The 76ers roster may have a Kelly Oubre Jr. problem, and new face Trendon Watford could make that even more apparent.
Oubre, like the rest of the team, had a down year last year as he was thrust into a larger role. Despite an increase in minutes per game, Kelly saw his points, three-point percentage, and three-point attempts all fall from his first season with the Sixers. Even worse, his 29.2 percent mark from three was the worst of his career thus far.
Paired with this drop in production is Daryl Morey’s early-offseason vow to get younger and more athletic. This aligns with recent reports that the 76ers are looking to move on from aging veterans, including Oubre and Andre Drummond, to make more room for the signing of rising star Quentin Grimes.
These trade rumors appeared to rub him the wrong way, as he took to Instagram to vent his frustrations with the situation. The 76ers need all the good vibes they can get after a disastrous 2024-2025 season, and an unhappy player entering training camp undermines that.
Trendon Watford could unseat Kelly Oubre next season for the 76ers
For now, Oubre is still projected to play a major role on the wing as the starter or key reserve. Yet the arrival of Trendon Watford could shift that by giving the Sixers a younger option and making it easier to lessen Oubre’s role or move on from him entirely.
Watford came over from the Brooklyn Nets as the 76ers were looking to get younger and more athletic this offseason. He also filled one of the team's biggest needs, as he’s primarily played power forward since being drafted by Portland in 2021.
Watford averaged 10.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in just over 20 minutes per night for Brooklyn. And while he has attempted less than 1 per game for his career, he has a 35 percent career mark on threes and can convert if given open looks by the team’s stars.
Watford is also a more natural power forward than Oubre is, and potentially adding him to the starting lineup, or at least an increased bench role, would allow for 76ers star Paul George to play his more natural position of small forward. A lineup of Maxey, Grimes, George, Watford, and Embiid would have shooting, size, athleticism, and ball handling across the lineup and could lead to matchup advantages that Kelly can’t provide at small forward.
Media day later this week, and the first practice of training camp should start to provide clarity on the team’s depth chart.