In the modern-day NBA, the consensus is that a "smaller" guard's lack of two-way ability and presence in the paint creates a weak spot that opposing players can expose. Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks have just blown this theory out of the water to lift their first title in 53 years.
If Tyrese Maxey wants to see his individual progress rewarded with team titles, then the Philadelphia 76ers need to mirror their Eastern Conference rivals' roster construction.
New York constructed a roster to help Brunson thrive
A Larry O'Brien Trophy, an NBA Finals MVP, and a stunning 45-point performance -- it was not a bad night for Jalen Brunson. However, if we are being honest with ourselves, nobody saw this level of impact coming when Brunson landed in New York during the 2022 free-agent period.
While the 29-year-old showed glimpses of being a dominant scorer with the Dallas Mavericks, he did not fit the mould of the modern-day, two-way star every team has been searching for.
Fast forward to 2026, and Brunson is now an NBA champion. Instead of worrying about the guard's lack of physical presence on defense, the Knicks' front office added players who would allow Brunson to focus on dictating the team's offensive blueprint.
The 'Wing-Stop' duo of Mikel Bridges and OG Anunoby has created a defensive partnership that alleviates much of Brunson's workload on that side of the ball. Additionally, Karl-Anthony Towns' elite shooting and rebounding give Brunson more flexibility to focus on the areas in which he thrives for the Knicks -- and that is his offensive work.
So, what does any of this have to do with the Philadelphia 76ers? Well, the parallels between Tyrese Maxey and Jalen Brunson are uncanny.
Philadelphia could benefit from mirroring New York's ideology
Maxey and Brunson are similar in both playing style and physique. Standing at 6-foot-2, they are deemed smaller guards who can easily be exposed on the defensive end of the floor -- this feels rich considering I stand at a measly 5-foot-5.
In the past, the 76ers have concentrated on creating a stable foundation to make their offensive talisman, Joel Embiid, even more dangerous. This does not mean that the front office should abandon this line of thinking, but the moves they make in the offseason should prioritize both Embiid and Maxey, rather than one over the other.
Retaining Kelly Oubre Jr. is one way to make this idea a reality. Oubre has proven to be an energetic, two-way presence for the 76ers who can contribute in several areas, including scoring and rebounding. Ensuring that the versatile forward returns will be critical to matching the Knicks' Brunson blueprint.
However, the Sixers will need to scour the market to truly make this potential vision a success. This cannot be similar to Daryl Morey's cheap pickups; Philadelphia would have to be willing to move on valuable assets to acquire players that don't just fit the squad they are trying to create, but are highly skilled on both sides of the ball.
While it will be impossible to create a mirror image of the New York Knicks' championship roster, the franchise's success does create a glimmer of hope that Tyrese Maxey can lead the Philadelphia 76ers to the promised land in the near future.
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