Kelly Oubre Jr. shows flashes of 3-and-D potential in preseason

Late in free agency, Kelly Oubre Jr. signed a one-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. Now, he’s displaying potential as a much-needed 3-and-D player.

• By
  
  Erin Grugan
  
• on October 12, 2023 4:30 pm

Kelly Oubre Jr. joined the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency, providing a low-risk, high-reward option on a one-year veteran minimum deal. However, doubts remained about his impact on the team.

If the preseason game against the Boston Celtics is any indication, the Sixers may have found the 3-and-D player they desperately need.

In Philadelphia’s loss, Oubre played exceptionally well off the bench, scoring 18 points. While his offensive production wasn’t surprising, given his averaging of 20.3 points for the Charlotte Hornets last season, the inconsistency in his long-range shooting, with a career average of 33%, has been a concern.

But Oubre is actively working on improving that aspect of his game, and it’s already paying off.

“I saw [skills trainer] Drew Hanlen earlier,” Oubre explained after the game. “Honestly, he told me that my shoulders weren’t squared. I just made that adjustment and tried to shoot the easy ones, and that’s the key.”

His efforts seemed to have paid off, as he made 4 out of 6 three-pointers and shot 6-for-8 overall.

However, Oubre’s offensive abilities aren’t the only thing impressing his teammates. Tyrese Maxey praised Oubre’s defensive skills and activity on the court.

“He averaged 20 last year with Charlotte. So he shoots the ball well, he’s able to get to the cup, he’s cutting, he can do all those different things, and he can play off guys,” Maxey said. “Offensively, we have no worries. Defensively, with his length and his activity and just the way he defends guys. It’s hard to explain because when you’re out there, he’s just flying around, and then he’s just making plays. Getting his hands on deflections and get on the ball.

“It’s good to have him on our side instead of him being in Charlotte,” Maxey added.

Guarding the Boston Celtics, even in preseason, is no easy task. Oubre’s energy and defensive efforts were commendable, with two blocks and two defensive rebounds. He attributed his success to trust, communication, and extra effort from the entire team in maintaining the right positioning on the court.

“Part of it is trust and part is communication and extra efforts,” Oubre said. “Tonight we had to do extra extra extra efforts cause they move the ball so well. With a great team that can shoot you just gotta fly around. Matchups aren’t really what they are to start. Once you switch and the play breaks down it’s the next effort, it’s the next guy that has to fly and close out. It was a team effort for sure.

“We just have to continue to dial it in, and I think we have the pieces to do so.”

Oubre’s defensive intensity can sometimes lead to being out of control or out of position, something that Coach Nurse and the Sixers will work on. If they can rein in his aggressiveness while he continues to improve his shooting, Oubre could become the missing 3-and-D piece in the Sixers’ roster.