Sixers: 5 overreactions from first week of 2021-22 season

Overreactions from Sixers’ first week of season: Tyrese Maxey taking “the leap”

After a rocky preseason, Tyrese Maxey has experienced similar ups and downs through two regular season games. That said, he’s averaging 17.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists on .484/.375/1.000 shooting splits — pretty, pretty great.

The 20-year-old still has a long way to go developmentally, but that’s precisely what’s so exciting. He’s already an extremely productive NBA player who has looked right at home as the starting point guard on a contender. Maxey’s quickness gives him unique value on this Sixers roster, which has only become more apparent in the absence of Ben Simmons and his downhill playmaking.

Maxey still has room to improve as a 3-point shooter and a foul-drawer. He’s still relying heavily on the floater, and would do well to embrace contact and force more trips to the charity stripe. On defense, the 6-foot-2 guard is thoroughly a mixed bag. His effort is never lacking, and he’s a good athlete, but his size is a natural limiting factor.

He has not made “the leap” yet. Maxey has worse performances in his future, and no, he shouldn’t be starting if Ben Simmons does ever make his return. But we saw Maxey make drastic strides in-season as a rookie. There’s no reason we can’t expect a similar growth arc in his second season too. Maxey’s work ethic and competitive spirit are hard to bet against.

Consider “the leap” incoming.