Philadelphia 76ers Report: Tyrese Maxey is “close to untouchable”
The Philadelphia 76ers find themselves in a weird spot heading into the offseason. After being beaten down and embarrassed by the Miami Heat in a six game series defined by injury and ineffective play, it’s clear the Sixers’ roster isn’t quite good enough to realistically be considered championship caliber.
Fortunately, the offseason is the perfect time to retool the roster and get bigger, tougher, and rebound-y-er, which isn’t really a word but is still one of the team’s biggest needs.
That’s the good news. The bad news? The Sixers’ asset pool isn’t what it once was, and taking the requisite moves needed to get the roster where it needs to be is going to be tricky.
Could the Sixers trade Tobias Harris? Sure, but for what? The OKC Thunder aren’t going to take on his contract without further compensation, the Washington Wizards/Chicago Bulls aren’t going to take him back in a sign-and-trade for Bradley Beal/Zach LeVine, and even if Daryl Morey can find a trade that is asset neutral, it will likely involve another team’s misfitting player(s).
How about Matisse Thybulle? He’s easily the team’s best perimeter defender, their worst perimeter shooter, and could have incredibly desperate value depending on the team taking him back.
And as for James Harden, a player more than a few fans wouldn’t mind if they never saw play for the red, white, and blue ever again? Well, he’s a borderline lock to return to the team one way or another this fall, it’s just a matter of how much his services will cost and how long the Sixers are willing to commit to his services.
As tough as it may be, some fans have taken it upon themselves to look to fix their favorite franchise by trading away arguably their most valuable player not named Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, in the hopes of securing a long-term contender the likes of which “The Process” was literally undertaken to solve.
Fortunately, if reports from Kyle Neubeck of Philly Voice are of any indication, Tyrese Maxey is “close to untouchable,” which frankly should be music to Philadelphia 76ers fans’ ears. I mean come on, why would anyone want to trade a player nicknamed “The Franchise?”
The Philadelphia 76ers are right to bet on Tyrese Maxey’s future.
In the NBA, (almost) no player is untouchable. As Joel Embiid has personally attested, if the Philadelphia 76ers were offered Steph Curry and Klay Thompson for his services, he would be looking for apartments in San Francisco faster than one could say “Trust the Process.”
If some team, say the Orlando Magic, comes correct and offers up Cole Anthony, Franz Wagner, and the first overall pick for Maxey’s services, he’d be on his way to the “Magic Kingdom” and the only critique would come from fans in Florida wondering why their favorite team paid so much for an undersized two guard.
And yet, there were some who looked at Maxey as a sweetener capable of putting a marginal deal over the top. ‘Oh, you want Bradley Beal, even though he averaged 20.8 more points per game during the playoffs this season? Throw in Maxey alongside Tobias Harris, Matisse Thybulle, and some picks, and we have a deal.’
At this point, if you make that sort of statement, it’s because you simply don’t watch the games.
Sure, securing another start would be great, but saying the Sixers need to find a third start is only valid if you no longer view James Harden as a star. Maxey, by contrast, is already a bonified offensive star who improved his game across the board in only his second professional season and should be in consideration for 1B status behind only Embiid in the Sixers’ offensive hierarchy.
Goodness, one could make the argument that there are situations where Maxey should have been the Sixers’ top offensive option in the Miami series when it became clear that Embiid’s offensive game was incomplete and Doc Rivers was simply too conservative with his approach to give his second-year combo guard a green light.
Really, it’s no wonder the Sixers view Maxey as untouchable; he very well may be the top player one day once Embiid moves on from the franchise one way or another.
Next. Justin Anderson lands on the first-team All-G-League. dark
Every team in the NBA would like to have a 21-year-old combo guard with a lightning-quick first step, a 40-plus percent shooting percentage from beyond the arc, and a work ethic only eclipsed by his galvanizing personality. Tyrese Maxey could play alongside LeMelo Ball, Tyrese Haliburton, Darius Garland, and yes, even James Harden, who he played exceptionally well next to in 2022. Unless the Philadelphia 76ers are afforded an opportunity to secure an All-NBA performer for his services, there’s absolutely no reason to trade away “The Franchise” while his stock shows no signs of going down anytime soon.