Tyrese Maxey Was the Whole Offense. Now He Has Help.

By the 76ers Nightly Desk · Tuesday, September 15

Maxey carried Philadelphia's offense last season, playing 38.0 minutes a night across 70 games while Embiid appeared in only 38. With Jaylen Brown and LeBron James now on the roster, his job shifts from doing everything to doing the right things.

Tyrese Maxey of the 76ers — Tyrese Maxey. Photo: Chensiyuan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

How much of last season was Maxey carrying alone?

He logged 38.0 minutes a night across 70 games and averaged 28.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists, all while Embiid played only 38 games. His usage rate reached 28.6 percent, the mark of a true first option. He also chipped in 1.9 steals and 0.8 blocks against 2.4 turnovers a night. That was less choice than necessity, and it's why this season looks different.

Is he actually efficient, or just busy?

Busy and efficient. Maxey shot 46.2 percent from the floor and 36.7 percent from three on 8.6 attempts a game, plus 89.2 percent from the line, for a 58.8 true shooting mark. His offensive rating was 115.0 against a team mark of 114.3. The volume never came at the expense of the numbers.

What changes now that Brown and James are here?

Less. Maxey no longer has to be the entire offense, the way he was with Embiid sidelined for much of last season. Brown averaged 28.7 points and James put up 7.2 assists a game last season, giving Philadelphia three players who can create. Maxey's own net rating was 1.5 last season, better than the team's -0.1 mark. Maxey's 6.6 assists a game says he already knows how to set a table.

What does his contract look like?

$40.8 million this season, climbing to $43.6 million in 2027-28 and $46.4 million in 2028-29. That's the second-largest contract on the books, on a $213.2 million payroll. The 76ers are paying for exactly the version of Maxey who averaged 28.3 points a game last season.

Any health question hanging over him?

None on record. Maxey isn't on the injury report, which matters on a roster that already has one name listed and a center who played only 38 games last season. If this team's season depends on someone actually being available, it starts with the guy who's already proven he can be, night after night.

The verdictMaxey doesn't need to reinvent himself, he needs to be the same 58.8 percent true-shooting guard he was last season, just for fewer possessions. With Brown and James absorbing shots and minutes, dropping his usage below 28.6 percent should make both him and Philadelphia's offense look sharper, not smaller.

What is Tyrese Maxey's contract with the 76ers?

He's making $40.8 million in 2026-27, rising to $43.6 million in 2027-28 and $46.4 million in 2028-29.

How many games did Tyrese Maxey play last season?

He played 70 games last season, averaging 28.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists in 38.0 minutes.