Despite the clear need for shooting depth on the Bulls' roster, NBA unrestricted free agent guard Anfernee Simons will not return to the Chicago Bulls after ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Thursday that Simons agreed to a two-year, $12.3 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Just in: Free agent guard Anfernee Simons has agreed to a two-year, $12.3 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, with a player option in second season, sources tell ESPN. Simons chose the 76ers over other suitors believing his fit is perfect with the revamped 76ers roster. pic.twitter.com/RUbhPzxxxp
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 2, 2026
The catch in Simons’ shooting talent is that he doesn’t contribute much else in an NBA basketball game, and there is an ever-declining market for guards whose only consistent skill is scoring.
In his eight-year NBA career, Simons has averaged 2.5 rebounds per game, 3.2 assists per game, 0.5 steals per game, and 0.1 blocks per game. On top of those stats, Simons’ ability to get to the free-throw line has been minuscule, with a career average of 2.0 free-throw attempts per game, according to Basketball Reference.
The Bulls won’t miss Simons’ game contribution, and for good reason; his Bulls exit should be out of sight and out of mind. Bulls lead front office executive Bryson Graham has a more pressing decision to execute before the conclusion of the Bulls' 2026 NBA offseason, and that is who to acquire for their final main roster spot with the franchises’ $9.3 million room exception.
Remaining free agent options for the Bulls
Three NBA unrestricted free agents remain on the market that would be useful additions to the Bulls’ roster, and each player presents a unique use case for claiming the Bulls' final roster spot.
For a franchise that loves nostalgia and needs shooting, a Doug McDermott reunion should seriously be an option that Bryson Graham weighs when determining who to acquire for his final roster spot.
McDermott’s regular-season three-point accuracy only hovered below the league average three-point shooting percentage in his rookie NBA season for the Bulls, when he posted a 31.7% three-point percentage for the 2014-15 NBA regular season on 1.1 three-point attempts per game.
Regardless of how McDermott’s three-point volume has scaled throughout his NBA career, at his lowest of 2.4 three-point attempts per game with the 2024-25 Sacramento Kings or 5.0 three-point attempts per game with the 2021-22 San Antonio Spurs, Doug McDermott has never shot less than 36% from the three-point line in his 12-year NBA career outside of his rookie NBA season.
After finishing the 2025-26 NBA season with the Los Angeles Clippers, Nicolas Batum would be a great veteran additons positional versatility, with the ability to play two-guard and either forward position. It’s also a plus that Batum hails from France and would instantly become a fellow countryman mentor to Bulls forward Noa Essengue.
Finally, after finishing his second stint with the Golden State Warriors, guard Gary Payton II would be a great addition to accelerate the development of the Bulls' defensive identity, with a career 2.3 steals per 36 minutes average, according to Basketball Reference.
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