The Philadelphia 76ers are in the midst of a four-game losing streak, but that can be attributed to injuries and players being in COVID protocols, like Joel Embiid. There’s no question that Embiid is the most important offensive player on this Sixers’ roster.
Entering this season, the number two scoring option was veteran power forward Tobias Harris. Harris is getting paid about $36 million this year so he has to be an elite scorer, but based on past history, that’s not really his best role.
Now there’s a young player in Tyrese Maxey that appears to be better suited for the role as a secondary scorer alongside Embiid. If Harris truly wants the team to be successful, then he will let Maxey take that role moving forward once Embiid returns.
Harris should let Maxey be the Sixers’ secondary scoring option moving forward.
This season Harris is averaging 21.3 points on 50.7 percent shooting from the floor and 34.3 percent shooting from the 3-point line. Maxey on the other hand is averaging 17.1 points on 50.6 percent shooting from the field and 38.1 percent shooting from downtown.
While the averages are similar, both players score in completely different ways. Harris gets his points in the flow of the offense and isn’t great at creating his own shot. The best Harris creates his own shot is if he gets a mismatch after a screen. Other than that, he is more reliant on others putting him in spots to get good looks.
Maxey on the other has a lethal first step and can get to the rim whenever he wants. He’s also deadly in the fast break and can create off the dribble. He’s currently on a hot streak from the floor which has elevated his ceiling and should change the dynamic of any Ben Simmons trade.
Despite only being 21-years-old, the second year point guard has more potential as a 1-on-1 scorer which should be developed. Even if there are growing pains, Maxey should be used as a secondary scoring option next to Embiid moving forward. He’s more suited for the role based on his skill set.
Harris should be slid down to the third option, which isn’t a bad thing for him either. As a third option, Harris can go against weaker defenders and not have as much pressure to score. It’s the best thing for both players involved and for the 76ers as well.
In the long term, the Sixers will be better off if Maxey is the team’s second scoring option and Harris needs to step aside for it to happen this season.