Kelly Oubre

Atlantic Notes: Robinson, Pritchard, Flynn, Oubre

November 11th, 2023 at 4:01pm CST by Rory Maher

Knicks center Mitchell Robinson is generating early buzz for Defensive Player of the Year, according to Steve Popper of Newsday (subscriber link).

As Popper writes, the 25-year-old effectively stymied No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama on national TV earlier this week, with the French phenom going 0-of-6 with Robinson as his closest defender. Robinson also made a strong national impression in last season’s playoffs, dominating the paint in New York’s first-round series against the Cavs, who feature a “heavily hyped” two-big lineup.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau is always eager to discuss how well Robinson has been playing, specifically pointing to his net rating, Popper adds. The Knicks are plus-7.6 when Robinson is on the court vs. minus-1.3 when he’s off, for a net rating differential of plus-8.9 — the second-best mark on the team among rotation regulars.

“His defense is incredible,” Thibodeau said. “Excellent pick-and-roll defender. Rim protection. Defensive rebounding. Multiple effort guy. Really come a long way.

“It’s been steady growth. I think when you look at it, to me, probably the most important statistic there is net rating. Scoring margin, net rating tells you impact on winning. So when you look at where he was four years ago to where he is today, it’s been great strides that have been made, and the impact on winning is the most important thing.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic:

Payton Pritchard signed a four-year, $30MM rookie scale extension just before the season started. The Celtics guard has been struggling to make shots early on in 2023/24, but head coach Joe Mazzulla assured him that he’ll continue to receive minutes as long as he’s impacting the game in other ways, and Pritchard finally had a breakthrough performance in Friday’s win against Brooklyn, per Jared Weiss of The Athletic. “He’s found a way to make a big impact the whole year, and to me, he changed the game for us tonight,” Mazzulla said. “And what we see is, like, it’s easy to look at the scoring of the bench and be like, ‘We’re not producing.’ But there’s so much other stuff that those guys do for us on a daily basis.”
Backup point guard Malachi Flynn struggled to find minutes under former head coach Nick Nurse, but that has changed under Darko Rajakovic, per Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Flynn, who could be a restricted free agent in 2024 if the Raptors give him qualifying offer, admits he was pressing his first handful of games as a rotation regular, but Rajakovic’s patience in him appears to be paying off, Grange notes. “I think the first couple of games I was still kind of like hesitant, not being assertive,” Flynn said. “But I feel like the last maybe three or four games — and not even going off makes or misses, just going off how I’m feeling and how I’m playing — I think I’m a lot more comfortable and playing confident.”
Sixers wing Kelly Oubre made a strong defensive impression in last night’s win over Detroit, limiting Cade Cunningham to a subpar second half after he started the game strong, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “That’s what I bring to the game,” Oubre said of his defense. “That’s my bread and butter, so just trying to impact the game, and Cade definitely got off to a good start. I started on Ausar [Thompson], but Coach made that change to start the second half. Me guarding Cade and just wanted to pick him up full court, kind of make him uncomfortable a little bit because he’s such a talented player.” Oubre will be a free agent again next summer after signing a one-year, minimum-salary deal with the 76ers.

Atlantic Notes: Barnes, O. Porter, Oubre, D. White

November 8th, 2023 at 9:25am CST by Luke Adams

While the Raptors have been up and down so far this season, they’ve gotten consistent strong production from third-year forward Scottie Barnes, who has scored at least 17 points and grabbed eight or more rebounds in every game so far.

Through seven contests, Barnes is averaging 22.6 points, 9.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 2.1 blocks, and 1.1 steals in 36.5 minutes per night, with an impressive shooting line of .513/.421/.759. It’s a small sample, but the 22-year-old appears to be solidifying his place as the franchise’s long-term cornerstone, says Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca.

“What stands out? Everything!” one scout said in a text message to Grange when asked about Barnes’ play this season. “He’s a whole different player. He’s bigger and stronger but hasn’t lost any of his mobility or agility. His shot is much, much smoother and in better balance. And most importantly he’s hungrier. He seems to be on some kind of mission.”

If Barnes’ breakout year continues, it will have a major impact on the Raptors’ roster decisions going forward, according to Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca.

