.
The rest of the East is getting stronger. These are the kind of moves Philly had to make in order to keep pace.
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