Tyrese Maxey has developed into one of the Philadelphia 76ers‘ best players. He earned his maiden All-Star selection in he 2023-24 season. Furthermore, at 24 years old, he projects to be the future of the Sixers franchise.
Andre Drummond has been impressed with Maxey this season. The veteran big man has been around a lot of young talents during his career. As such, his comments on Maxey are both pertinent and interesting.
“The evolution of Tyrese Maxey has been amazing to watch,” Drummond said. “His confidence, the way that he plays, just the chip on his shoulder that he plays with on a nightly basis and his want to be a leader. I think he started figuring it out, every time I’ve seen him from years ago to being back here, his leadership qualities have grown.”
Maxey, like the rest of the Sixers, struggled this season. The young guard averaged 26.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game. He shot 43.7% from the field and 33.7% from deep. However, he only participated in 52 games and missed the final 22 games of Philadelphia’s season.
Sixers Could Cut Ties With Drummond
According to Adam Aaronson of the Philly Voice, Drummond could be made available on the trade market during the summer.
“Every dollar will be precious for the Sixers as they try to re-sign Yabusele, Quentin Grimes and perhaps veteran swingman Kelly Oubre Jr., particularly if the Sixers end up keeping their top-six protected first-round pick,”Aaronson wrote. “This situation makes it feel likely that the Sixers will at least be kicking the tires on redirecting Drummond’s $5 million expiring salary if he picks up his player option (it is difficult to imagine him not doing so).”
Aaronson continued.
“If Drummond does end up being moved in a financially-motivated deal, the guess here is that it costs the Sixers one or two future second-round picks (of which they have a surplus as things stand now). Their second-rounder this June — the No. 35 overall pick in 2025 — should not be on the table in these talks unless the Sixers are getting something back.”
Drummond’s rebounding and rim-protection are still high-level tools. However, his limited offensive game and his susceptibility on defense will likely mean the Sixers begin to look elsewhere. Of course, there will likely be other teams interested in adding the hulking big man, especially for the veteran leadership he provides in the locker room.
Drummond Enjoyed Playing for Nurse
During his end-of-season media availability, Drummond discussed what it’s like playing under Nick Nurse.
“It was good,” Drummond said. “It was different. I’ve never played for a guy like Nick before who is more laid back and allows his guys to kind of figure it out, but he’s also very intelligent, too. He knows the game very well. Obviously, he’s won a championship, and he’s been very successful in his career. So I think having another year under my belt with him, I think our chemistry together will be a lot better, because he’s never coached me either, so he’s still trying to figure me out.”
There’s still a chance Drummond is on the Sixers roster next season. If he is, it will be interesting to see how he adapts to Nurse’s coaching. Drummond can still be an impactful big man in the NBA. Nurse is likely one of the best coaches to figure out ways for Drummond to be at his best.
However, the Sixers’ clear need for athleticism off the bench could hurt Drummond’s case. With a full offseason ahead, the Sixers have plenty of time to figure things out. Unfortunately for Drummond, all he can do is wait and see how things unfold.
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