76ers head coach Nick Nurse bares lofty plans for Paul Reed this season
Don’t count out Paul Reed becoming a breakout player for the Philadelphia 76ers in the upcoming 2023-24 season.
Unflagging turmoil may have been the story of the offseason so far for the 76ers, but with a talented squad still slated to banner Philly next season and a newly installed championship-caliber head coach to man the sidelines, the team should still be in the mix out East.
Their competitive push, however, can get even more forceful with the possible emergence of Reed, whom the front office managed to retain despite a tricky offer from another team in free agency. And it certainly appears that the coaching staff is ready to hand him a more meaningful role in his fourth year with the club.
Paul Reed could be one of the most important players for the Philadelphia 76ers next season
With a core clearly designed to win now, the Philadelphia 76ers aren’t necessarily what you can call a team with enough talent to still build for the future. Aside from Tyrese Maxey, there’s a dearth of young potential cornerstones on this team, making the franchise a bit more vulnerable outside Joel Embiid.
Paul Reed, however, could flip that script. After scrapping for a consistent role last season, he seems poised to cement his stature on the roster, with Nurse recently baring his lofty goals for the youngster on Patrick Beverley’s podcast, The Pat Bev Pod.
"Will he play with Embiid? For sure. Like I don’t think that’s a question. He’s gonna be out there playing hard. He’s gonna be defending. He’s gonna be doing probably more than he’s done before. I think he’s ready to take a step up. He can play."
Clearly, Nurse will be giving more emphasis on development than former head coach Doc Rivers ever did, which is a very welcome development to quell some of the uncertainty around the franchise.
Reed playing next to Embiid should open up a lot of possibilities not only for him, but also for the team. After all, it’s imperative that the 76ers find a successor to the aging PJ Tucker and the erratic (and trade-bound) Tobias Harris while remaining productive when the reigning MVP hits the bench.
Paul Reed’s growth next season will undoubtedly be one of the most exciting storylines to watch out for. With the Philadelphia 76ers currently scrapping for something good to alter the current distaste surrounding the roster, his development will be both crucial and rejuvenating.
