Before James Harden ever set foot on the court for the Sixers this season, the team moved on. And without a question, the organization made the proper choice in doing this. Tyrese Maxey requires possession of the ball in order to develop at an All-Star level. The Sixers have the cache to go star-hunting this year thanks to the assets acquired in the Harden trade, and even though this move seems implausible, Daryl Morey should give it some thought.
As presently constructed, the Sixers are likely still the third-best team in the Eastern Conference and on schedule to flame out in the Conference Semifinals yet again. With the addition of an All-Star guard to pair with Maxey, that could change and I think that guard may just be Kyrie Irving!
Irving is an extremely controversial player, notably for his off-court antics which have ranged from comical, like the Earth being flat, to downright offensive, with his controversy last season around a movie posted on his social media account. The entire package is hard to convince a team to trade for, but from a purely basketball standpoint, Kyrie is arguably the greatest ball-handler of all time and has a top-5 court vision in the league.
As presently constructed, the Sixers are likely still the third-best team in the Eastern Conference and on schedule to flame out in the Conference Semifinals yet again. With the addition of an All-Star guard to pair with Maxey, that could change and I think that guard may just be Kyrie Irving!
Irving is an extremely controversial player, notably for his off-court antics which have ranged from comical, like the Earth being flat, to downright offensive, with his controversy last season around a movie posted on his social media account. The entire package is hard to convince a team to trade for, but from a purely basketball standpoint, Kyrie is arguably the greatest ball-handler of all time and has a top-5 court vision in the league.
Maxey and Irving on the Sixers would be the best backcourt in the NBA.
We have seen Kyrie often play point guard, but currently in Dallas, he is running shooting guard alongside Luka Doncic. This is something he is familiar with as he has played with LeBron James and James Harden who are both ball-dominant guards. This convinces me that Maxey could still run the point and have the flexibility to alternate with Kyrie if needed.
For years, I have been one of the most staunch detractors of Irving and wanted nothing to do with him. However, he appears to have changed his attitude so far this season. Yes, it is only a month into the season, but Irving is focused on the court and has the Mavericks sitting at the two-seed in the Western Conference. That may have you asking why the Mavs would consider trading him. Let me tell you why.
This Mavericks team is playing with fire. Both Luka and Kyrie are strong personalities and together they were a disaster last year after the All-Star break. I am not convinced at all that this success will last and the Mavs’ top priority is retaining Luka for many years to come. That may mean trading Irving at the trade deadline to appease Luka. Now just imagine the duo of Kyrie and Embiid. The pick-and-roll game would be literally unstoppable.
Joel Embiid would be the ideal guard to partner with Kyrie, giving Maxey the chance to advance his career with one of the finest guards in the league at his side. Love him or hate him, Harden played a big part in Maxey’s development, and Kyrie might help the burgeoning superstar stay that way. Give this trade some time to develop; even though it may seem like a long shot right now. Come February, the Sixers and Mavericks might be more receptive to this.
