Tyrese Maxey’s next step is still at the center of the 76ers’ thinking, even with a roster that suddenly has plenty of mouths to feed. Nick Nurse made it clear the plan isn’t to shrink Maxey’s role - it’s to keep pushing him toward the kind of star turn Philadelphia believes is still ahead of him.
That’s not an easy assignment when Maxey is sharing the floor with Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, Labaron Philon, and VJ Edgecombe. There’s only one ball, and Nurse knows the guard will have to split ball-handling duties while also working alongside Embiid in the scoring mix. That could trim Maxey’s numbers, but it doesn’t change the team’s belief in where he’s headed.
“I would say his priorities are keeping it pretty simple,” Nurse said. “I tell you guys this a lot.
I’ll say it again. He’s got so much more room for improvement in the middle of that.
He’s so fast to the rim, and he obviously can shoot the basketball with range. He can go and play one-on-one from all three levels and get a shot off and nail it.
He’s got that in his game," Coach Nurse said.
Maxey already showed how high his ceiling can go in the 2025-26 season. He posted career bests across the board, averaging 28.3 points on 46.2% shooting from the field, plus 6.6 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.9 steals.
For Nurse, though, the real focus isn’t just the scoring burst. It’s the stuff that comes with being the guy.
"He’s just so good at the other stuff. I just want him to keep it simple and keep doing what he’s doing.
I want him to continue to grow as a leader and to continue to get better defensively. He’s made great strides at that over the last two years.
I just want him to continue to grow and keep having fun out there and bring that energy for the rest of the group," the 76ers head coach declared.
Maxey’s edge in all of this is experience. He’s already spent six seasons in Philadelphia, so he knows Nurse’s system and rotations better than the newer faces around him. That familiarity should help him stand out even as the roster gets more crowded.
If Nurse gets the development piece right, the 76ers believe Maxey can keep climbing while the rest of the talent around him settles in.
In Other News...
Sixers Just Made A Frontcourt Move Fans Have Been Waiting On
The 76ers added another frontcourt body on July 6, signing center Ariel Hukporti, according to a team press release. The 7-foot big man arrives after spending last season with the Knicks, where he got into 54 games and was part of their playoff rotation during a run that carried into the postseason.
For Philadelphia, the move is another look at a young center who has already logged meaningful NBA minutes after coming over from overseas and being drafted in 2024. The club did not disclose the terms of the deal, leaving the bigger question on how Hukporti fits into the Sixers frontcourt mix as they continue sorting out depth and size. [Read more 🡒]
Sixers Suddenly Face A Nick Nurse Question With Labaron Philon Jr
The Sixers backcourt picture changed again with the addition of Anfernee Simons, and it puts rookie Labaron Philon Jr. in an interesting spot as training camp approaches. Philon is expected to be part of the regular rotation, and his fit matters because Philadelphia is trying to sort out how much creation, pace and ballhandling it can get from its guard group without losing too much on the other end.
Nick Nurses preferences will loom over those decisions, because the Sixers have to balance what Simons brings offensively with what Philon can offer as a young guard who already plays with a polished feel. Philons style also invites the inevitable Tyrese Maxey comparison, since both attack off the dribble and thrive on speed changes, but the bigger question for Philadelphia is how Nurse values those traits when minutes start getting carved up. [Read more 🡒]
Jaylen Brown Just Put The 76ers Title Push In A Tough Spot
The 76ers spent the offseason chasing a bigger ceiling, and the addition of Jaylen Brown gives them another proven scorer to slot alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. On paper, it is the kind of move that can push a contender closer to the top of the East, but it also changes the shape of the offense in a real way, because Brown has long been at his best when he can create his own looks and attack without waiting for the play to come to him.
Now Philadelphia has Brown, Embiid, Maxey and VJ Edgecombe all needing touches in the same starting group, which is where the fit gets tricky. The 76ers have already learned how awkward it can be when high-usage players are asked to shrink their roles, and Nick Nurse and his staff will have to sort through those on-ball responsibilities before the season starts if this lineup is going to work the way the front office imagined. [Read more 🡒]