Sixers’ Tyrese Maxey Points Out Notable Impact of Returning Veteran

Tyrese Maxey is excited for Kyle Lowry's return to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Nov 15, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) reacts after his score and one against the Boston Celtics during the third quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 15, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) reacts after his score and one against the Boston Celtics during the third quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
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The Philadelphia 76ers have made plenty of changes to the roster this offseason. After seeing most contracts from the 2023-2024 roster expire, Tyrese Maxey and the Sixers anticipated some losses.

Fortunately, the Sixers managed to retain a couple of key members from last year’s team.

“I’m glad to have all those guys,” Maxey said regarding the likes of Kelly Oubre and Kyle Lowry. “I’m thankful for this team and the organization.”

For the second player mentioned, Maxey went in-depth, discussing the impact of Kyle Lowry. Although he spent such a short amount of time playing alongside Lowry, the fifth-year guard looks forward to having him around for a full season, considering what he brings to the table.

“He was extremely important to our team last year because of his experience,” Maxey claimed. “He was extremely smart and important to me as well. He would always get on me about different things, and I appreciated him for that because, one, Kyle puts in the time, and he puts in the work. He studies and knows the game. You appreciate guys like that.”

Being in the NBA since 2006, Lowry has a ton of experience in different situations. He might not be the go-to ball-handler in Philly as he was during his stint with the Toronto Raptors, but Lowry has remained a crucial role player in his post-Toronto days with the Miami Heat and the Sixers.

Last year, Lowry finished his Heat stint with a 37-game at the start of the season. After getting traded and waived by the Charlotte Hornets, Lowry signed with the Sixers to appear in 23 games down the stretch of the regular season. For all but three of those games, he started.

In the playoffs, Lowry maintained a starting role next to Maxey. He helped the young veteran in the backcourt as the Sixers fought hard through the first-round series against the New York Knicks. While Philly failed to come out on top, the Sixers are confident they addressed the missing pieces this summer.

As for Lowry, he felt there was unfinished business in Philly. Now, he’s set to continue growing alongside Maxey for the 2024-2025 NBA season.

“[The front office] did a great job,” Maxey finished. “Now, it’s on us to go out there and perform, gel, and do something together.”

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Justin Grasso

JUSTIN GRASSO

Title: Credentialed writer/reporter covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation Email: JustinGrasso32@Gmail.com Location: Philadelphia, PA Expertise: Reporting, insight, and analysis on the Sixers and the NBA  Justin Grasso is a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation.  Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writer’s Association.  Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoNBA