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When Joel Embiid nicknamed Tyrese Maxey “The Franchise,” he inevitably put weight on the Philadelphia 76ers' then-young, ascending guard.
Origionally drafted outside of the lottery with a pick that was only theirs because of a fateful Mike Muscala shot, Maxey rapidly proved he could be an impactful scorer at the NBA level and even dazzled with some impressive off-ball movement abilities, nailing outside shots on dimes from players like James Harden to help space the floor for “The Process” in the paint.
And yet, as his role has grown, and his responsibilities have shifted from being a volume scorer to being a true lead guard, a small but vocal segment of basketball fans – both within the 76ers fanbase and outside of it – have began to wonder if the pride of Kentucky can play the role he's been thrust into, or if he will have to take a concerted effort to step back and become more of the player he was before his max contract, either in Philadelphia, or on another team entirely.
Taking to social media during his offseason away from the team, Maxey let fans know he sees what they are saying and “understands” how they feel about him heading into Year 6.
“Y'all talking y'all mess on this app this summer!” Maxey wrote. “UNDERSTOOD.”
Goodness, is Maxey starting to feel a certain type of way about the 76ers fanbase, with the potential to eventually tire of his online criticism and ask for a trade like ESPN's Kendrick Perkins suggested?
Or will he go all-in on taking his game up another notch, like he has multiple other times during his NBA career, focusing on his processing and set-up skills while accepting that other players like Jared McCain, Quentin Grimes, and VJ Edgecombe may take on more on-ball roles as his usage takes a step back.
While Maxey may not be a perfect player and has work to do in order to become a true point guard, the 76ers' signing of high school friend Trendon Watford clearly proves that they value him as both a player and a leader and want to build around him moving forward. If Maxey can accept that trust and use it as fuel to improve his game while focusing less on only going after his own shot, the 76ers' trust will be further justified.
