Tyrese Maxey Urged by Stephen A. Smith To Make Major Career Move

Both Joel Embiid and Paul George raved about Tyrese Maxey and his leadership skills. The young guard held down the fort while his veteran teammates were out. At one point, he was even among the MVP frontrunners.

Players and fans alike see it: Maxey is the future of the franchise. He has already made two All-Star teams, although he missed the 2025 edition due to injuries. He finished the 2025–26 season in the Top 5 in scoring (28.5 ppg) and ranked No. 1 in minutes played.

The Philadelphia 76ers were counted out even before the playoffs began, but together with Embiid, George, and rookie VJ Edgecombe, they defied the odds and defeated the No. 2-seeded Boston Celtics in seven games. The fact that they were swept by the New York Knicks in the second round does not change the belief that Maxey is the Sixers' future.

One analyst, however, has a different take. Firebrand commentator Stephen A. Smith believes Maxey should seek a new home following the shake-up in the team's front office. Daryl Morey has been relieved of his duties as president of basketball operations. Bob Myers, the architect behind the Golden State Warriors dynasty that won four championships from 2015 to 2022, will take over in an interim capacity.

Maxey has been playing well, and the Sixers have no major reason to part ways with him. So why does Smith think he should seek a new team? The workload.

"I think that is something he needs to strongly consider," Smith said in the First Take show.

"It's got to be deflating at this point. He led the NBA in minutes this year, 38 minutes a game. He was the fifth leading scorer, averaging over 27 a game. The guy's a spectacular player, and Daryl Morey put him in a pinch, there's no way around it."

.@stephenasmith says Tyrese Maxey should "strongly consider" leaving the 76ers pic.twitter.com/5AoiWMKZMm

— First Take (@FirstTake) May 13, 2026

The Sixers' locker room, however, does not appear deflated after their postseason exit. Embiid even hailed the season as a success considering where he and the team started.

As for Maxey, he is not focused on next season yet. He said he plans to spend his time embracing his new role: fatherhood. Looking back on the season, he still considers it a positive one.

"Hell a season, had a great time playing basketball, and now this just brings a life challenge that's going to be great," he said.

Related: Joel Embiid After 76ers Sweep: 'For Me, This Was a Success'

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This story was originally published May 13, 2026 at 9:41 PM.