Tyrese Maxey Explains Kelly Oubre's Value to Sixers

Weeks before the Philadelphia 76ers packed up for Colorado to participate in training camp, the Sixers’ front office added a notable name via free agency.

Former Charlotte Hornets wing Kelly Oubre inked a reported one-year deal with the Sixers following his career-year in scoring. While Oubre has struggled to find a fit on a playoff-ready squad since his early days in the NBA, the veteran looks forward to finding a way to stand out in a complementary role on the Sixers.

Last Sunday, Oubre made his preseason debut in the Sixers’ preseason opener against the Boston Celtics. Checking in off the bench for 13 minutes, Oubre lacked efficiency with his shot, knocking down just two of his seven attempts from the field. He went 0-3 from deep and collected two of his six points from the charity stripe.

Oubre’s first performance for Philadelphia wasn’t anything to rave over, but his second certainly added excitement to his upcoming run with the Sixers. Picking up nine more minutes off the bench, Oubre was hot from the field, dropping six of his eight shots and nailing four threes. He led the Sixers’ bench in scoring with 18 points.

To Sixers fans, they were happy to see Oubre offer the team a solid scoring punch off the bench. To the Sixers, specifically Tyrese Maxey, it wasn’t all that surprising.

“We know what he brings on offense,” Maxey said after Wednesday’s game, discussing Oubre. “He averaged 20 last year with Charlotte, so he shoots the ball well, and he’s able to get to the cup, he’s cutting, he can do all these different things, and he can play off guys. I feel like when Joel comes back and James, and whatever we have the situation going on, he’s gonna be a really good guy to play with them, myself as well. Offensively, we have no worries.”

As a starter during his previous stops with the Hornets, Golden State Warriors, and Phoenix Suns, Oubre averaged over 15 points per game. With a condensed role, coming off the bench, Oubre still found ways to produce, averaging nearly ten points per game across four seasons.

Philadelphia’s aware that Oubre can bring points to the scoreboard, whether he’s starting or not, but Maxey explains that Oubre’s true value will likely come from the other end of the floor.

“Defensively, his length, his activity, and the way he defends guys,” Maxey continued. “It’s hard to explain because when you’re out there and he’s just flying around and making plays, getting his hands on deflections and on the ball. It’s good to have him on our side instead of him being in Charlotte.”

The Sixers always strive to be one of the NBA’s better defensive units, but they could always use athletic wings that disrupt shooters on the perimeter. While the Sixers are still a work in progress, just two games into the preseason working in a new system while shorthanded, Maxey is confident that Oubre will have a significant impact this season, especially on the defensive end of the floor.