76ers' Paul Reed Needs Time to Adjust With New Offensive Freedom

Paul Reed has the support of the 76ers' coaching staff when it comes to expanding his role. As the preseason continues, he's still "making the adjustment."

Entering the 2023-2024 NBA season, Paul Reed has much more than just a brand new, $23 million contract keeping him attached to the Philadelphia 76ers for the next few seasons. Reed also has more freedom than ever on the offensive end.

Throughout his three-year journey with the Sixers, Reed has scratched and clawed his way through Doc Rivers’ rotation. Beginning his NBA career as a second-round pick who signed a two-way contract, Reed earned his first standard contract after winning NBA G League MVP honors.

On several occasions throughout the previous two seasons, Reed found himself picking up minutes in spurts. However, his leash was short. If he wasn’t mistake-free, Reed risked getting yanked, leaving him without a chance to work through his growing pains. 

And even though the young veteran worked tirelessly to bring value in several areas of the game, Doc Rivers had a very specific plan he needed Reed to follow. For the most part, the young veteran understood the assignment.

“I know what he wants from me,” Reed told All76ers in October 2022. “He wants me to go out there and play defense, get rebounds, set good screens, run the floor hard, do all the dirty work, and just go out there and be effective.”

Paul Reed during the 76ers' 2023 playoff series against the Brooklyn Nets.  / USA Today

Over time, Reed hoped to expand his contributions on the floor as he averaged a career-high 11 minutes in playing time throughout the 2022-2023 season. Although Rivers grew slightly more confident in Reed, he made it clear there wouldn’t be a change of job description, even if Reed felt he could bring more to the table offensively.

“Yeah, I’m not worried about Paul Reed’s offense at all,” Rivers said following a late November practice. “I’m just not. I think Paul Reed has to rebound, defend, be our energy player, and do all of those things. The offensive end will take care of itself.”

Rivers kept that same mentality throughout the entire season. Reed finished the 2022-2023 regular season, averaging just four points while shooting 59 percent from the field. Following the Sixers’ 2023 playoff run, the 76ers parted ways with the head coach, replacing him with Nick Nurse.

While Reed nearly left the Sixers, signing an offer sheet with the Utah Jazz in free agency, Philadelphia matched it. Not long after Reed was locked into the Sixers for next season, he got right to work with Nurse, who was focused on Reed’s growth on the offensive end of the floor, offering a significant change of circumstances.

“From the moment I got the job, he got in the shooting program, and he’s been on it,” Nurse said on the Pat Bev Podcast over the summer, discussing Reed. “He’s in shape. … He’s gonna be out there playing hard. He’s gonna be defending. He’s gonna be doing probably more than he’s done before. I think he’s ready to take a step up. He can play.”

“He let me know that from the first day he wants me to shoot,” Reed told reporters last month. “He wants to make sure my form is straight, and he worked with me personally on that. It’s been amazing.”

With Joel Embiid getting the night off for the Sixers’ preseason opener against the Boston Celtics on Sunday, Reed got the nod to start. Checking in for just under 24 minutes, Reed showed zero hesitation with his shot, getting up eight attempts, even with one coming from beyond the arc early on. 

While Reed lacked efficiency from the field, knocking down just one of his eight shots, he feels confident moving forward, knowing that he’s got the support of the coaching staff.

“The most important thing is when I’m open, not hesitating, and realizing where my shots are gonna come from and when are they going to be available,” Reed said to reporters following practice on Tuesday. “It’s kind of new for me. Last season, if I was taking threes, I probably wouldn’t play for like ten games. This year, they want me to shoot the ball more. I’m still making the adjustment. It’s just realizing where my shots are going to come from within the offense.”

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Reed’s still got a long way to go before his offense becomes a critical piece to the Sixers’ success, but it’s apparent Nurse’s staff is confident in his growth thus far. 

On Wednesday, Reed and the Sixers return to the court for a preseason rematch against the Boston Celtics. The game will serve as another opportunity for Reed to build on his confidence.