The 76ers are all in on Tyrese Maxey.
Even in the wake of superstar Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard requesting a trade out of Portland, the Sixers are letting NBA teams know that Maxey is untouchable and will not be included in any trades, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
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“[The 76ers] want you to know that you can’t have Tyrese Maxey,” Windhorst said on the “Hoop Collective” podcast.
“Prime Michael Jordan is available? Don’t call. 25-year-old LeBron James is available? Lose our number. Giannis Antetokounmpo says, ‘I want to be a Sixer,’ if Tyrese Maxey is the ask, just keep walking. Tyrese Maxey, I have been assured, will not be traded.”
The Sixers’ insistence on keeping Maxey in the City of Brotherly Love is well-deserved, as the 22-year-old is coming off his best season as a pro with averages of 20.3 points, 3.5 assists and 2.9 rebounds on 48.1 per cent shooting from the field and a scorching hot 43.4 per cent from 3-point range.
While teams such as the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans Pelicans and Minnesota Timberwolves have recently reached out to Portland about acquiring Lillard, according to a report by Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes, Philadelphia was linked to the guard immediately due to the presence of league MVP Joel Embiid.
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One mock trade from NBA TV’s Ryan McDonough had Maxey being traded for Lillard along with Tobias Harris.
Philadelphia seemingly has every intention of keeping Maxey on the team and building around the guard and Embiid.
While other players on rookie deals such as the Hornets’ LaMelo Ball and the Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton have been getting paid this off-season with the max rookie extension, Philadelphia has opted to not extend Maxey, who was eligible for a five-year, $213 million rookie-scale extension, in order to maintain cap flexibility.
It certainly appears the 76ers intend to pay Maxey at some point, though, given their stance on keeping him.
And with guard James Harden on the trade block, Maxey has a chance to become the primary ball-handler in Philadelphia, a spot that has come with All-Star-level expectations over the past few seasons.
The young guard certainly seems ready for the task.
This story originally appeared on the New York Post and has been reposted with permission
