Kelly Oubre Jr. isn’t going anywhere - at least not before the trade deadline. The Sixers have found something too valuable to part with, and it’s not just Oubre’s scoring or length on the wing. It’s the total package: the versatility, the defensive chops, and the veteran presence that’s been crucial to Philly’s success this season.
Oubre is on an expiring deal, which always raises eyebrows around this time of year. But this isn’t a team looking to shed salary just to make a spreadsheet happy. This is a team with playoff aspirations, and Oubre’s been a big part of the formula that’s working.
At 6’8″, Oubre has slid seamlessly between shooting guard, small forward, and even power forward depending on who’s available and what the matchup calls for. That kind of plug-and-play flexibility is rare - and valuable - especially when you’re trying to build a deep postseason run.
He’s been tasked with guarding the opposing team’s top perimeter threats and has delivered, all while knocking down 38% of his threes. That’s not just solid - that’s winning basketball.
“He plays both ends, right?” head coach Nick Nurse said.
“That’s the main thing. He’s been pretty effective on both ends… He’s in about his 10th year.
He’s got a lot of stuff under his belt. A lot of minutes.
A lot of games, too. That helps.”
And Nurse is right. Oubre’s experience shows.
He’s not just filling a role - he’s elevating it. The Sixers could technically move him for some cap relief, but that’s the kind of move you make in June, not when you’re eyeing a deep playoff push.
Right now, Oubre’s value to this team outweighs any theoretical future flexibility.
Around the Atlantic Division:
In Toronto, the Raptors are facing a tough break - literally and figuratively - with Jakob Poeltl sidelined indefinitely due to a lower back strain. The big man is under contract through the 2029-30 season, and the team’s preference, for now, is patience. But the lack of progress in his recovery is clouding their approach to the trade deadline.
Toronto has been linked to several high-profile centers, most recently Domantas Sabonis. But without knowing when or if Poeltl will return to form, it’s hard for the front office to make a confident move. His absence isn’t just a short-term issue - it’s a long-term question mark that’s hanging over everything.
Meanwhile, in New York, the Knicks are getting creative - and it’s paying off. With Karl-Anthony Towns fouling out in Saturday’s matchup against the Sixers, head coach Mike Brown made a bold move, sliding OG Anunoby to the five to defend Joel Embiid. It was uncharted territory, but the gamble worked.
“We can’t do anything like that if you don’t have a guy like OG,” Brown said. “OG allows us to play the basketball game in a lot of different ways.”
Anunoby made his presence felt on both ends. Offensively, he strung together a momentum-shifting sequence: a putback dunk, a three, and then a sharp assist to Landry Shamet for another triple. But it was his defense that drew the most praise from Brown.
“OG changed the game defensively,” Brown said. “Guarding their power forward, guarding Paul George, and then guarding Joel Embiid. He was phenomenal.”
That kind of versatility is rare - and it’s giving the Knicks a new dimension.
Also stepping up for New York are Miles McBride and Landry Shamet, whose shooting is well-documented, but whose defense is becoming just as important. Brown has called them the team’s best point-of-attack defenders, and that was on full display in the win over Philly.
“You don’t stop those types of guys [Maxey and Edgecombe],” Brown said. “But to have a guy like Deuce [McBride] coming off the bench, have a guy like Landry - both those guys are physical at the point of attack… That type of relentless pursuit with athleticism and strength and toughness - and the mindset - is phenomenal.”
In a league where perimeter defense is at a premium, the Knicks are finding value in guys who do the dirty work. And as the postseason approaches, that kind of grit is going to matter just as much as the highlight plays.