The team will take more time to assess how its potential core pieces fit together, but for what it’s worth, Barnes and OG Anunoby have exhibited strong chemistry in the early going, posting a net rating of +21.6 together, whereas the pairing of Barnes and Pascal Siakam has “felt a bit clunkier,” Lewenberg observes. Both Anunoby and Siakam are eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2024.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Raptors forward Otto Porter Jr. missed all but nine games in his first season with the team in 2022/23, but his contributions in wins over Milwaukee and San Antonio in the last week have made it clear why Toronto wanted him in the first place, Grange writes for Sportsnet.ca. “He helps us so much,” Barnes said of his veteran teammate. “He’s a leader when he’s out there on the floor, talking to us, communicating, seeing those different reads, making those big-time plays on the defensive end, boxing out. He stretches the floor when he’s out there. He has so much IQ and knowledge of the game. He makes an instant impact.”
When Kelly Oubre moved into the Sixers‘ starting lineup to replace P.J. Tucker, head coach Nick Nurse warned that it may be temporary. However, Philadelphia has won all three games with Oubre as a starter and he has averaged 17.0 PPG on 52.8% shooting in that role, so Nurse appears to be in no rush to change things up. “(It’s) kind of probably silly to just make changes or use somebody else or change the rotation if the information is good, right?” Nurse said on Monday (Twitter link via Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer). “So on we go with evaluating it.”
Celtics guard Derrick White is listed as probable to play in Wednesday’s showdown vs. Philadelphia after missing a pair of games due to the birth of his son. According to Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston, while White’s absence was brief, he was clearly missed — his +28.2 net rating so far this season is the best mark of any NBA player who has averaged at least 20 minutes per game.

Atlantic Notes: Tatum, Randle, Maxey, Oubre

November 5th, 2023 at 3:42pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum was initially frustrated at being selected by the Celtics in the 2017 draft, he admitted in a recent interview on NBC Sports Boston (Twitter video link).

“First of all, I didn’t even want to come because I didn’t think I was going to play,” Tatum said (hat tip to Jared Weiss of The Athletic for the transcription). “They had Gordon (Hayward), Jaylen Brown, Isaiah Thomas, and (Marcus) Smart, and I didn’t think I was good enough to be on that team. So, it didn’t even cross my mind how to close a game or how to finish. I was just more concerned about getting in the game and starting.”

It’s safe to say that he’s enjoying his time in Boston now. Still just 25, Tatum is already a five-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA selection, and has helped lead the Celtics to the playoffs across all of his six pro seasons, including the 2022 NBA Finals. At 5-0, the new-look Celtics are already the only remaining undefeated team in the league and Tatum just became the youngest player in franchise history to reach 10,000 career points.

Tatum is currently in the midst of a five-year, maximum-salary contract extension that will see him remain under team control through 2024/25. He’s eligible to sign a new super-max extension next summer.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

It sounds like Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau is out of excuses for All-Star power forward Julius Randle‘s current slump, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Bondy noted that Thibodeau’s latest postgame remarks, following a Friday loss to the Bucks, were a bit harsher than usual. “You can’t predetermine,” Thibodeau said. “You can’t say, ‘Well, I haven’t had a shot, so now I’m gonna take a shot.’ The game tells you what to do… If you’re open, you shoot. If there’s three guys around, you hit the open man. It’s really simple. It’s not hard.” Through six games, the 6’8″ big man is averaging just 13.7 PPG on .271/.225/.618 shooting for the 2-4 Knicks.
Although Tyrese Maxey is off to a stellar start, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse and reigning MVP Joel Embiid are hoping the rising guard will show more aggression in his offense, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “He’s got to not get into those modes where he’s not being more aggressive,” Nurse said. “I’m not criticizing him. I’m just trying to keep imploring that needs to be more aggressive.” Embiid seems to feel similarly: “The key for him is just to be aggressive… and then let the game come to him. I think as the game went along, he let the game come to him, and made the right plays. He passed up a couple of shots that I think he should have taken.”
New Sixers wing Kelly Oubre is also off to a red-hot start for Philadelphia, Pompey adds in a separate piece. Pompey refers to the Sixers’ signing of Oubre to a veteran’s minimum deal as perhaps the club’s best free agent deal in years. “I know that I’m very hungry to prove myself in this league,” Oubre said. “Obviously, you know this summer was very stressful to me for me. So I had a lot of pent up energy for this season already built up.” Across five contests, he’s averaging 21 PPG on .536/.448/.857 shooting, along with 4.0 RPG.

