Is there anything Tyrese Maxey can’t do? The Philadelphia 76ers‘ young star showed out in his sophomore performance last year, blossoming from nice bench unit sparkplug to a budding star.
Yes, 2021-22 was no doubt a breakout from the young Sixer. His points per night shot up, going from 8.0 two years ago to 17.5 last year. His assists boomed, going from 2.0 to 4.3 last year. He shot an otherworldly 42.7% from deep last season. If he matches that total, he’ll go a long way towards proving last year wasn’t a fluke.
But what if he actually takes another step forward? Is that even possible? According to Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report, the answer is yes. Not only that, but Buckley believes Maxey is a top breakout candidate heading into the new season, describing last year’s success as a mere “appetizer.”
.@GrittyNHL’s new bestie: @TyreseMaxey 😁
“If you thought Maxey broke out last season, you’re not letting your imagination capture the full breadth of what he can become,” Buckley wrote on October 16.
“He has looked unguardable this preseason (63.6/66.7/90.9 shooting slash through three games), and while that’s a tiny sample of an exhibition slate, it shows just how hard he is to handle when his outside looks are falling.”
What exactly would a “breakout” season look like from Maxey?
Maxey Needs to Improve Volume and Maintain Efficiency
If there’s any knock on Maxey’s play, it’s his volume. Last year, Maxey attempted 4.2 threes per 36 minutes. That’s not a bad figure by any stretch, but it trailed guys like Furkan Korkmaz, Danny Green, and Georges Niang. And look, all that Niang and Korkmaz are counted on is to shoot three-pointers.
But Green was a starter last season. So was Seth Curry, whose 5.2 attempts per 36 minutes also finished above Maxey’s rate. Maxey should shoot (no pun intended) to match Curry’s figure last year.
But if Maxey wants to get bold? He can go for Green’s 7.2 attempts per 36 minutes. That’s a prolific figure akin to what Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker averaged last season. Perhaps that’s a lofty goal, but we’re talking about a player who’s made a living shattering expectations.
But here’s the kicker: Maxey can’t just shoot more. He must make the shots that he attempts. So far, that hasn’t been a problem for Maxey, who netted 66% of his threes during the preseason. In all likelihood, Maxey is still a season or two away from that staggering attempts mark. If we use Booker’s career as a barometer, he followed the sort of “Seth Curry-Danny Green” trajectory we’re talking about; in 2015, Booker averaged 4.9 attempts. Next season, he bumped that figure up to 5.3. By his junior season, he was dropping 7.2 attempts per 36 minutes.
It might still be a season away, but the path is there for Maxey to gradually boost his scoring, while retaining the ever-so-important efficiency.
If Maxey makes that leap, it could cost the Sixers a pretty penny in the not-too-distant future.
Could Tyrese Maxey Get Paid Next Summer?
Maxey isn’t extension eligible for another year. But according to Bryan Toporek of Liberty Ballers, the Sixers could be forced to pay up as soon as the time is right for the former Kentucky Wildcat.
“Considering the likelihood of a steep cap jump in the latter half of this decade, though, Maxey would be justified in asking for a full max next summer. Otherwise, he could threaten to take a shorter-term extension to test free agency in the post-TV-deal cap environment sooner,” Toporek wrote on October 17.
Another thing to keep in mind: Maxey is repped by Klutch, who also navigated the holdout and subsequent trade-deadline move involving Ben Simmons. Klutch isn’t afraid to demand money for their players. Fortunately, the Sixers have a little history at the negotiating table.
Oh, and if Maxey does make a leap? He’s worth every single dollar and Fanatics stock that comes his way.
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Sixers Star Tyrese Maxey Picked as League’s Next ‘Breakout’ Player