Philadelphia

76ers

Broome tore his right meniscus in February, which ended his rookie season early. However, it didn’t appear to limit him in his first game back in action. With Andre Drummond gone, Broome will compete with Adem Bona and Ariel Hukporti for the backup center minutes behind Joel Embiid and could end up playing a significant role when Embiid has to sit.

Philon didn’t have the most efficient outing, but he was able to showcase why he was such an intriguing prospect out of Alabama. He facilitated well and had some flashy buckets, including a clutch three-pointer late that helped seal the win. Philon has some competition for minutes in the backcourt, so he may not play a ton in year one, but there is a lot to like about him long term.

The 76ers had until Monday to waive Bona without incurring any financial penalty, but they have reportedly decided to hold on to the former second-round pick. As a result, he’s guaranteed to make a shade under $2.3 million next season. In his second NBA season, Bona averaged 4.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 17.4 minutes per game. He’ll combine with offseason signing Ariel Hukporti to provide depth behind Joel Embiid, which makes both players non-factors in fantasy basketball.

Drummond’s reported deal will be an important one for the Knicks as they look to fill the void at backup center. Drummond has played 14 seasons in the NBA, serving various roles. He’ll essentially replace Mitchell Robinson, who agreed to a deal with the Celtics, to help New York in its title defense. Drummond averaged 6.4 points and 8.4 rebounds last season with the 76ers.

Love was an older rookie for the Trail Blazers last season after going undrafted. However, he was productive for a few months early last season, though his availability was limited over the final two months of the year. Still, he’s a talented scorer, making this a nice swing for the 76ers, even if he’ll have plenty of competition for minutes and shots.

Rupert finished last season in Memphis after spending a couple seasons in Portland. The 2023 second-round pick is a solid upside swing for Philadelphia, though he likely won’t be part of their regular rotation this upcoming season.

Simons, who split time between Boston and Chicago, did not play after February 21 due to a lingering wrist injury. As a result, his numbers suffered, with the guard averaging 14.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game in 55 appearances. Simons’ arrival gives the 76ers more firepower off the bench; he’s averaging 15.0 points per game for his career and exceeded 21 points per game in 2022-23 and 2023-24. Depending on injuries, Simons could provide some value in points leagues next season.

The blockbuster deal between Eastern Conference foes swaps two highly regarded two-way wings. George, who is coming off an injury-plagued second season with the Sixers, averaged 17.3 points and 5.3 rebounds across 37 regular-season games. While no longer in his prime, the veteran is still a capable perimeter defender and scorer, with the size and skill set to comfortably play either forward position. Despite being far removed from his days as a Tier 1 fantasy basketball option, he’ll have some fantasy value in Boston, particularly due to his high-volume three-point shooting in a system that encourages shots from beyond the arc.

The Celtics have been shopping Brown for a while now, and they finally found an offer that made moving on from the five-time All-Star worthwhile. Coming off the best individual season of his NBA career, the 6-foot-6 wing is headed to Philadelphia. Last season, Brown averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.0 steals and 2.0 three-pointers while shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 79.5 percent from the foul line. Joining forces with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey likely puts a dent in Brown’s usage, but his fantasy value should not take too big of a hit, if any, in Philadelphia.

Hukporti has provided depth at backup center for the Knicks for the last two years. The 24-year-old appeared in 54 regular season games and even had a couple blocks in the NBA Finals as New York ended its 53-year championship drought. Hukporti will now be depth behind 76ers big man Joel Embiid, so he could find his way into the occasional start when Embiid is forced to miss time.