Doc Rivers Gave Tyrese Maxey One Area of Focus for Summer League

Leading up to the Summer League, many wondered if Tyrese Maxey will play alongside the rest of the Sixers' young prospects. With what he showed in his rookie season, it's clear he didn't necessarily need to partake. 

Maxey being the workhorse that he is, joined the team in Las Vegas and was the biggest standout in their opening game against the Dallas Mavericks. It was not surprising, but he looked like the best player on the floor. 

In 25 minutes of action, the 2020 first-round pick racked up 21 points, five rebounds, four assists, and three steals. We even caught a glimpse of two growing areas of Maxey's game. 

Coming out of college, Maxey's outside shooting numbers were subpar. Though many agreed his shot was better than the numbers depicted. By the end of last season, the improvements in his mechanics were extremely noticeable. 

Maxey stepped out beyond the arc six times against the Mavericks and connected on three. Becoming a consistent outside shooter will open up so many things for him as a three-level scorer. 

The other area he showed growth in was as a playmaker. In college and the NBA, Maxey has been more of a score-first guard. On Monday, we saw him play like a floor general at times and work to get the players around him involved. 

After the game, Maxey spoke about his playmaking efforts. He said it was something Doc Rivers told him to focus on during his time in Vegas. 

"Coach told me before I left to watch the film and work on running team, being able to get guys in the right spot, find out where guys like the ball. That's one thing I really took to heart," said Maxey. 

Growing as a facilitator is the next big step for Maxey's game. More importantly, it's what the Sixers need from him. 

With how the roster is currently constructed, Maxey is likely to assume backup point guard duties. He has shown he can be a microwave scorer. Now it's time for the 20-year-old to show what he can do as a table-setter. 

After what Maxey showed last season, it's clear he is due for a larger role in year two. If he can continue to grow as a playmaker, Maxey might find himself as the full-time backup point guard and sixth man this season.  

Kevin McCormick covers the Philadelphia 76ers for South Jersey's 97.3 ESPN and Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @KevinMcCNBA.