Tyrese Maxey reacts to Sixers acquiring James Harden, ready to learn
The Philadelphia 76ers made a big blockbuster move on Thursday afternoon when they brought in James Harden from the Brooklyn Nets and they sent Ben Simmons to The Burroughs. The deal from Philadelphia’s standpoint now puts them back in the conversation for Eastern Conference contention.
On the basketball court, everybody now assumes that he will be the main ball-handler and run the two-man game with Joel Embiid. The two of them are expected to play off of each other pretty well as Harden is an elite playmaker and scorer and Embiid is leading the league in scoring.
“It’s great,” said Tyrese Maxey. “We’re gonna put the pieces together and when he gets here and Paul (Millsap) gets here and try to make a run.”
Where does that now leave Maxey? The young man has been the team’s starting point guard all season in the wake of the Simmons saga and that is something that they are going to have to figure out.
“I have no idea,” said Maxey. “We haven’t really discussed much. We’re just gonna go out there and try to figure it all out. Coach literally just said that practices and shootarounds now are going to be more intense just because we got a limited amount of time to figure it out. I can’t wait. It’s gonna be great. It’s a great group of guys and I just can’t wait to get started.”
This does offer the young guard an opportunity to pick the brain of one of the game’s top scorers and a guy who can take games over at any moment. Maxey is somebody who can score the ball well at such a young age, but now it is all about learning how to make plays for others. This is where Harden comes in where he can teach the young man going forward.
“Whatever I can as much as I can,” Maxey explained. “He’s a great scorer, great passer, the way he reads the defense is incredible, and just I can’t wait to learn as much as I can. So watch a little film and just conversate and try to see who he is as a person. That’ll be great.”
Harden did express that he was impressed with Maxey after a Sixers win over the Nets back on Dec. 30.
“No conversation with James yet,” Maxey added. “Like I said, I honestly just can’t wait till he gets here and we’re gonna go from there. I appreciate his comments. I saw some of them and I appreciate them and I just want to learn from him as much as I can. We’re gonna go out here and try to compete and try to and try to win at the highest level.”
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2021-22 Philadelphia 76ers roster after the big James Harden trade
