Free agent guard Anfernee Simons signed a two-year, $12.3MM contract with a second-year player option to join the Sixers and he’ll be a massive addition, Adam Aaronson of Philly Voice opines. Simons is one of the league’s most prolific 3-point shooters and might be their best option to back up Tyrese Maxey.

Simons addressed concerns that the Sixers are now undersized in the backcourt.

“When a team has a common goal of competing on that side of the ball and stays connected, I think a lot of those things can be mitigated…that’s one of the things I learned instantly when I came to Boston. The intensity defensively has to be higher,” Simons said, per Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (Twitter link).

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

• New Sixers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey reshaped the roster with his blockbuster trade for Jaylen Brown and other moves this summer. As Aaronson points out, it is imperative that Sixers ownership understands how challenging it will be for Gansey to accumulate championship-caliber depth without paying the luxury tax. Joel Embiid, Brown and Maxey will eat up over $500MM in cap space across the next three seasons.
• Mikel Brown Jr., the sixth pick in the draft, made his Summer League debut in the California Classic on Monday. The new Nets guard showed off his playmaking skills while piling up 10 points and four assists in the fourth quarter, C.J. Holmes of the New York Daily News writes. “He’s electric. He showed his ability to get downhill,” Summer League coach Dutch Gaitley said.
• Restricted free agent forward Mohamed Diawara signed a four-year deal with the Knicks on Monday. As the only true backup wing forward behind Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby, Diawara could wind up playing 25 minutes regularly, according to Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News.