Just three days after the 76ers summer league team demolished the Mavericks, the young bucks were back in action against the Hawks in Las Vegas. While the games mean nothing from a record standpoint, the summer league provides fans with a window into the development of the young core of the 76ers. Winning games is always going to mean something, but games like these always are about how key young players look on the court. With that, let’s jump into some takeaways from the 76ers second summer league bout.

Tyrese Maxey Continues to Ball Out.

When the summer league rosters were announced, many 76ers fans were curious why Tyrese Maxey was even on the roster. At the end of the 2020-21 season playoff run for the Sixers Tyrese was getting quality minutes, so summer league was going to be a walk in the park. Through two games, Tyrese has dominated competition. Against the Hawks, Maxey finished with an insane stat line of 31 points, 5 assists, 6 rebounds, 1 steal, and 2 blocks. Safe to say, the Kentucky kid was doing everything on the court for the Sixers.

What really put his performance over the top for me was the confidence he displayed shooting the ball, Maxey shot terribly from three in the game, going 1-8, but didn’t stop shooting. The elite level of NBA talent have off nights shooting, but always find ways to impact the game and score points. Maxey still being able to grab 31 points despite the poor shooting splits is very promising as he takes a much more expanded role with the 76ers.

Isiah Joe Could Be the Sixers Next Great Shooter.

Yes, I understand these are just summer league games, but the confidence and shooting ability of Isiah Joe has been mesmerizing to watch. The 76ers drafted Joe because of his unique shooting ability right out of the college level, and that choice seems to be paying dividends early. Joe managed to grab 21 points in his second 76ers summer league game, while knocking down 38.5-percent of his triples. The confidence coming from the former Razorback is great to see, and Isiah’s range has only expanded over the off-season. Even with the return of Danny Green and Furkan Korkmaz, I believe Joe has proven he deserves more minutes off the bench from his showing so far in the summer league.

Paul Reed Showed Why He was the G League MVP.

The first 76ers summer league game saw Paul Reed make a statement on the defensive end, with his offense lacking a bit. Last night against the Hawks, the high-flying, dunking machine was out for blood. Reed was able to grab a double-double in the win with 20 points and 12 rebounds, with six boards coming off the offensive glass. Throw in a pair of steals and a block, and it isn’t hard to see why the G League crowned him most valuable. Nothing encapsulates Paul Reed’s unique style and ability with the ball in his hands than this beautiful handling leading to an emphatic slam for the big guy.

Jaden Springer Struggled to Get Going Offensively.

While the rook has shown flashes of his offensive ability, so far this summer league Jaden Springer has struggled. Last night got worse for the former volunteer, who only notched seven points in the win. Springer would play nearly 30 minutes in the contest, and only put up nine shots from the field. Two of those, clanked off the side of the backboard. While there is no reason to overreact to the rookie’s slow start, it does prove Springer is a young project for the 76ers staff. His defensive point of attack defense is there, and Jaden has the tools to become a potent scorer on offense, it will all just take time. Tonight was just one of those nights where shots didn’t fall for Springer, and with more time on the court where he can get comfortable I am positive he’ll turn out better offensive performances.

Mandatory Credit: Philadelphia 76ers