Getty Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on against the Charlotte Hornets at Wells Fargo Center on October 12, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Few players have ascended into the spotlight as rapidly as Tyrese Maxey. The Philadelphia 76ers’ young guard has grown from the 21st overall pick just three years ago to a key part of the short-term and long-term plans of the franchise. Maxey also found himself on the recent Bleacher Report Grades for every team’s best player under 25 years old. Dan Favale of B/R handed the Sixers’ young guard an A- for his performance so far this year. As he put it:
“Breathtaking speed and scintillating long-range marksmanship remain the bedrocks upon which Tyrese Maxey is building his All-Star track. His past few games have been, uh, not so hot. But he’s still good for around 23 points and four assists a night while shooting over 41 percent from behind the rainbow and 45 percent on long twos.
There has been some pullback on his efficiency near the basket; he’s shooting sub-60 percent around the rim. His 40 percent clip on drives also pales in comparison to last year’s 50 percent success rate, and he’s seen his accuracy at the foul line drop by more than 10 points.
Absences from James Harden and Joel Embiid, some of them overlapping, have spotlighted holes Maxey must fill. Slowed-down orchestration is not natural for him, and the Philadelphia 76ers offense has cratered in the time he and Embiid spend without Harden. Visually, meanwhile, it looks like Maxey has less zest on defense.
More than most, this is an interpretative open to the season. I recognize it as a standout—a relative continuation of Maxey’s offensive lethality in the face of volatile circumstances and lineups and rotations and shifting usage,” as written by Dan Favale of Bleacher Report.
Maxey’s Rapid Growth
The rapid growth of Maxey has been vital to keeping the Sixers’ championship window open. It was a surprise when he fell in the 2020 draft to the 76ers selection at 21. The Kentucky product saw his college career shortened due to the Covid-19 pandemic shutting down live sports. Some attribute this as a reason for him falling in the draft as the shooting concerns were overstated.
As a rookie, Maxey saw limited time and averaged just 8.0 points, 2.0 assists, and 1.7 rebounds during his 15.3 minutes per game. His growth was accelerated due to the holdout of Ben Simmons the following season which thrust the young guard into the starting lineup. In his second year in the league, he saw his numbers grow to 17.5 points, 4.3 assists, and 3.2 rebounds. Maxey also shot 42.7% on three-point attempts which ranked third in the NBA.
In year three, Maxey looks to have taken another stride forward. He has established himself as a key part of the Sixers’ offense and his burst of pace is a weapon for the team. Through the opening 14 games of the season, he is averaging 22.8 points, 4.4 assists, and 3.4 rebounds per game. His efficiency has taken a slight step back (as expected based on his growth in usage) but he is still shooting 40.8% on three-point attempts and also is averaging a career-high 1.1 steals per game.
“The Sky is the limit… He’s a true professional and it’s a blessing for me personally to have a guy like that to work with”
Sam Cassell had high praise for Tyrese Maxey.
Is Maxey Struggling Without Harden?
It has been a difficult task for the entire Sixers team without James Harden. However, his absence has particularly impacted Maxey. The playmaking ability of Harden further unlocked Maxey as a scorer following his arrival in Philadelphia.
With Harden in the midst of a month-long absence due to his right foot tendon sprain, Maxey has been tasked with additional playmaking duties without the former MVP next to him. While his 6’2″ frame would indicate he is a point guard, Maxey is at his best when creating for himself. He has improved as a playmaker but is most natural as a scorer. However, he also has struggled to create for himself in isolation thus far this year.
LEAST efficient ISOs among qualifying players:
1. Jrue Holiday: 0.53 ppp
2. McCollum: 0.57
3. Randle: 0.58
4. Maxey: 0.59
5. Herro: 0.65
MOST efficient ISOs:
1. Zion: 1.28 ppp
2. Kyrie: 1.27
3. DeRozan: 1.25
4. Dame: 1.24
5. Brunson: 1.24
6. LaVine: 1.23
7. J. Grant: 1.21
It has been a surprise to see Maxey struggle to start this year, but impressive how great his numbers still are without playing at his peak. The A- is a fair grade for a player who continues to exceed expectations. The Kentucky product will continue to be vital to the Sixers picking up victories while Harden recovers as well as when the superstar returns to the court. Maxey has blown past every bar set for his play thus far and the Sixers will hope this continues moving forward.