Getty Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers arrives before playing the Toronto Raptors ahead of their basketball game at the Scotiabank Arena on October 26, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
It takes sacrifice to win an NBA championship. If the Philadelphia 76ers want to reach their peak and be in the running for this type of accomplishment, it will take every player to buy in with a team-first mentality. Tyrese Maxey has become the most notable member to be put to the test of late.
Despite putting himself on the map with his meteoric rise over the past two seasons, Maxey may end up being the odd man out in the Sixers’ starting lineup. Ahead of the Sixers’ recent victory over the Lakers, Doc Rivers elected to bring Maxey off the bench and add De’Anthony Melton to the starting five. This added defensive punch was effective in contributing to the team’s success as Philadelphia narrowly escaped with a 113-112 win. Maxey was asked about this perceived demotion following the game and had his typical radiant personality on display.
“Sometimes you just gotta be the bigger person, I feel like,” Maxey said. “It was kind of trending towards that way, but uh, I’m a professional at the end of the day and I feel like I am a starter in this league. But I feel like our team is so good that I think we can have multiple people starting. So at the end of the day, you know, I think I played like 33 minutes so. I mean it is what it is, just gonna go out there and play, do whatever they need me to do to win so we won. That’s what matters.”
Maxey, on coming off the bench. Even when he’s disappointed, he’s team first & positive.
Maxey the Sixth Man?
While there may have been some hurt feelings behind Maxey’s smile, his team-first mentality is admirable. It also should be noted that this is not so much a demotion, but rather a different attempt to maximize the 22-year-old’s ability in a different way.
The trio of Maxey, James Harden, and Joel Embiid may be +8.4 points per 100 possessions in the 220:06 game minutes they have clocked together, but it is tough to feel playing alongside the two superstars has brought out the best in Maxey. This rating is just the eighth-best among Sixers’ three-man units to have played more than 200 minutes together this season.
Both Embiid and Harden are incredibly ball-dominant in their styles of play. While Maxey’s career 39.4% three-point percentage makes him effective as an off-ball shooter, it is a waste to simply use him as a catch-and-shooter. The Kentucky product’s elite pace and ability to get downhill are among the best in the NBA. He also flashes an impressive finishing ability around the rim that is often underutilized alongside the stars.
Allowing him some additional time on the court without the other two stars could give Maxey a chance to serve as the primary option. It also should be noted that Rivers mentioned the team will be rotating three different starting lineups depending on the matchup. While the head coach was close-mouthed in what the other two units will be, it is fair to assume Maxey will not be on the bench for all three of them.
Is Maxey Safe From Trade Talks?
There also has been some growing chatter about the Sixers’ intentions as the trade deadline approaches. The team has won 15 of their last 19 matchups and is just a half-game back of the second seed in the Eastern Conference. With growing optimism regarding their outlook on the season, it will be important to monitor how Philadelphia makes use of its remaining trade assets.
The Sixers currently have an open roster spot and the decision to release Isaiah Joe and Charles Bassey before the season was attributed to the desire for more roster and financial flexibility. They also sit at just $1.2 million over the luxury tax line with it being reported they would like to get below this. Jaden Springer and Furkan Korkmaz are two names that have been mentioned in moves that the Sixers may look to combat this with.
According to @TheSteinLine, the #Sixers are looking to move Furkan Korkmaz and Jaden Springer to save money against the luxury tax threshold
Thoughts⁉️
If Philadelphia believes they are a notable piece away from joining the true contenders’ conversation, Maxey is undoubtedly the team’s greatest trade piece. The window to win with Harden and Embiid will not be open forever, and Sixers’ President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey has been public about his mindset of going all-in whenever there is a true chance at a championship. He has summed this up by saying whenever the team has a five-percent or greater chance.
The biggest question that Morey will have to answer is if the long-term future of Maxey is worth passing up for in favor of a greater championship chance this season. There also are only a select few players that can impact the Sixers’ ability to win more than Maxey can at the moment, so it would take one of these individuals becoming available for a deal to be struck.
This conversation will be something to continue monitoring and how the rest of the NBA teams prioritize their own trade deadline outlook will play a major role. As long as Maxey continues to suit up in a Sixers uniform, he will continue to be a key part of the team. Morey and the Sixers have shown an unwillingness to include Maxey in any deals before, and this may be the case again this season- which may just be the proper stance.