Anfernee Simons had a slow start in his new home with the Philadelphia 76ers. But lately he's found his footing and looks like one of the league's best sixth men.
The new-look 76ers are off to a hot start, currently sitting at 6-1. Simons has played a key role in that success, especially lately. He's hovered around 20 points and has shot over 50 percent from beyond the arc in each of the last three games.
His floor spacing, shot creation, and combo-guard skill set are helping compensate for Philadelphia's lack of depth off the bench. It lets them play to the strength of their star-studded starting lineup, where he also fits in well off the bench thanks to his shooting.
Anfernee Simons gives 76ers a dangerous weapon off the bench
But beyond the shooting, and what Trail Blazers fans saw during Simons time in Portland, is that flamethrower or microwave scoring ability. What makes him such a key bench contributor and potential Sixth Man of the Year candidate, even, is that rare ability to single-handedly flip the script of a game. When Simons is on, it's hard to tell if I'm watching him or a clone of Damian Lillard. Add that ceiling and ability to turn into a premier offensive weapon any given night into what is arguably the best starting unit in the league, and you have a formula for success.
The 76ers overcame Simons' slow start to the season. Still, now we're seeing a different version of what Philadelphia is capable of in terms of having different players like Simons step up as contributors to keep winning. That's what was in question when it came to whether LeBron James' decision to join the Sixers in free agency was actually going to result in a contender.
Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, and Joel Embiid are an elite starting unit on paper, but they're also asking a lot of a 41-year-old James and, unfortunately, injury-prone Embiid.
Plus, the Western Conference Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs proved that the contender blueprint lies in depth. You need those players coming off the bench to give you that marginal advantage in the series.
Early on, it's looking like the 76ers have Simons capable of stepping up in that role.
Simons is creating the winning opportunity he’s always wanted
Simons has always made it clear dating back to his time with the Blazers that he wanted the opportunity to win. He bounced around last season from the Celtics to the Bulls, but finally had the chance to pick his destiny in free agency. Simons ultimately decided Philadelphia was the best basketball fit for him in terms of role and chance to win, signing a 2-year, $12.2 million deal.
That seemed team-friendly at the time, and it's proving to be even more of a steal for the 76ers now that James has also decided to join the team. James has four rings on his resume, and there's an established roster blueprint of having to find these complementary role players for cheap to surround him with, ideally shooters. Simons is not only filling that role but also proving capable of stepping in and providing additional playmaking thanks to that combo skill set, a needed addition at this point in James' career.
Simons wanted the chance to win in Philadelphia, and now he's creating that opportunity for himself, looking like one of the most valuable sixth men and best offseason signings early in this season.
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