Mystery is the name of the game for the Philadelphia 76ers as they slowly approach the 2025-26 season. No one could possibly predict just how the upcoming campaign could look like for this bunch, especially given the wide latitude of possibilities awaiting them in what they are looking at as a chance for a comeuppance after the disastrous year they turned in.
But even if the team has an unpredictable outlook for now, it is probably too wild of a proposition to even toss the idea of their season depending on someone like Kelly Oubre Jr., right? After all, this roster has way too many high-level players for their campaign to hinge on a flawed role player.
Still, given Oubre’s vacillating roles, he could actually profile as a good “panic meter” of the sorts for Philly. The kind of role that he will have next season will be pretty telling of where the 76ers stand as a collective or what kind of circumstances are unfolding around them.
One thing is for sure, though — if Oubre is logging heavy minutes next season, that would probably mean that the 76ers are not in a good shape at all.
Kelly Oubre playing heavy minutes next season would be bad for the 76ers
In his first go-round as a Sixer, Oubre averaged 30.2 minutes per outing. That number bumped up to 34.6 last season. In a span of two years, he started in 109 out of his 128 appearances, entrenching himself as a full-time starter for the most part.
That should change next season — at least hopefully. A healthy 76ers team should not have Oubre playing starter minutes at all. But of course, that is a rather ambitious thing to say about this squad.
If Oubre consistently sees the hardwood for more than 30 minutes next season, it would mean that the 76ers have way too many injuries, especially with respect to Paul George. It would also signal that Justin Edwards did not take a significant step in his development, and that offseason additions like Trendon Watford and Jabari Walker flopped outright.
We have already enumerated the reasons as to why Oubre, while serviceable, has become detrimental to the team. This roster construction simply is not built to play house to someone like him, and he would be better off playing for another team with, say, actual shooters.
The Philadelphia 76ers are expecting great things next season, but if the coaching staff will still heavily depend on Kelly Oubre Jr., then things aren’t probably looking good.