For the fair-weather fan, Tyrese Maxey is the go-lucky kid from Kentucky with the million-dollar moves AND the million-dollar finish.

He’s the little guy on the Philadelphia 76ers who reaches track star speeds in transition, hits big shots, often when they’re needed most, and does so while having the time of his life out there.

In his playoff debut as a featured act, he put up a spectacular 40 point finessing.*

But don’t let the billion dollar smile fool you… he’s a BAD MAN, ladies and gentlemen. 

I’m convinced the season would’ve been over, in theory, before the playoffs even began if Tyrese Maxey is nothing but an average, run-of-the-mill player.

Similar to the Raptors this year—sure, we would’ve watched the games and cheered the team to a couple first-round wins out of pure Philly basketball fandom, but we all knew they weren’t going anywhere from the jump. And yes, our hopes and dreams were limited with the squad as it is, but you can’t tell me after Game 4 vs. Miami there wasn’t a golden glimmer of nonsensical hope.

Without Maxey, I think we limp into the playoffs and limp out of them just as quickly. And I’d say the same thing even if he wasn’t awesome in Round 1 and awesome (in random sprints) in Round 2.

Just imagine where we’d be without This Guy…

The thought alone makes me want to extend his contract another 7 years.

But to fill in that imaginative thought bubble…….

• We’d be even more reliant on a stagnant, low-octane, high-turnover offense that put a ton of pressure on Harden and Embiid from the opening tip to the last play of every game. Besides the occasional Tobias mid-range back down, the offense was almost squarely reliant on snail-developing isolation plays between Harden & Embiid. Maxey’s energy bursts and transition takeovers helped make the offense actually look professional.

• We’d be even worse from 3-point range. Without Curry, Maxey was the sole gunner keeping the Sixers a touch above mediocrity from deep.

• We’d be without that adrenaline shot he provided on both sides of the ball, often when it’s DESPERATELY needed.

• And last but not least, we’d still be cursing Ben Simmons… instead, we get to point and laugh (for now).

BUT Most importantly…

In the 4th quarter of an NBA playoff game, when the game is on the line and the perimeter defense squeezes phonebooth tight, you NEED a perimeter player who can handle the rock with poise and presence. Someone who can create a shot for themselves or a teammate.

Tyrese Maxey is one of two Sixers who can do that.

The other, albeit nothing like his younger self, is James Harden. 

It is not Joel Embiid. 

EMBIID’s Offensive Positioning and My New Stomach Ulcer

For the record… I LOVE JOEL EMBIID WITH ALL OF MY TORTURED PHILLY SPORTS TICKER. Cannot say that enough. He’s a goddamn warrior who will do whatever it takes to get the W, while playing with a fractured eye socket, a concussion, and a torn tendon in the thumb of his shooting hand.

For comparison, that’s like playing competitive darts with a potato sack over your head after being punched in the face.

Joel wants the ball when the game is on the line, despite his physical condition. A hugely important mental asset as we’ve learned the hard way by picking Simmons over Butler. One guy has the efficiency numbers of Jordan and Lebron in the playoffs, the other guy can’t even be on the floor in crunch time.

Embiid is a true Philly athlete with the heart of a champion, but unfortunately, not the trophy case, not yet.

Despite his alien-like skill set, that man is too damn big to tip-toe around the three-point line like a dancing, basketball grizzly bear. It’s so frustratingly obvious that he needs to catch the ball foul line extended, or… FOR THE LOVE OF THE BASKETBALL GODS… IN THE POST.

Yet, it feels like that’s the last place he wants the ball.

You gotta wonder if that’s a strategy by Doc or a decision by Embiid, or both.

Early in Game 4 and for a few other seldom stretches he was able to and found success, but it never developed into an offensive focus, as it should have. It was lost in between his mid-range and perimeter face-up drives and pull-ups, and behind the rest of the offense which was predominantly Harden’s rock-a-bye baby lullabies that ate up half the shot clock, the occasional Tobias mid-range post-up, and mixed in there not nearly enough, a catered Tyrese Maxey attack of quick drives and 3-point flurries from Tyrese, Danny Green, and Tobias.