Sixers Notes: New Additions, Oubre, Trade Targets, Harden

November 1st, 2023 at 2:05pm CST by Luke Adams

The four players the Sixers acquired in their James Harden trade with the Clippers – Marcus Morris, Nicolas Batum, Robert Covington, and Kenyon Martin Jr. – arrived at the team’s facility on Wednesday but are unlikely to play on Thursday vs. Toronto, tweets Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Saturday’s home game against Phoenix is a more realistic target for those newcomers, Mizell adds.

Meanwhile, even though Harden hadn’t played yet this season for the 76ers, the deal removes a starter from the team’s lineup — since arriving in Philadelphia in 2022, P.J. Tucker had started all 89 regular season and playoff games he’d played for the club.

Forward Kelly Oubre will start in Tucker’s place for now, head coach Nick Nurse told reporters on Wednesday, but that may not be a permanent change. As Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports explains (via Twitter), Nurse has said he likes the spark Oubre has provided off the bench, so he may want to return Oubre to that role once Morris, Batum, Covington, and Martin are up to speed, with one of those ex-Clippers moving into the starting five.

Here’s more on the Sixers:

Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype and Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscriber link) each identified some players the Sixers may target on the trade market using their newly acquired draft assets, weighing the likelihood of those players becoming available this season and evaluating whether Philadelphia has the pieces to land them. A pair of Bulls (Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan) and Raptors (Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby) show up on both lists, which also feature a few other names.
The draft assets the Sixers are receiving and their ability to move on from the Harden saga have been frequently cited in the last 36 hours as the most important aspects of Philadelphia’s trade with the Clippers. But the deal will also improve the 76ers’ depth, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, who notes that Tucker’s role had declined, Filip Petrusev wasn’t ready for rotation minutes as a rookie, and Harden – of course – had yet to actually suit up for a game this season.
When Harden showed up for the Sixers’ team flight last Wednesday after the team asked him to stay behind in Philadelphia and he wasn’t permitted to board the plane, it “inflamed the situation” on both sides and represented the “final straw” in the club’s efforts to reincorporate him, reports Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. Trade discussions with the Clippers resumed a couple days later and picked up steam after that, per Shelburne.
Shelburne’s story on Harden’s final days is chock full of interesting tidbits, including the fact that Harden communicated directly with head coach Nick Nurse, general manager Elton Brand, and owner Josh Harris after making his trade request, but would only communicate with president Daryl Morey through agent Michael Silverman.
Shelburne also hears from sources that Harden’s camp became convinced ahead of free agency in June that if he declined his option, Morey and the 76ers only intended to offer him a two-year deal with a second-year team option. The team, wary of gun-jumping after being penalized for it in 2022, insisted it would make a strong offer once free agency opened, but Harden “didn’t buy it,” Shelburne writes.

Sixers Notes: Oubre, Maxey, Embiid, Nurse, Springer

October 30th, 2023 at 3:57pm CST by Rory Maher

Forward Kelly Oubre will be looking to raise his stock in 2023/24 after signing a one-year deal with the Sixers for the veteran’s minimum last month. Speaking to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium (Twitter video link), Oubre admitted free agency didn’t play out like he had hoped.

“It was very disheartening,” he said. “… I guess my efforts felt as if they were a little unappreciated. … I had to take that on the chin.”

While Oubre has come off the bench thus far with Philadelphia, he’s still receiving plenty of playing time through three games (29.3 minutes). He’s averaging 19.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 2.0 SPG on .500/.313/.933 shooting in the early going. The 27-year-old wing will be an unrestricted free agent again in 2024.

Here’s more on the Sixers:

The “free-flowing” offense deployed by new head coach Nick Nurse has benefited multiple players on the roster, with Joel Embiid becoming more of a play-maker and Eastern Conference player of the week Tyrese Maxey looking like an All-Star in James Harden‘s absence, writes Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. If Harden does eventually play for Philadelphia this season, he’ll have to adapt to the new system instead of dominating the ball like he has become accustomed to, according to O’Connor. Maxey will hit restricted free agency next summer after the Sixers decided to preserve 2024 cap room by not giving the fourth-year guard a rookie scale extension.
Embiid’s early-season form suggests that he is embracing the changes Philadelphia made this offseason, according to Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic, who writes that the reigning MVP “seems unaffected” by the Harden situation. Embiid, who is averaging a career-best 7.0 assists per night through three games, finished with 35 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and six blocks in just 29 minutes in Sunday’s home-opening blowout win over Portland. “Good basketball to me means cutting, moving, guys getting off the ball, the ball is moving, the ball is not sticking, we’re playing together, we’re playing as a team,” he said.
Third-year guard Jaden Springer is finally receiving some playing time after appearing in just 18 NBA games for 95 total minutes over his first two regular seasons. Although Springer has made an impact with his shot blocking, he needs to cut down on fouls to earn more consistent minutes, observes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The 21-year-old had four fouls in under four minutes during the second quarter vs. Portland. “I’m trying to stay level-headed,” Springer said. “Every game is going to be different, not knowing when I’m going to get my call to play or not knowing what my minutes are going to be. But being ready for anything, whatever they throw at me.” The 76ers have until tomorrow to decide if they want to exercise their fourth-year option on Springer’s rookie scale contract.

