Getty Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers blocks the shot of Markieff Morris #8 of the Miami Heat.
While the Philadelphia 76ers have shifted their focus to getting James Harden’s contract situated, free agency is still moving along. Most free agents have found themselves with new teams, but there are still some interesting names out there who might be worth taking a flier on.
During a recent Twitter exchange with a fan, one veteran free agent welcomed the idea of joining the Sixers. When asked to sign with the team, Philly native Markieff Morris said he’s wanted to for some time now.
@OfficialRomp Been wanting to for a while now..
Morris, 32, played only 17 games for the Miami Heat last season after missing a large portion of the year after suffering a whiplash injury against the Denver Nuggets. In the short sample he was on the court, the veteran forward averaged 7.6 PPG, 2.6 RPG, and 1.4 APG.
Sixers Players And Analysts React to Isaiah Joe Game-Winner
The Summer Sixers were back in action on July 7th, taking on the Chet Holmgren-less Oklahoma City Thunder. Things went down to the wire, but the Sixers managed to come away victorious thanks to a shooting masterclass from Isaiah Joe.
The former second-round pick canned four triples en route to scoring 19 points. His biggest shot came in the game’s final moments when he knocked down a clutch three to eventually win the game for the Sixers. Following this huge moment, teammates and analysts took to social media to give their reactions.
DERRICK ISAIAH JOE! 👌🏾 @zai_joe1
Yeah zaiiiii!!!!
Isaiah Joe carry job in crunch time tonight, sheesh
Isaiah Joe with ice water in his veins. Sheesh. That’s tough. #Sixers
Along with leading the team in scoring, Joe also tallied four rebounds, two assists, four steals, and one block.
While most were applauding Joe for his efforts against the Thunder, one analyst took it a step further. Finding time might be an uphill battle, but some are still calling for Joe to get his chance on the NBA stage.
The Sixers’ wing rotation is deeper and better than it was last season, but I still think Isaiah Joe deserves a chance to play when possible. He’s a smart and competitive defender, and the shooting skillset is clearly there. The shots will fall sooner or later.
In his first two seasons as a pro, Joe appeared in 96 games and averaged 3.7 PPG.
Sixers Stars in The Lab Together
The Summer League squad aren’t the only ones getting reps in before next season. James Harden recently posted a video on his social media of himself and backcourt partner Tyrese Maxey training with assistant coach Sam Cassell.
76ers assistant coach Sam Cassell didn’t hold back during a workout with Tyrese Maxey and James Harden 🔥
(via @JHarden13)
The former MVP must have liked what he saw from Maxey as he took to Twitter following the workout to give him a shoutout.
good work @TyreseMaxey
The 21-year-old responded with his famous ‘getting one percent better each and every day’ catchphrase.
When Harden joined the Sixers at the trade deadline last year, there was no bigger beneficiary than Maxey. Sharing the backcourt with a high-IQ facilitator allowed the rising star to embrace his scoring nature.
Maxey was already in the midst of a breakout season before Harden’s arrival, and his game took another step further once the All-Star guard entered the lineup. In the 24 games following the All-Star break, Maxey averaged 18.7 PPG while shooting 52.3% from the field and 48.0% from beyond the arc. This high level of play carried into the playoffs as the second-year guard was the Sixers’ second-leading scorer at 20.8 PPG.
It did not take long for Harden and Maxey to gel on the floor last season. After seeing the initial results, there is no telling how the duo will look once they have a full offseason of training together under their belts.