Thunder's Isaiah Joe Will Conclude Trio of Revenge Games vs. 76ers

This week has offered up a handful of possible revenge games for former members of the Philadelphia 76ers. With two down, the Sixers will wrap up the week by facing their former second-round pick, Isaiah Joe, when they take on the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night.

Back in 2020, Joe was a prospect in the NBA Draft after a two-year stint at Arkansas. Leading up to the draft, he was heavily linked to the Sixers as there was speculation he was offered a promise to be selected by Philadelphia.

Sure enough, Joe landed on the Sixers as their 49th overall pick. He was the team’s second selection after Tyrese Maxey and came just before the former DePaul center, Paul Reed. Unlike those two, though, Joe didn’t stick around with the Sixers long-term.

In his rookie effort, Joe appeared in 41 games. He averaged under ten minutes on the court, knocking down just 36 percent of his field goals. Although he struggled to carve out a role for himself as a rookie, Joe thrived in the G League, showing tons of potential as a developmental prospect.

During his sophomore effort on the Sixers, Joe played in 55 games, averaging 11 minutes on the court. Once again, he struggled to find his fit, shooting just 33 percent from beyond the arc, putting up roughly four points per game.

By year three, Joe was fighting for a roster spot in Philadelphia. Despite a solid showing during the preseason, the Sixers weren’t sold on the idea of keeping the young guard around for the 2022-2023 NBA season. Therefore, he was cut loose before the opening night roster was submitted.

Joe quickly landed on his feet by joining the OKC Thunder. With more minutes available to him, Joe was productive in his new role in OKC. Averaging 19 minutes on the floor, the young guard knocked down 41 percent of his threes. He put up ten points per game throughout his first run with the Thunder.

As a result of last season’s success, Joe started the 2023-2024 season as a rotational regular for Oklahoma City. Launching six threes per game, Joe is knocking down his attempts from beyond the arc at an impressive 52 percent clip. He’s currently averaging 11 points per game off the bench for the Thunder.

On Saturday, Joe gets a crack at his former team for the third time since getting waived last offseason. In his first showing against the Sixers last season, Joe attempted just five shots. He finished the game with eight points, five rebounds, and one assist in a Sixers win. In the next matchup, Joe produced seven points, two rebounds, and one assist in the Thunder’s 19-point victory over Philadelphia.

Joe possesses an opportunity similar to Shake Milton and Georges Niang on Saturday. Earlier this week, Niang paid the Sixers a visit as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers. After spending the previous two seasons with the Sixers, Niang received an opportunity to compete against his old squad.

In 25 minutes of action, Niang knocked down 56 percent of his shots from the field. He scored 12 points while producing seven rebounds in a three-point Cavaliers win. The following night, the Sixers paid a visit to Shake Milton and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

For Milton, it was his first time facing the Sixers. After landing in Philly in 2018, beginning his run as a two-way player, Milton stuck around for five years.

Over the summer, he moved on and signed with the Timberwolves. When he faced the Sixers on Wednesday night, Milton had himself a decent outing. In 20 minutes of action, the veteran guard hit 43 percent of his shots. He contributed to 12 points off the bench in the Wolves’ 13-point victory over Philadelphia.

Will Joe complete the trio of revenge games on Saturday night with a solid outing off the bench? The Sixers will soon find out, as they tip off in OKC at 5 PM ET.