Anfernee Simons signed a two-year deal worth roughly $12.3 million with the Philadelphia 76ers. It's a frustrating truth considering the Miami Heat had the money to sign Simons and a glaring need for shooters and shot creators at his position.
The 76ers signed Simons before they added both Jaylen Brown and LeBron James, however, which has thus given the Heat a months-out opportunity to potentially trade for the player they should've signed.
Simons won't be eligible to be traded until Dec. 15, which certainly complicates any potential pursuit of his talents. He signed with a team that already had two high-volume starters at guard, however, and is now adding two All-NBA talents in Brown and James to its perimeter.
Simons could still prove essential to Philadelphia's plans as a sharpshooting guard who can help run the second unit, but with so much offensive firepower, the 76ers could realistically pursue a trade for another archetype come the regular season.
If that ultimately comes to pass, then the Heat should do what they can to bring Simons to Miami. He's the sharpshooter they need to create optimal spacing, as well as a crafty dribble penetrator who can put points on the board in a way that none of their current guards have consistently been able to.
This is obviously a hypothetical trade scenario, but if the 76ers decide to move in another direction, the Heat should be waiting on the other line.
Heat should trade for Anfernee Simons after 76ers made him expendable
Over the past five seasons, Simons has accumulated averages of 18.8 points, 4.1 assists, and 3.1 three-point field goals made in 31.4 minutes per game. He's done so while shooting the lights out from beyond the arc relative to his volume, posting a slash line of .437/.381/.901.
For a Heat team in desperate need of volume scorers and shooters, Simons certainly checks the boxes they're currently struggling to fill.
The context of Simons' success as a shooter may be the most crucial talking point. He's buried at least 42.7 percent of his catch-and-shoot threes in four of the past six seasons, meaning he's a perfect candidate to play without the ball and offer space and driving lanes to downhill scoring superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Simons is also capable of creating his own looks, having shot 47.0 percent or better on drives in each of the past two seasons.
It's also worth noting that Simons bought in on the defensive end of the floor in 2025-26 after previously receiving criticism for his lack of intensity. He struggles in isolation, but he ranked in the 87th percentile in off-ball chaser defense and the 77th percentile in ball screen navigation, per Basketball Index.
The Heat still need to make roster additions to improve their offense and all-around play before free agency closes, but if Simons becomes available during the 2026-27 season, they should bring him to Miami.
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