Philadelphia 76ers: Ranking every player on the 2020-21 roster

Ranking every Sixers player #9 — Tyrese Maxey

Despite being a rookie, Tyrese Maxey comes in as number nine in these rankings and after the impressive preseason he’s had, it could be argued he should be higher. He missed the beginning of training camp because of a positive COVID-19 test, but that didn’t stop him from producing in the Sixers’ two preseason games.

In the first preseason win against the Boston Celtics, Maxey had eight points and three assists. Against the Indiana Pacers, Maxey had 11 points and five rounds in a winning effort. Not bad for the 21st pick of the 2020 NBA Draft.

I’ve already written on how he and Shake Milton can be the team’s backcourt of the future, but he’s been showing this preseason that he’s deserving of a rotational spot to begin the year. He can create for himself and others, which is the skill that the Sixers don’t have much of outside of Ben Simmons and arguably Milton.

With Milton’s ability to play off the ball, Maxey has a chance to earn backup point guard minutes early and often this season. If Maxey continues to grow as a rookie, he might quickly become one of the steals of this past NBA draft.

— LUCAS JOHNSON