The 76ers will not admit it, but having to parts ways with Kelly Oubre Jr. in the offseason to accommodate their new signings probably made the front office a tad nervous. After all, the veteran forward was a critical part of the team over the last three years. However, given how measly he has looked to start his stint with his new team, Philly's brass is most likely thankful that they did not bring him back for another go-round.
Oubre, who signed a two-year, $16.5 million contract with the Pacers, has immensely struggled to start the season. In his first two games with his new ball club, he has averaged 3.5 points, two rebounds, and 2.5 assists per outing while shooting 20 percent from the field and just 11.1 percent from beyond the arc. Those are simply ghastly figures for a player averaging nearly 24 minutes a night. Interestingly, his atrocious shooting is something the 76ers know all too well.
The Pacers are learning what the 76ers already knew about Kelly Oubre
Indiana signing Oubre seemed to create a match made in heaven. After all, the athletic forward has the style to be an all-lethal catalyst for the Pacers given their breakneck pace on the offensive end. While that remains to be the case, his unreliable outside shot –– which was the case for the most part in his three-year stay in Philadelphia –– is already giving Indy some fits.
Oubre shot just 32 percent from three-point territory in his three seasons with the 76ers. While he was a solid contributor who slowly emerged as a two-way piece for the group, he was often a weak link on offense, as defenders were more than happy to leave him open to double down on the stars on the team.
If Oubre keeps misfiring from the perimeter for the Pacers, his role and value could get drastically shafted altogether. While he still has value as a rim-runner and play finisher, Indiana's high-octane offense will only slow down if he is someone whom opponents can viably neglect, especially in the half-court.
The 76ers enjoyed three solid years from Kelly Oubre Jr., but his stint was far from perfect. Now that he is struggling with his new squad, the front office is slowly getting vindicated for pivoting away from him and bringing in less flashy, yet more secure options to man the complementary role he filled for the franchise.
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