2022-23 Sixers Regular Season Grades
Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Jimmy Butler… come on down.
Adam Aaronson, whose legal name is Sixers Adam (@SixersAdam on Twitter), covers the Sixers for The Rights To Ricky Sanchez. He believes cantaloupe is the best food in existence, and is brought to you by the Official Realtor of The Process, Adam Ksebe.
The regular season has finally come to an end! The next time the Sixers take the floor, they will be hosting the Brooklyn Nets in the first game of round one of the NBA playoffs. We’ll spend plenty of time preparing for that matchup. But for now, we can look back at the regular season that was -- because it was an odd one. For some players, that means it was the best year of their careers. For others… not so much. Let’s discuss:
Joel Embiid: A+
Do I even have to explain myself here? Embiid somehow took his scoring to another level yet again. He won his second straight scoring title, and his first career MVP is likely coming next. He fully encapsulated the word “unstoppable,” casually dominating against just about every possible opponent.
Embiid also continued to make strides in other areas of his game. He made another leap as a passer and playmaker for others, picking apart the aggressive double-teams often sent his way. Additionally, Embiid buckled down and played the most focused and effective defense he ever has in a regular season under Doc Rivers.
The guy is about to win the MVP. How could he not get an A+?
James Harden: A-
There were a whole lot of skeptics of Harden’s playoff viability moving forward. And those skeptics are still out there. But injuries aside, he had an outstanding season. No longer a generational scorer, he was able to still post 21 points per game on terrific efficiency. On top of that, he used his wizardry to lead the league in assists. But it wasn’t just about the raw total of assists. What stands out most is how dominant his two-man actions with Embiid are. The Sixers spent years without a late-game offensive identity. Now they’re as comfortable in those spots as anyone.
Harden, like some others we will soon discuss, has to truly make his money in the playoffs.
Tyrese Maxey: A-
If you take a quick glance at his numbers, an A- for Maxey may seem harsh. He is going to finish the season fifth in the entire league in three-point percentage on massive volume. Of late, he’s been fantastic, scoring in bunches and helping the team deal with a few Harden injuries.
But I will ding Maxey just a bit here for two reasons: first of all, he did experience a pretty lengthy slump during the middle of the season. And, while he’s worked to fix them in recent weeks, he has dealt with issues defensively for most of the season. But regardless, this was an excellent third season for Maxey, who is eligible for a contract extension this summer.
Tobias Harris: C+
Harris had a great start to the season, fitting in well as a decisive shot-taker that the Sixers needed. He also began taking on tougher defensive assignments. But as the season progressed, he began to fall back into the bad habits that made him a questionable fit for this roster.
Harris reverted to being a methodical, indecisive player who quickly stops ball movement. That is just not a player the Sixers need at all, let alone one one making more than $36 million.
Harris can get a whole lot of extra credit if he plays within the flow of the team’s during the playoffs -- especially if he can continue taking on challenging defensive assignments and holding his own.
PJ Tucker: C
Tucker had a pretty forgettable regular season outside of a few standout performances in big games. But that’s who PJ Tucker is. More than perhaps any player in the NBA, he was signed by a contender almost entirely for the playoffs.
Tucker’s offensive limitations are extreme and make the offense buffer from time to time. His defense and offensive rebounding have been good, but not great. But, again, he’s going to make his money in the coming weeks (or months). Tucker has an established track record of getting better in the highest-leverage situations. That’s something most people cannot say.
De’Anthony Melton: B+
Melton may have been the most enjoyable player for me to watch this season sans Embiid. He filled several different roles throughout the season and succeeded in nearly all of them.
Melton did struggle a bit when asked to serve as a secondary ball-handler when Harden and Maxey were both out with injury. But it would be unfair to dock him too much for not excelling in a role he wasn’t meant to fill.
A few minor cold streaks aside, Melton did everything the Sixers hoped he would do at a high level. His perimeter defense and versatility on that end have been a luxury for Rivers. He also shot 39 percent from beyond the arc on the highest volume of his career. He is the quintessential “super sub.”
Georges Niang: B-
Niang did what he always does and shot over 40 percent from three-point range this season. His shooting was very much up and down, though, not nearly as consistent as last season -- but over 40 percent is over 40 percent. Niang also made massive strides inside the arc. Last year, he provided no offensive utility outside of three-point shooting. This season, he’s become adept at attacking closeouts and converting little floaters in the line.
But when Niang goes cold, it’s even harder to stomach his poor defense. The effort is there, but the athleticism isn’t and it makes him a liability. If the shots are falling, it is easier to justify letting teams pick on him defensively. But if they don’t, he could get a quick hook from the playoff rotation.
Paul Reed: B-
Per usual, BBall Paul’s season was filled with absolute chaos -- some good and some bad, but all entertaining. Recently, it’s been more good than bad: he’s starting to earn the trust of his coaches and, perhaps more importantly, that of Harden, who he spends just about every second of his playing time with.
Reed has certainly earned the first crack at backup center minutes in the playoffs. The question is: if he struggles, how long does it take for Rivers to pull the plug?
Jalen McDaniels: B
McDaniels being the team’s lone trade deadline acquisition was seen as underwhelming and disappointing. But he has already proven that he is a far more viable playoff option than Matisse Thybulle, whose brutal offense rendered him unplayable in important situations.
McDaniels still has a whole lot to prove -- but Rivers has, on multiple occasions, excitedly talked about his potential defensively and self-awareness offensively. McDaniels knows his offensive role is to be in the background, and Rivers has praised him for it.
Shake Milton: B
Milton has fallen out of the regular rotation in recent weeks, but one would imagine his number will be called at some point during the playoffs.
Milton didn’t do much to remember in March, but when Harden and Maxey were down, he turned into an effective primary ball-handler who almost single-handedly kept the team’s guard rotation afloat. For that, he deserves kudos.
Danuel House Jr.: B-
After signing a two-year deal and being part of the team’s opening night rotation, House Jr. quickly found himself out of the rotation. But due to various injuries, over the last month and change he’s made several cameos and done a nice job. House Jr. is very prone to being at the center of some bizarre plays (Wing Drummond?), but on the whole, I’ve liked what I’ve seen.
House Jr. is not particularly great at anything -- but he also is competent at most things. Having no weaknesses can inherently be a strength when the playoffs start. That’s his best argument to eventually get minutes.
Jaden Springer: B+
I can’t give Springer an A after barely logging any NBA minutes at all. But he had a fantastic season in the G-League, leading the Delaware Blue Coats to a championship and being named MVP of the series. He also did manage to impress in his sparse NBA minutes. Rivers and the Sixers feel strongly that he is a rotation player. Rivers remains adamant that Springer will be an “elite” guard defender. Next year will be his chance.
Dewayne Dedmon: C
Dedmon has only seen real rotation minutes a few times, and he’s been fine. He can clearly rebound at a high level thanks to his size, and he has at least at one point been capable of stepping out and knocking down a jumper. If he factors into the playoff plans, something will have gone wrong.
Furkan Korkmaz: D
I genuinely feel for Furkan, who once again was not part of the team’s rotation, once again requested a trade and once again did not get moved. Unfortunately, he seems to just no longer be the offensive spark plug he was a few years ago. Korkmaz is under contract for next seas0n -- famous last words, I know, but I think he will finally get moved soon.
Montrezl Harrell: D
Harrell received a chance, perhaps more of one than he had earned, to be the backup center early in the season. It quickly became abundantly clear that his defense is too poor to survive, in part because his offense has deteriorated to the point that the team can’t use it to justify giving him playing time.
