Kelly Oubre Jr. Expected to Sign With the 76ers
Kelly Oubre Jr. was without a team with less than a month to go before the opening of the 2023-2024 season. The Philadelphia 76ers needed stability amidst the ongoing James Harden trade saga. It seems both are getting what they want in the not so distant future.
76ers to Add Another Veteran
As reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Kelly Oubre is expected to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers after a two-season stint with the Charlotte Hornets. Prior to that, he started 50 games with the Golden State Warriors during the 2020-2021 campaign.
Across 48 games last season with the Hornets, the Kansas product averaged 20.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.4 steals on 41.3% field goal shooting. While he’s not exactly the playoff veteran Philly needs, Oubre will give the 76ers depth along the wings. Oubre can score, and provide energy on both ends of the floor, but falls short in terms of creating shots for others. Something Harden excelled at last year.
The 27 year old joins a team of proven NBA veterans that recently added Danny Green, Patrick Beverley, and Mo Bamba. Expectations will be significantly higher for him this year in Philadelphia, where the fanbase is starved for an NBA championship, than they were in Charlotte.
Potential Impacts
Once the deal becomes official, the next question will be how head coach Nick Nurse will deploy Oubre this fall. A question made all the more complicated due to the blood feud currently waging between Harden and Daryl Morey.
The impending arrival of Kelly Oubre will impact the guards’ rotation to a degree. Oubre Jr. has oscillated between shooting guard and small forward during his time in the NBA, though his late addition to the roster could mean he’s eased into action over the first handful of games. However, if the James Harden trade drama drags on into the upcoming regular season, Oubre could be thrust into a starting role sooner rather than later.
The 76ers could very well be playing the long game since they’ve yet to provide any clarity on the Harden situation. If a Harden trade happens, Oubre could see most of his minutes at guard alongside Tyrese Maxey. More intriguing still is the possibility that he could also be a part of a package to send Harden packing. With no accurate figures in terms of salary available as of yet, it’s fair to wonder what the 76ers plan for Oubre truly is.
On the other hand, Philly could also benefit from having a young veteran in Oubre amidst an ageing roster. Harden is 34 while reigning MVP Joel Embiid is entering his 30s this March, putting Oubre squarely in the organization’s window to compete.
Whether he’ll start or come off the bench, Kelly Oubre Jr. has the numbers to prove he can play alongside Harden and Embiid. While he needs to work on his three-point shooting, his energy on defense is effective- averaging 3.2 deflections per game last season (eighth in the league). He doesn’t need to be the high-volume shot taker he was in Charlotte because the Sixers have multiple shooters outside of the Harden-Embiid duo.
Instead, how Kelly Oubre Jr. will impact the Sixers will mostly depend on how the Harden saga plays out over the next few weeks.
-Iggy Gonzales
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