Sixers: 3 goals for Tyrese Maxey in 2021-22 season

3 goals for Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey: Start

Ben Simmons will probably never play another minute for Philadelphia. We have no clue what the return on a potential trade is, but with Simmons out of the picture, there’s certainly an open lane for Maxey to exceed expectations and drastically increase his role.

I am not sold on Maxey as a starter yet. He still has a long way to go defensively, and the Sixers should probably only start one small defensive liability at a time. Right now, Seth Curry occupies that position. Maxey’s rim pressure and halfcourt creation skills are intensely important to Philadelphia’s offense, but so is Curry’s unrivaled long-range efficiency.

Even so, there is an open lane. Especially if the Simmons saga drags into the regular season and the Sixers are left high and dry without a point guard. Maxey is presently the only other player on the roster, aside from Shake Milton, with any credible experience as a “point guard.” We all know Shake Milton is not a point guard. Seth Curry can feign point guard skills, but it’s not the ideal setup.

Maxey is not Chris Paul. He’s not a master manipulator, and his offensive approach has long been focused more on his own scoring than that of his teammates. That said, Maxey did give us glimpses of improvement as a passer last season and his ability to keep the ball on a string makes him naturally suited to the role of lead ball-handler. His future is at point.

Maxey’s arc of improvement between training camp and the playoffs last season was borderline absurd. He grew so much in a short period of time, and that was without consistent playing time. If anyone is due for a shocking second-year leap, it’s Maxey. He has the makings of a special player. He should view himself as a long-term starter, even if Doc Rivers isn’t quite there yet.