Sixers Notes: Embiid, Maxey, Oubre, Mann

October 27th, 2023 at 8:01am CST by Luke Adams

After earning Most Valuable Player honors in 2022/23, what sort of individual goals does Joel Embiid have for the ’23/24 season? According to Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required), the Sixers‘ star center wants to make a case for Defensive Player of the Year and would like to become more of a play-maker in Nick Nurse‘s offense.

“Make those passes and making it easy for everyone else,” Embiid said. “I think, this whole year, that’s going to be my big focus — to just try to get as many assists and trying to get my teammates involved as much as possible. … I never liked just being an [isolation] player. I don’t think that’s the right way to play, and I don’t feel that’s the right way to win. I like this system.”

Embiid’s season got off to a slow start on Thursday in Milwaukee, recording more turnovers (seven) than assists (six) in a game the Sixers lost by a single point, prompting Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer to suggest that the big man looked like the player most affected by James Harden‘s absence.

However, there were some encouraging signs in the road loss, Pompey notes. Tyrese Maxey looked excellent as Philadelphia’s new starting point guard in Harden’s stead, racking up 31 points and eight assists, while minimum-salary free agent addition Kelly Oubre scored 27 points on 9-of-11 shooting (5-of-6 three-pointers).

Here’s more on the 76ers:

Following up on The Philadelphia Inquirer’s recent report about the Knicks‘ interest in Embiid, Ian Begley of SNY.tv hears from sources that the MVP’s desire to remain in Philadelphia hasn’t changed. As for the reported package that New York is willing to part with for Embiid, one source tells Begley that the Sixers and people close to Embiid “didn’t take it seriously.”
According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, Sixers officials learned that the Clippers made Terance Mann available during their efforts to acquire Jrue Holiday from the Trail Blazers, which is one key reason why Philadelphia has insisted on having Mann be part of any package for Harden.
In another article for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Mizell takes a look at the work Maxey put in ahead of the season to prepare himself to take over the 76ers’ lead guard role, with Harden’s status up in the air. “My confidence is really high,” Maxey said. “I feel like, mentally, I prepared for whatever it is.”
Kyle Neubeck of All PHLY makes 10 Sixers-related predictions for the coming season, forecasting another 50-win year, a P.J. Tucker trade, and a 25+ point-per-game season for Maxey. Neubeck also predicts that Harden will end up playing no more than 10 more games for Philadelphia.

Sixers Notes: Harden, Green, Oubre, Korkmaz

October 13th, 2023 at 11:48am CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on NBA Today on Thursday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski expressed a belief that the James Harden saga may continue to be “slow-going, well into the season” (Twitter video link).

As Wojnarowski explains, if the Sixers are going to trade Harden to the Clippers, they want to be able to quickly flip the assets they get from L.A. – and perhaps one or two of their own pieces – for an “All-Star level guard” who would replace Harden in their lineup. But that kind of player is unlikely to become available until closer to the trade deadline.

“The problem for this time of the year is who is that player – or players – out there that are available in the preseason, in training camp?” Wojnarowski said. “Those kind of players, they emerge as you get deeper into the season (and) teams start to maybe look at going in a different direction. Maybe they’re not going to re-sign a veteran player, they want to move off of him.

“The asking price this time of year for the players you might like to get to replace James Harden is going to be really high. So there’s not great motivation in Philadelphia necessarily to think that a deal with the Clippers now gets them the best value they can, the best player who might be available later in the year.”

As Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire relays, Wojnarowski also said that the Clippers continue to engage other teams to gauge the trade value of their 2028 first-round pick – and possibly a first-round pick swap for another year – to see if they’ll be able to acquire different assets that would appeal more to Daryl Morey and the 76ers. The expectation is that they’ll soon take some of those potential scenarios back to Philadelphia.

