The 76ers may never say it out loud, but Kelly Oubre Jr.’s rough start with the Pacers has to make Philadelphia feel better about moving on.
Oubre signed a two-year, $16.5 million deal with Indiana, but the opening stretch of his new chapter has been ugly. Through his first two games, he’s putting up 3.5 points, two rebounds and 2.5 assists per night while shooting 20 percent from the field and 11.1 percent from three. For a player logging nearly 24 minutes a game, those numbers jump off the page for all the wrong reasons.
That kind of perimeter struggle is nothing new for the 76ers. During his three seasons in Philadelphia, Oubre hit just 32 percent from deep. He gave the team solid minutes and gradually carved out a spot as a two-way contributor, but there were plenty of nights when opponents were more than willing to leave him alone and focus their attention elsewhere.
Indiana looked like a clean fit on paper. Oubre’s athleticism and tempo should have made him a natural piece in the Pacers’ fast-paced offense. But the same shaky outside shot that Philadelphia lived with is already becoming an issue in a new uniform.
If the misses keep piling up, his role in Indiana could shrink fast. He still offers value as a rim-runner and as a finisher, but the Pacers’ attack only works if defenders have to respect every option. If Oubre is someone opponents can ignore, especially in the half court, that changes the equation.
Philadelphia got three useful seasons out of Oubre, but the fit was never perfect. After watching him stumble out of the gate with the Pacers, the 76ers’ decision to pivot away from him is starting to look a lot wiser.
In Other News...
Sixers Loss Exposed An Early Problem Fans Can't Ignore
The Sixers first loss of the season arrived in a game that exposed some early wrinkles worth watching. Philadelphia fell to the Pistons, 106-93, after opening with three straight wins, and the missing starters were felt in a performance that lacked the usual balance. The rebounding edge slipped away, and the offense never found enough rhythm to keep pace.
Philadelphia still had one area working in its favor, as the team continued to pressure opponents into turnovers and maintain a positive turnover differential. But the wider concerns were harder to miss, especially the cold night from three-point range, where the Sixers hit only 26 percent. Early in the season, that kind of uneven showing is manageable - but it also serves as a reminder of how quickly the margin for error can shrink. [Read more 🡒]
Sixers First Loss Exposed An Early Concern Fans Cant Ignore
The first loss of the season arrived with a familiar kind of concern for the Sixers, one that has hovered around the roster whenever the injury report starts to thicken. Philadelphia fell 106-93 to Detroit at Xfinity Mobile Arena, and Tyrese Maxey did what he could with 29 points despite foul trouble, but the night still underscored how much the margin shrinks when key pieces are missing.
Joel Embiid, VJ Edgecombe and Jabari Walker were all unavailable, leaving Philadelphia short-handed against a Pistons team that kept rolling behind Cade Cunninghams 26 points. Detroit moved to 3-0 with the win, while the Sixers were left with a reminder that even early in the season, availability can shape the ceiling of this group as much as talent does. [Read more 🡒]
Sixers Suddenly Have A VJ Edgecombe Issue To Monitor
VJ Edgecombes early-season emergence has given the 76ers a real boost, but now they have a new health concern to track after he was ruled out against the Pistons because of an abdominal contusion. The injury came in a previous game, and Nick Nurse said Edgecombe had tried to play through it before feeling it more sharply afterward.
The encouraging part for Philadelphia is that this does not sound like a long-term issue, but the short-term impact still matters for a team leaning on his minutes and all-around production. Edgecombe has quickly become one of the more important pieces in the rotation, so even a brief absence leaves the Sixers watching closely to see when he can get back to full strength. [Read more 🡒]