Sixers: Ranking every player on the roster after James Harden trade

Ranking every Sixers player — 11. Isaiah Joe

After spending most of his rookie season on the bench, Isaiah Joe has received some real playing time in year two. Across 41 appearances, he is averaging 3.8 points and 1.1 rebounds in 12.2 minutes. While Joe has failed to capitalize on the preseason hype that once surrounded him, we have seen flashes of a potentially impactful long-term piece.

Joe’s greatest strength is his 3-point shot. Once the most confident and prolific shooter in college basketball, many expected Joe’s skill set to translate immediately to the NBA. It has been something of a slow burn — Joe’s volume is down from last season and he’s only hitting 33.0 percent of his triples — but with beautiful mechanics, it’s hard not to expect his numbers to trend upward.

The Sixers have two superstars who need confident, quick-trigger shooters around them. Joe is still arguably the most confident shooter on the roster, and his ability to hit standstill 3s is enough to warrant optimism moving forward. He doesn’t overthink things and muck up possessions. More often than not, Joe either catches and shoots or he makes the simple pass. Nothing too complicated.

To Joe’s credit, he also proved himself as a capable NBA defender in limited exposure. His thin frame worried many NBA scouts coming out of Arkansas, but his effort level and I.Q. are surprisingly high. He knows where to be every possession and he competes to keep the ball in front of him, even if some stronger wings can still overpower him.