Embiid gets double-teams like no other, so it’s always easier for him to catch it on the perimeter, but that’s also letting the defense dictate your offense. Still, foul line ext. and in, he typically had enough SPACE for ONE quick move, either to get his shot or get into the paint and make a play. What he didn’t have, was enough space or time for was a whole collection of moves, fast or slow. The defense would close in too quick and led to a mess of turnovers and a steep drop in his efficiency rating in the playoffs. (yes, that nerd stat is an important one)

To perfectly summarize this dilemma, consider his game-winner in Toronto…

The reason we had to inbound with .9 seconds in the first place, was because he and Tyrese held onto the ball for a lifetime beyond the 3-point line and watched the clock wind down to the last few seconds, at which point it was knocked out of his hands, so he had to run and grab and launch a prayer from halfcourt. Doc bailed them out by a timeout, but it was about as worse a game-winning play could possibly go besides actually turning the ball over.

The reason he hit that shot on the very next play is because he’s THAT MAN and we all know it.

Again, you gotta wonder if that’s Joel’s decision made in the moment or was that how Doc drew it up.

Overall, you can’t live with that offense and win with those last second plays time and time again.

It’s too large a part of a stomach-ulcer-inducing offense.

BUT THIS IS NOT ABOUT MY STOMACH ULCER… IT’S ABOUT SIGNING TYRESE MAXEY FOR 20 MORE YEARS

Seriously.

These kind of long-tenured contracts that are popping up, most notably in baseball (a la Bryce Harper, Mike Trout) are basically non-existent in the NBA. A $200 million contract over 10 years might do the trick.

Over the long haul, if he plays with consistency at anything close to his full capability, it will be a bargain in the long run.

In the short-term, if he’s more of an offensive focus throughout the game, rather than in random spurts, Harden and Embiid will be much more fresh in the 4th quarter, an attribute as valuable as any given Joel’s uncanny ability to end up on sprawled out on the hardwood after every single play, and Harden’s age, affinity for exotic dancers and sad-eating his way out of slightly uncomfortable situations.

If he plays with the same passion and energy that baited the home crowd to chant his name over and over again, he’ll be a Philly legend. Just like his big brother Joel Embiid is destined, and like his Uncle Bubba Chuck has been for 20 plus years now.

I’m sure of this potential trajectory of legendary for a few reasons.

First, my white, suburban, 60-year-old Mother, who’s never owned a sports jersey nor cared to possess one in her lifetime, asked for a Maxey T-shirt for her birthday.

Anytime an athlete wins over 60+ mothers and grandmothers, you can be sure they’re headed in the right direction.

Second, he’s got the work ethic and passion for the game that this we love so much. He’s also shown leaps and bounds of improvement only two years into his career, and, in a time of crisis, replaced our newly minted arch-nemesis who has clearly shown the opposite of improvement on the offensive side of the ball.

Third, not only does speed kill, but you can’t teach it, and Tyrese might be the quickest player in the entire league.

PLUS…

WE ALL KNOW What Legend He Reminds Us of…

I’d wager a weird sport science quickness test—Mad Maxey vs. prime Answer—would be very interesting. Big words, for sure, but the similarities are obviously there physically. Honestly, I think Tyrese MIGHT have AI beat on straightaway speed.

What separates Maxey and AI from all the other speedy point guards that have come and gone, is their ability to finish at the rim in traffic. Their body control in flight at speeds illegal in school zones is second to none. Basketball acrobats. That attack little guys and big guys with the same confidence and aggressiveness.

As overall scorers of the ball, prime Iverson, even rookie and 2nd year Iverson, had a knack for putting the ball in the bucket at a pace Tyrese has only shown in spurts, but Maxey also has tools that AI did not.

For starters, Maxey already has more highlight dunks in two years, than AI does in his career. Iverson’s are more legendary because he’s AI but he’s got far fewer of them, and I don’t think Iverson ever threw one down this hard with his off-hand, let alone the kind of cleanliness that Maxey is capable of.

But much more important to note...

Tyrese Maxey shot the 3-ball at a 43% clip this year. That’s REALLY good.

AI was consistently sub 30% on about the same number of attempts as Maxey per game. Very different style of game, different generation, and very different scenario as AI was the ball-dominant player and constant focus of the defense. Still, Maxey’s stroke is smooth and efficient. CLEAN.

The form passes the eye test to put him in the same category as some of the best in the league. That alone suggests he should be able to hang around the 40% range with longevity, but it’s likely he’s spoiling us at 43% rate. Teams will begin to key in on taking away his 3-ball and you’ll see it drop, but that will also open up the lane for him on close outs and he’s fast as anyone from that point to the rim.

He obviously has a very long way to go in order to have a true AI vs. Maxey conversation, but hopefully he hangs out with us for long enough and continues to improve to the point that conversation becomes a feasible one.

Plus, you know A.I. loves his game, which warms the heart.

Sign him for 20 years already, Daryl.

* He had 38 but that debut will forever live as a 40 stout porter here because he deserves it.