Here’s more on the Sixers:

Danny Green could have decided to retire when he tore his ACL and LCL in May 2022, a month before he turned 35 years old. But he was determined not to let his career end that way, and now finds himself fighting for a roster spot in Philadelphia on a non-guaranteed contract this fall. “I didn’t do all that rehab for no reason,” Green said, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, adding that he believes he can still provide value as a three-and-D player and veteran leader: “I don’t want to be somewhere that they’re doing me a favor. I want to be a part of something that needs me. … If [the Sixers] feel that I can help them, then they’ll keep me along. I’m here to do my job and do it efficiently. I can still do that, and they think that I can. They think that I can help this group. And I believe that I can.”
Speaking to Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer, new Sixers forward Kelly Oubre said he has had to “kill my ego” and “find who I am deep down inside” over the last couple years, which is one reason why he was comfortable accepting a minimum-salary contract after averaging 20-plus points per game last season. “I didn’t care about the money,” Oubre said. “I know what I’m worth and I know what I deserve. But if I have to protect my peace and my soul over the money, I’m going to do that any day of the week.”
Sixers guard Furkan Korkmaz continues to be affected by a hamstring strain, according to Pompey (Twitter links). Korkmaz has missed both of the team’s preseason games so far and didn’t take part in practice on Thursday.

Sixers Notes: Springer, Wings, Hines, T. Smith, Harden

October 11th, 2023 at 9:12am CST by Luke Adams

Jaden Springer, the 28th overall pick in the 2021 draft, has only appeared in 18 NBA games in his first two professional seasons, logging just 95 total minutes in those contests. The Sixers guard began making his case in the team’s preseason opener on Sunday for more playing time in year three, racking up 14 points, five rebounds, and a pair of assists in 24 minutes of action.

“I’m just proud of him, man,” Tyrese Maxey said after the game, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “He’s been working the last three years. I told him, ‘This year, it’s time. We’re probably going to need you. We’re going to need you to step up and play bigger and older than what you are.’ … So I’m proud of him.”

While Springer hasn’t had a regular role at the NBA level, he had a strong season with the Delaware Blue Coats (Philadelphia’s G League affiliate) in 2022/23, earning Finals MVP honors for the NBAGL champions.

The Sixers will have until October 31 to make a decision on Springer’s $4.02MM rookie scale team option for the 2024/25 season. Although that cap hit is pretty team-friendly, it would cut into Philadelphia’s projected cap room for next summer. Maintaining that cap flexibility has been a priority for the front office, so Springer’s option isn’t a lock to be exercised.

Here’s more on the 76ers:

With Jalen McDaniels, Matisse Thybulle, and Georges Niang no longer on the roster, a handful of new and returning players are fighting for minutes on the wing, as Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer details. Danuel House and Furkan Korkmaz, who were out of the rotation for much of last season, are among those in the mix, along with newcomers like Kelly Oubre and Danny Green.
Within a wide-ranging conversation with Mizell, Sixers assistant coach Rico Hines praised guard Terquavion Smith, who took part in Hines’ pickup games at UCLA this summer after signing a two-way contract with Philadelphia as an undrafted free agent. “I think he has a world of talent, and I think the sky’s the limit for him to continue to grow and get better,” Hines said. “He’s a kid that had first-round talent if he would have come out, probably, a year ago. But whatever the case may be, he fell to us and we’re lucky to have him. For us, it’s just continuing to coach him and getting him better. But I thought he raised a lot of eyebrows in there from veteran guys saying, ‘Man, who is this kid?’ Because they didn’t know him.
Although James Harden has been a full participant in Sixers’ last few practices, it’s unclear whether he’ll make his preseason debut on Wednesday, per head coach Nick Nurse, who says the team continues to take a “day by day” approach with the star guard. Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer has the story.

Hornets Notes: Miller, Oubre, Williams, Ball

October 6th, 2023 at 10:32am CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets don’t want to ask too much of No. 2 overall pick Brandon Miller at the start of his rookie season, and the roster depth at the forward spots puts the club in a good position to avoid putting pressure on him in the early going, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. As Miller notes, with plenty of reliable veterans, he can focus on getting comfortable in his role.

“It definitely gives me a lot of confidence just to come in here and take an open shot on a passed ball from LaMelo Ball or one of our vets out here,” Miller said. “It’s just a confidence thing.”

