The Philadelphia 76ers have been showing some encouraging signs as of late, and their latest impressive win reflects exactly that. Still, there is obviously a ton of room for improvement and growth, especially consistency-wise. After all, the fact remains that they still find themselves nine games under .500 — hardly a desirable position for any team wishing to contend at this point in the campaign.
Joel Embiid’s impending return and Paul George returning to form will be the easiest tracks to racking up more wins along the way, but overlooked amid those narratives — and then some — is the play of Tyrese Maxey this season.
Last season’s biggest breakout star, Maxey entered the year poised to continue making strides toward superstardom. However, with his co-stars sidelined due to injury, he had to do the heavy lifting, and quickly became the opposing teams’ lone target on a nightly basis. The results have been mixed, but for the most part, his shooting splits have declined drastically.
The 76ers could end up trading Tyrese Maxey
Without someone like Embiid who is a massive sap-sipper for defenses, Maxey’s efficiency has taken a hit. Still, he had to do the same for a huge chunk of last season, and even then, he remained a relatively efficient, high-volume scorer from all levels. This season has been quite different.
Maxey is shooting 40.9 percent from the field and 29.7 percent from downtown, both career-lows by a huge margin. There has been growing clamor about his worse shot selection this season, and his lack of growth as a playmaker has become worrisome.
I'll say this, Jared McCain is playing with the exact same supporting cast as Tyrese Maxey is.
— Jacob Moreno (@jmoreno76ers) December 5, 2024
Yet, McCain is doing a much better job at playing at his own pace and has a more efficient shot selection. #Sixers
All these coinciding with Jared McCain being a huge revelation in his rookie year as a surefire building block for the future might have already put some cloud on his future in Philly. While a gross overreaction at this point, there is no doubt that Maxey is not as untouchable as he was last season, even if the difference is only by a whisker.
Should the 76ers tap the emergency button and resolve to get as much assets as possible for a reboot or a ground zero maneuver, Maxey’s efficiency will undeniably net them the most assets. Embiid is an MVP-caliber, yet risky commodity, and George is showing signs of decline at 34. Maxey, on the other hand, could still flourish as a second or third option on a perennial contender.
Given how this franchise has shown a notorious proclivity for burning the house down in the spirit of dramatic rebuilds, the Philadelphia 76ers could very well end up trading Tyrese Maxey. Hopefully, they don’t get anywhere near that point, but if they do, would it be really surprising?
Still, yes. But not as much as you think.