Why Philadelphia 76ers' Tyrese Maxey is a sleeper candidate for the 2021-22 Most Improved Player Award

Tyrese Maxey is entering his second season as a point guard on the Philadelphia 76ers. So an opportunity for more playing time and NBA traction is presenting itself in the throes of the Ben Simmons' fallout.

The 6' 2" 200-pound natural scorer out of Kentucky averaged 8 points a game in limited time last season. He could be in the perfect position to step in and contribute to a season of success immediately this year.

Doc Rivers has said that Tyrese Maxey is a work in progress as the Philadelphia 76ers' starting point guard. But don't be surprised if Maxey ends up as the Most Improved Player in the NBA this season. Here's why that could be possible.

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Philadelphia 76ers are in flux

When the Philadelphia 76ers drafted Tyrese Maxey, the hopes were that he would develop and contribute to the team when he was ready. Was he an off-ball guard or a conventional point guard?

The former is true of Tyrese Maxey. w=With the Philadelphia 76ers looking to trade Ben Simmons, if Maxey is not included in the deal, he has to become a conventional point guard rather quickly.

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Changing the offense

If Tyrese Maxey is inserted as the starting point guard with the Philadelphia 76ers, Philly will go from a 6' 10" versatile willing passer to a 6' 2" athlete great off isolation.

Tyrese Maxey is prepared to step in right away after his stellar performances in the playoffs when the Philadelphia 76ers needed scoring. Atlanta had no answer for Maxey who seemed to get to the rim at will.

How that will play out with Joel Embiid on the floor commanding a constant double team will be interesting, though. Surely, Tobias Harris will share in bringing the ball up and directing the offense, and that should also help Maxey develop as a scorer.

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Doc Rivers needs Maxey

Ben Simmons garnered most of the criticism after the Philadelphia 76ers lost to the Atlanta Hawks in the second round of the 2021 NBA playoffs, Doc Rivers walked away relatively clean, though.

Having two All-NBA players on a roster will also mask the deficiencies of a head coach, and removing a talent like Ben Simmons will have its challenges. Tyrese Maxey seems to be a dynamic scorer capable of helping offset the pressure on Joel Embiid to shoulder the scoring load for the Philadelphia 76ers.

This is all contingent on a Ben Simmons trade and what the Philadelphia 76ers receive in return. But in Tyrese Maxey, Doc Rivers has another piece to put pressure on defenses focused on the Philadelphia 76ers' all-world center.

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Tyrese Maxey has all the confidence

In a playoff game, when a coach looks down the bench and inserts a rookie that has been killing it in practice, the confidence rises in that player when he performs under pressure.

It is an ambition to thrive in the moment. Coming from Kentucky, Tyrese Maxey was lighting it up so much he was highly coveted before the 2020 draft. The 21st pick by the Philadelphia 76ers was not far removed from a leadership role. That confidence has to help Maxey show and prove to the 76ers that he is ready to help the team remain serious Eastern Conference contenders.

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Dare I say, Andrew Toney?

When Andrew Toney was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 8th pick in the 1980 NBA Draft out of Louisiana-Lafayette, many wondered how he would fit in a team that was coming off an NBA Finals appearance against the LA Lakers.

The result was Andrew Toney becoming one of the most feared scorers of his era. He took much of the scoring pressure off both Moses Malone and Julius Erving. Andrew Toney shot out of the box, so to speak, and became known as the Boston Strangler for lighting up the Boston Celtics.

There is a similar situation developing with the Philadelphia 76ers. Tyrese Maxey is an above-average athlete like Andrew Toney, with a sneaky ability to score in bunches without breaking a sweat.

It's only a matter of time before Tyrese Maxey becomes a star similar to Toney if he continues to develop under Doc Rivers with the contending Philadelphia 76ers. All it takes is a perfect storm to brew in Philadelphia for Maxey to potentially become the NBA's Most Improved Player.

If it is up to head coach Doc Rivers, though, that would be his immediate objective in the Ben Simmons' aftermath.