While Miller may not immediately be a focal point on offense or the player who’s taking on the toughest defensive assignments, he has been a quick study so far in training camp, impressing his Hornets teammates.

“Yeah, I think it’s definitely rare, but his game speaks volumes,” P.J. Washington said. “I’ve been saying this a long time, but he doesn’t do anything (wrong) on the court. I’m very happy the way he’s been working. He’s getting extra shots, he’s doing everything to be successful in this league. And I just can’t wait to see him play.”

Here’s more on the Hornets:

In his initial comments to reporters as a 76er this week, former Hornets wing Kelly Oubre appeared to take a shot at his old team, as Boone relays. “Honestly, this team wins every year, right?” Oubre said of the Sixers. “The fan base wants them to win more, but I’ve come from teams where they have no hope. Like, zero hope within the whole city. And this is not that at all. … The organization gives its players the platform to do so with everything around us. So, it’s night and day from what I’ve been to, and I’m going to just take advantage of it, soak it all in, and take it day by day.” Oubre spent the past two seasons with the Hornets.
Second-year big man Mark Williams wasn’t able to play in Summer League or complete his usual offseason workout routine since he spent part of the summer recovering from thumb surgery. Instead, he focused on spending extra time in the weight room, adding roughly 12 pounds without sacrificing speed and lateral movement, Boone writes for The Observer.
Within the same story, Williams said he’s looking forward to picking the brain of Patrick Ewing, the former star center who has rejoined the Hornets as a coaching consultant. “Obviously, what he can do, what he’s done, and then now to have a legend like that here will be great for me,” Williams said. “He obviously played the five, played against a lot of greats. So, to have him here will be really cool.”
LaMelo Ball, who signed a five-year, maximum-salary contract extension with the Hornets in July, is embracing his role as a team leader, according to Boone. “(We) see the difference in him from last year and the last couple of years,” veteran guard Terry Rozier said of his teammate.

Sixers Notes: Embiid, Harden, Tucker, Oubre, Maxey, Green

October 2nd, 2023 at 12:08pm CST by Luke Adams

The impact that James Harden‘s standoff with the Sixers might have on star teammate Joel Embiid has been an ongoing subplot this offseason as the Harden saga drags on. Speaking to reporters on Monday for the first time this fall, Embiid was asked if he feels the need to put public pressure on his team’s front office to make a move, the way Giannis Antetokounmpo did this summer in Milwaukee.

“It’s tricky. I think it could go both ways,” Embiid said (Twitter video link via Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer). “… (The Sixers’ front office decision-makers) get paid to make those decisions, so that’s why I leave it up to them. If they want my opinion, maybe I give it, but I trust (them). Any team that I’m on, I’m still going to believe that I have a chance to win, no matter who’s on the roster. And we’ve got a lot of great players. I’m happy with what we have.”

Embiid went on to say that he thinks Tyrese Maxey could be primed to make a leap this season and that the Harden situation will “hopefully” be resolved soon.

“If he’s here, we love him and we want him to be with us, and I think we have a better team with him on the floor,” Embiid said. “And I think he knows it too, so hopefully that gets resolved. If that doesn’t (get resolved), it doesn’t change the goal, it doesn’t change anything. The goal is still to go out there and try to win a championship.”

Here’s more from the Sixers’ media day:

Veteran Sixers forward P.J. Tucker said today that his relationship with Harden goes “way beyond basketball” and that he supports him whether he ends up remaining in Philadelphia or getting traded elsewhere (Twitter video link via Pompey). Asked if he thinks Harden will end up reporting to the 76ers, Tucker said he has “no idea,” adding, “I know he feels strongly about how he feels.”
A feeling that he was wanted was a primary reason why Kelly Oubre signed with the Sixers, he told reporters today (Twitter link via Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports). According to Oubre, president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and head coach Nick Nurse both pushed hard for him to sign with the club.
Although he’s very much a part of their long-term plans, the Sixers aren’t looking to extend Maxey this offseason because they want to maximize their 2024 cap flexibility. Maxey said today that he’s not upset or discouraged by that decision, according to Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). “I’m focusing on the season,” he said. “… I love Philly. I know it’s a business. I know this is how it goes.”
Danny Green was limited to 11 appearances last season while recovering from ACL and LCL tears and he turned 36 in June, but the veteran swingman sounds optimistic about his chances of having a bounce-back season. “This is the best my body’s felt in a long time,” he said today, per Mizell (Twitter link).

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