As the regular season approaches, the Philadelphia 76ers continue to put the finishing touches on their roster for the upcoming year. Today, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the team fully guaranteed Paul Reed’s contract for the 2022-23 season.
Paul Reed, affectionately known as Bball Paul, has come quite a long way in his young career as he prepares to begin his third season in the NBA.
While still raw to a degree, he’s grown in leaps and boards when it comes to his understanding of the game. This has helped him in many aspects, though perhaps as a defender more than in any other area.
During the 2022 playoffs, Reed served as star Joel Embiid’s primary backup center, and he did so admirably. He averaged 3.7 points, 1.8 rebounds, and .8 steals in just 11.7 minutes per game, but again, it was his defense that set him apart.
In the 12 games Reed saw action in, he boasted a defensive box +/- of 2.9, a defensive rating of 104.7, and averaged 3.3 steals and 2.2 blocks per 100 possessions.
That level of defensive success was evident, but it was also the energy that Reed exuded that was a clear-cut above the Deandre Jordans, the Dwight Howards, and the Greg Monroes of seasons past. That signature energy and hustle are one of the prime aspects of Reed’s allure.
The Sixers lacked players with a fierce, hustle mentality during the 2022 playoffs. Paul Reed was one of the very few to display that then, and it was likely a contributing factor in the decision to guarantee his deal for 2022-23.
Despite his 2022 postseason performance, however, there was some doubt about Reed’s future in Philadelphia after the team signed former Sixth Man of the Year Montrezl Harrell — another undersized center known for his hustle and competitive mentality.
Those worries have seemingly fallen by the wayside, however, as the preseason saw Reed playing alongside Harrell on multiple occasions. If that is, in fact, the plan for the season to come, fans may be about to see a consistent role for one of their favorite Sixers.
Paul Reed is slated to make $1.7 million this upcoming season. It was likely not a difficult choice for the Sixers to make but credit to Paul Reed for developing enough to earn it.
