One Sixers dud from first few weeks: Isaiah Joe
Shake Milton’s preseason ankle injury gave Isaiah Joe every opportunity to earn his spot in the Sixers’ rotation. He was excellent in Philadelphia’s four preseason games, looking like the most dynamic shooter on the team and a legitimately above-average wing defender. When the games counted, however, Joe’s production vanished.
This is only Joe’s second NBA season. He played sparingly as a rookie, and at 22 years old, he still has plenty of time to develop. There is no reason for panic, and I remain confident he will continue to a contender one day. He’s too good a shooter, and too competent a defender not to.
That said, it feels right now like we’re still a year or two away from Joe making noise in Philadelphia, which is a slight disappointment. In seven games, Joe has converted on 31.3 percent of his 3-point attempts on lower volume than we’re accustomed to with him. In college, Joe attempted over 10 triples per game. His unshakable confidence, on top of his feather-soft touch, is what made him such an intriguing prospect. This season, for whatever reason, his confidence behind the arc just hasn’t been there.
All evidence points to Joe getting back into rhythm over time. Once he returns from COVID, Joe should still get some spot minutes due to other absences on the roster. His 3-point shot is bankable, and his ability (and willingness) to defend is still unique to the second unit. He competes hard. Elite shooters who compete hard stick around.