NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
Is Tyrese Maxey ready to be the leader of the Philadelphia 76ers? No. Despite having his best year as a pro, it’s clear that he’s not in the same category as Ja Morant, pre-injury Derrick Rose, or Allen Iverson. Maxey is good but he’s not face of the franchise good, yet.
With Joel Embiid sidelined, the team was handed to Maxey and he has failed to sustain the same level that Embiid has led the team to. While the 76ers are expected to back up the Brinks Truck for him in the offseason, they may want to rethink the final number on that contact.
Maxey has to be paid but he has to be paid like the Robin he is and not the Batman many are expecting. This is Embiid’s team for now and the front office is expected to hand over everyone to the touring guard whenever Embid leaves or retires. But right now, Tyrese Maxey is not showing he can lead the team anywhere except the bottom of the standings as the lone wolf. Is this a fair assessment for him at his age? Yes, it is.
Rose did it. Morant did it. Iverson did it as well. So what’s the issue with Maxey? He has the tools to get baskets like no other in the league, however, he struggles just as much as a bench player entering the game after sitting 3.5 quarters. He has to do and be better. Much better.
Can The Philadelphia 76ers Rely On Tyrese Maxey
Embiid is sidelined for at least another month while he recovers. Daryl Morey did not make a big splash during the trade deadline which means, he’s going all in with this current group. The pressure is on. Maxey will now face the same scrutiny that Ben Simmons, Embiid, and even James Harden had to deal with. He has to lead his team not in points, but in wins.
The Philadelphia 76ers fanbase knows he can score. What they need from him is to make everyone around him better. The remaining players must take their game to another level and that all begins with the high-scoring guard. He will now get a crash course in what’s it like to be the guy on a contender. He no longer has Harden to hide behind. Embiid’s shadow is no longer there either. It’s all him. It’s up to his play, his direction, and his voice.
If the 76ers continue to slip down the standings, will Morey and the front office think twice about such a large contract this summer? On the flip side of that, they cannot afford to lowball Maxey either. He must be kept and that means, he will get a huge deal. Maxey is still young (23) and is in the middle of just his 4th season in the league. As a first-time All-Star, he’s being noticed by his peers. That’s a gift and a curse.
In his case, he doesn’t have the same pressure that Iverson, Morant, or Luka Doncic has. It’s not fully his team yet. But that doesn’t mean that with Embiid down, Maxey gets a pass. In their last 10 games, the 76ers were 3-7 before the break. They have fallen in the Eastern Conference standings with Embiid out and Maxey as the leader.
While some fall-off should have been expected, not this much was. Their next 6 games will be against 5 teams expected to make the playoffs in the Knicks, Cavaliers, Bucks, Celtics, Hornets, and Mavericks. If they are not careful, they could finish this stretch run on a 7-game losing streak and drop themselves into Play-In Tournament territory.
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