4 reasons why Philadelphia 76ers should pin their hopes on Tyrese Maxey

Tyrese Maxey and the Philadelphia 76ers are off to a rough start this season after acquiring Paul George in a blockbuster free agency signing this offseason. Philadelphia entered the season with the eighth-best title odds in the NBA, ahead of teams like the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers and the LA Lakers.

The 76ers have been plagued by injuries to open the season, with superstar big man Joel Embiid appearing in 10 of Philadelphia's first 30 games of the season. In his time on the floor, Embiid has struggled at times, shooting career-lows in field goal percentage and 3-point percentage thus far this season.

With Philadelphia's struggles to start the season, some have pointed to star guard Tyrese Maxey to be the team's top option over Embiid as the season progresses. Here are a few reasons why Philadelphia should pass the torch to Maxey going forward.

---

Four reasons why the 76ers should pin their hopes on Tyrese Maxey

#1 Consistent leadership

Joel Embiid faced immense criticism to start the season, raising questions after claiming he wouldn't appear in any back-to-backs for the rest of his career.

Embiid's lack of concentration and focus on the team came to a head with Tyrese Maxey, who reportedly called Embiid on his antics during a players-only meeting in November.

Maxey provides the 76ers with a consistent leader on and off the court as a rising star who holds his teammates accountable, no matter their level of stardom. Maxey calling out Embiid eventually worked as planned, as Philadelphia has surged to win 10 of their last 13 games with Embiid and Maxey leading the way.

#2 On-court consistency

Sensing a theme of consistency here? Through 30 games, Maxey is Philadelphia's leading scorer, averaging a career-high 26.0 points per game as he takes over as the 76ers' primary focus offensively. Maxey has proven to be durable to start his NBA career, appearing in at least 60 games in each of his first four full seasons.

Maxey keeps Philadelphia afloat in the absence of Joel Embiid, who's injury problems will likely continue to plague the team. With the uncertainty of Embiid's status, Maxey gives his team a consistent top-option on the offensive end of the floor.

#3 Youth movement

In the absence of Joel Embiid, the 76ers sparked their best stretch of the season with the play of rookie Jared McCain alongside Tyrese Maxey. This backcourt pairing proved to be a winning tandem before McCain's season-ending meniscus injury.

At 30, Joel Embiid isn't getting any healthier, while Paul George is nearing the end of a storied career as he also continues to battle injuries. Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain's on-court chemistry showed the 76ers that they are the pairing to build their future around.

#4 Closing games

A noticeable change in Philadelphia's late-game approach has been who gets the ball in crunch time. Even with Embiid back in the lineup, Tyrese Maxey is commanding the ball with the game on the line.

This change is significant when you look at Philadelphia's play with the ball in Maxey's hands versus Embiid's. With Maxey orchestrating the offense, the 76ers have seen a massive turnaround following their 2-12 start to the season. Trusting Maxey to close games also indicates a massive shift in the locker room as the fifth-year guard continues to emerge as Philadelphia's undisputed leader.

Tyrese Maxey has been a significant catalyst in the 76ers' rise, averaging 30.0 points, 6.1 assists and 3.6 rebounds over his last seven games, leading Philadelphia to a 6-1 record.