Rucker’s mailbag: Maxey-McCain backcourt, rebounding issues, trade targets and more

Trade targets, rebounding issues, the viability of a Tyrese Maxey-Jared McCain backcourt and more in Will Rucker’s mailbag.

The Sixers’ season to this point has been nothing short of a massive disappointment. They’ve limped out of the gate, to put it lightly, to a 3-13 record which has them in second-to-last place in the NBA Eastern Conference and in all of basketball. The team has dealt with injuries, locker room dysfunction and more. The pressure is on to quickly right the ship before it’s too late.

I asked the fans for their questions and thoughts on the team, leading us into our first mailbag of the season. Here we go.

I have long been a believer in Maxey and McCain’s ability to share the backcourt together. I lobbied for McCain to be the Sixers’ selection at 16th overall in the draft — in large part because of how I believed he would fit alongside the Sixers’ stars. Maxey’s improvement as a man-to-man defender along with McCain’s strength, basketball IQ and grit defensively make them a viable starting backcourt. The lack of size will present some issues in certain matchups but with what they will provide offensively — and with Joel Embiid, Paul George and ideally another adequate wing defender eventually alongside them — the trade off will be much greater than any problems the size will present. Embiid’s rim protection and George’s perimeter defense will help insulate the two smaller guards.

Per NBA.com the Sixers are currently the 23rd-ranked rebounding team in basketball. Rebounding has been an issue the Sixers have battled the last few seasons and was a major concern for many when this year’s roster was put together. The Sixers could look to utilize Guerschon Yabusele more alongside Embiid when the big man is in the lineup and that could help in the rebounding department. Andre Drummond was signed in large part due to his rebounding prowess. While Drummond is averaging 8.5 rebounds per game he has left a lot to be desired in that regard. Drummond has often times this year been out-hustled to longer rebounds and has been out of position on occasions as well, which has led to frustration with his play from the fan base. The Sixers most ideally would trade for a starting four that is a good rebounder to help remedy some of these issues. For now I don’t see how it gets much better due to the overall size and personnel of the team.

My dream trade target for the Sixers would be Keegan Murray. Murray is a third-year player from the Sacramento Kings and a career 37.7% shooter from three-point range on over six attempts per game. Murray has made himself into one of the better young big wing defenders in the league in now his third year in the NBA. Another thing that makes Murray a great fit in the Sixers’ lineup is his rebounding. He’s averaging a career-high 8.1 rebounds per game. Murray is a low-usage, off-ball wing that can shoot, defend, rebound — all things that are much needed in the Sixers’ starting lineup. With Murray still being on a rookie deal his salary is one that the Sixers can realistically take on. With all that being said there’s little incentive for the Kings, who are trying to make a playoff push, to move the 24-year-old. The Sixers would likely have to overpay with draft capital to even get the Kings to consider it. That however is a risk that I would be willing to take given the team’s current window to win and one I believe the Sixers should be willing to take as well.

On the negative side the thing that has surprised me the most is Nick Nurse’s inability to help this team to some wins. I understand that injuries and players being unavailable has played the largest role in the Sixers’ dreadful start, but Nurse, once regarded as one of the best coaches in the league, should be able to pull some strings and press the right buttons enough to claw out some wins. The Sixers have looked the same in a lot of their outings — plagued by stagnant offense, bad defense, and lack of shot-making. The Sixers’ run one of the more vanilla offenses in the NBA, one that relies a lot on players creating things for themselves and others. That offense can work great when you have your stars on the floor, but without them the Sixers need to come up with more creative ways to generate better offense and that falls at the feet of their head coach. The Sixers’ defense has been chaotically bad in all the worst ways. The Sixers are often over helping and scrambling leaving the defense vulnerable to opposing offenses generating good, clean looks. A lot of these issues fall on the personnel and the Sixers in general lacking adequate defensive players but also on the head coach as its his defensive system and scheme.

On the bright side the thing that has surprised me the most is McCain. I have always been high on McCain dating back to his days as a high school prospect. Even I could not have predicted he’d be this great so early in his NBA career. McCain just had his streak of 20-point games stopped at seven. No other rookie has more than two. McCain has staked an early and strong claim to be the NBA Rookie of the Year. With McCain now seemingly locked into the starting lineup there is no reason to believe he will slow down anytime soon. Expect McCain to continue his efficient and dynamic brand of scoring as the Sixers will need him to try and keep this season alive.

Some primary trade targets that I would have for the Sixers: Keegan Murray, Cam Johnson, Jabari Smith, Jr., Nicolas Batum, Dennis Schroder.

Murray brings shooting, defense, rebounding and size — all things that the Sixers need in their starting lineup at the four spot.

Johnson is a high-level shooter and adequate wing defender who would help provide space and scoring to the Sixers’ lineup while also aiding in defending the perimeter.

Smith is a power forward that can defend multiple positions, provide some perimeter defense as well as secondary rim protection, something the Sixers lack. Smith has fallen out of favor amongst the hierarchy of the Rockets’ young core and is someone the Sixers should keep a close eye on. Smith has struggled shooting the ball this year but is a streaky volume shooter who teams still respect at the three-point line. Smith is also an excellent rebounder and still just 21 years old. Smith could use a change of scenery to try and jumpstart his career. I can see Smith being in the mold of P.J. Washington, Aaron Gordon and Andrew Wiggins as former high draft picks who were expected to be stars but ended up getting traded and becoming valuable role players to contending teams in smaller, more defined roles alongside stars.

We all know Batum. He was an excellent role player for the Sixers last season when he came over in the trade for James Harden. Batum provides defense, shooting and passing and is a great connecting piece to any lineup. The Sixers have missed him dearly this year in that exact role.

Schroder has always been known for his cat-like quickness and ability to provide a scoring and playmaking spark, whether as a sixth man or as a starter. Schorder is on an expiring contract and making $13 million this year. He’d provide a great boost to the Sixers’ bench which does not have much in creation or scoring ability.