Sixers mailbag: Should Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain share the floor, the state of Paul George and more
The team has been steadfast on adding a young star to pair with their Big Three. What they do on the night of the draft will be massive. In the meantime, we'll answer a few of your mailbag questions
The 76ers squashed reports of their interest in packaging the No. 3 pick in June’s NBA draft to acquire a veteran superstar.
The team has been steadfast on adding a young star to pair with their Big Three of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George.
Will that tactic work? Will they change their mind if someone presents a hard-to-pass-up offer?
We’ll find out what the Sixers do on the night of the draft. In the meantime, I’ll answer a few of your mailbag questions.
Missed out on the party? No worries. Submit questions for next time by tweeting @PompeyOnSixers to X with the hashtag #PompeysMailbagFlow.
Q: What will Jared McCain’s path to being a starter look like with the acquisition and emergence of Quentin Grimes? I feel as if McCain is too talented to be coming off the bench for a prolonged period of time going forward. But size concerns arise with him and Tyrese Maxey together. — @DreamMorre
A: Thanks for starting off the mailbag, Demo. The answer will come down to what coach Nick Nurse believes is the best fit. But as you mentioned, there are size concerns with starting the 6-foot-3 McCain alongside the 6-2 Maxey.
Pairing two guards of their stature is considered a liability in the NBA. Typically, smaller guards are paired with a defensive player standing at least 6-5.
That’s why the 6-5 Grimes is viewed as a better option to start alongside Maxey. Not only is he bigger than McCain, but Grimes is also a superior defender.
Now, don’t get me wrong. Maxey and McCain looked good together in the starting lineup during a 113-98 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Nov. 22.
McCain finished with a team-high 30 points and made 6 of 11 three-pointers to go with five rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Maxey added 26 points on 11-for-17 shooting along with five assists, four rebounds, and a game-high four steals.
The duo shone the brightest with the game on the line.
McCain (14 points) and Maxey (nine) combined to score 23 of the Sixers’ 34 fourth-quarter points.
But that performance came against the struggling Nets. And the Sixers were forced to rely heavily on their guards because Embiid (left knee swelling) and George (left knee bone bruise) were both sidelined.
The Sixers will benefit from pairing Maxey with a better defender when Embiid and George play because they’ll provide a chunk of the scoring. For that reason, I think it would be wise to start Maxey and bring McCain off the bench. And there’s nothing wrong with that.
He can be impactful as the sixth man, where he’ll just have to focus on scoring.
Q: Do you think Lonnie Walker IV will have his team option picked up, and does he actually have a place on this team? — @ccfc21
A: A lot will depend on where the Sixers stand financially after the draft and who they expect to snag in free agency. But my early answers to both are yes.
Walker can score the ball and create his own shot. The reserve shooting guard is also someone who can step into a bigger role if the Sixers have injuries. Acquiring Walker in February became a priority for the Sixers after Eric Gordon required season-ending surgery on his right wrist.
He initially struggled and dealt with injuries before finding his groove. Walker tied a career-high 31 points and made a career-high eight three-pointers in the Sixers’ season-ending 122-102 victory over the Chicago Bulls.
He averaged 24.0 points while shooting 42.2% on three-pointers in his last four games. The Sixers will have until June 29 to pick up Walker’s $2.9 million club option for next season.
Q: What is your sense of Daryl Morey’s direction with the team as far as win-now vs. go younger for the future? He seems set on having a Big 3 to win now, but many of us see the writing on the wall with Joel Embiid’s health and Paul George’s drop off. — @markelias
A: As strange as it sounds to most, the win-now approach is the one Morey must take at this time. The Sixers have to see if the pairing of Embiid, George, and Maxey can work. That trio, which was supposed to lead the Sixers to an NBA championship, logged only 15 games together because of injuries.
The Eastern Conference will be wide open next season now that Boston Celtics All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum is expected to miss significant time after rupturing his right Achilles tendon. The Sixers could be right in the mix if Embiid (left knee) can play close to 80% of his normal production and George (left adductor muscle and quad tendon) can regain his burst.
I know some consider that wishful thinking, especially with Embiid coming off his second left knee surgery in 14 months and third in nine years. People have the right to question whether the 2023 MVP will ever come close to regaining his All-NBA form.
» READ MORE: Sixers mailbag: Best fit for the No. 3 pick, realistic Joel Embiid expectations and more
Meanwhile, George was a shell of his former self. While the 35-year-old points to his injuries, one has to wonder if Father Time contributed to the nine-time All-Star’s inability to get past defenders.
But Morey has to see the Big Three in action, especially after he said their injuries were the main reason for this season’s struggles. He believes, with a healthy Big Three, the Sixers can contend for a title.
Even if he wanted to trade Embiid or George, good luck getting anything close to equal value in return. So he’s basically stuck with them for the time being, no matter what.
Q: Any chance the Sixers can trade up to second for Dylan Harper? — @PHSIFLEA
A: I don’t see that happening. The Spurs are excited about having the second pick in a draft where league scouts are starting to say Cooper Flagg, who will go first to the Dallas Mavericks, and Harper are the only can’t-miss prospects.
The Spurs also think that Harper and San Antonio’s De’Aaron Fox can co-exist in a two point guard lineup. And they believe Harper, a 6-6, 220-pounder, and San Antonio’s 7-4 post player Victor Wembanyama, could form an elite pairing. So you can rule out the Sixers trading up one spot to get Harper.