“The James Harden replacement” - Kelly Oubre Jr. slated to join Joel Embiid on Sixers draws polarizing reactions from NBA fans

NBA free agent Kelly Oubre Jr. recently signed a one-year deal to play for the Philadelphia 76ers for the upcoming 2023-24 season. Oubre spent the last two seasons playing for the Charlotte Hornets where he averaged 17.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game.

As the Sixers are trying to fix the situation with James Harden, they've slowly addressed the possibility of his departure from the team. This offseason, he requested to be traded to the LA Clippers, but there hasn't been any progress in that regard so far.

With Oubre's arrival in Philly, many have drawn the conclusion that the team will likely trade Harden this season.

Upon seeing the news, fans shared mixed reactions to the recent deal that happened. Here are some of the best reactions from the fans.

The recent signing gives the Sixers a bit of depth and another option at the wing position. This could mean two things. One, the team will have another capable scorer to help Harden, Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. Two, he could take over at the shooting guard position if the trade happens.

Still, it's a smart move by Philly's front office as they need to give the reigning MVP help for next season.

You might also be interested in reading this: Top 5 teams that can sign Kelly Oubre Jr. if Hornets waive him before 2023-24 NBA Season

---

Where should Kelly Oubre Jr. focus on improving?

Miami Heat v Charlotte Hornets

Last season, Kelly Oubre Jr. proved that he can be a lethal scorer for any team. With LaMelo Ball out for the majority of last season, the 6-foot-7 forward took on the task of carrying the team in terms of scoring. He averaged 20.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists for Charlotte during the 2023-24 campaign.

Nicknamed "Tsunami Papi," the forward showed what he's capable of on the offensive end. However, there's an obvious hole in his scoring game that needs to be worked on. As he averaged 20 points for the first time in his career, Oubre's efficiency wasn't that impressive.

He shot 43.1% from the field, which isn't terrible, as it's close to his 44% field goal efficiency during the 2022-23 season. His efficiency from the three-point range, however, was hurting his performance. It's not the first time that Kelly Oubre Jr. shot at least 31% from the three, but it shows that he hasn't improved in that aspect.

To be an effective scorer and threat on the perimeter, he'll have to assure his team that he's capable of knocking down threes at a decent rate. The league is controlled by the three-pointer right now and shooting 31.9% won't be beneficial for the former 15th overall pick.