Sixers: 5 storylines to watch in NBA Summer League

What to watch for in Sixers’ Summer League: Paul Reed’s growth

The Andre Drummond signing snuffed out any momentum toward Paul Reed rotation minutes, but the G-League MVP is still a fascinating part of Philadelphia’s young core. He’s a legitimate NBA player already — mark my words — and should, like Maxey, put together a fairly dominant stint in Vegas. He already tore through the G-League, which features far superior competition.

For that reason, Reed may not play in all five games. That said, Vegas will give up a solid glimpse of his progress, and perhaps give us a better understanding of his position in the NBA. Is he a center who can exploit slow-footed bigs, or a power forward who lacks the muscle to guard centers.

Reed is expected to start next to another center in Charles Bassey (more on him later). If that duo succeeds, it could mean Reed is in line for an opportunity next to Joel Embiid, rather than behind him. I am of the opinion that Reed’s optimal outcome is at the center position, but he’s a lanky, mobile 6-foot-9 forward by trade. He could morph into Robert Covington instead of Christian Wood (disclaimer: he will probably never reach that level).

The Sixers will get a lot of juice from the Maxey-Reed two-man game, and should experiment with Reed in all sorts of spots offensively. Let him pick-and-pop, pick-and-roll, face up at the elbow, create out of the post, run up the floor in transition — all of it. He’s a unique talent with the capacity for extreme versatility. Try to unearth as much of it as possible while he’s a focal point, rather than the 13th man.