Kelly Oubre Jr. could be one of the most important additions of the offseason, following the signing of Paul George and the re-signing of Tyrese Maxey. Philadelphia has increased the momentum with a team-friendly contract for the next two seasons and hopes this low-risk investment will boost its chances of winning an NBA title this year.

Oubre performed admirably as an instant scoring option and defensive stalwart last season, averaging 15.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists. The 76ers scored 1.9 more points per 100 possessions than their opponents when Oubre came off the bench, according to NBA.com. The former Hornets forward was forced into the starting lineup for 58 games despite being signed as a backup.

The Sixers were minus-1.1 when he was on the court, but most of that came when Philadelphia struggled during the midseason with Joel Embiid and several other key players out. Oubre was forced to take on a larger role and play enough to be kept as a starter for the rest of the year, even as the team added additional depth in February.

He also battled his own injuries and missed some time after a car accident. Whatever the case, this season will be different. The 76ers wanted to build a serious contender around Joel Embiid, using last season to free up space on their books and prepare for the summer of 2024. For Oubre, it’s the first time in his career that he’s been a member of a team that hopes to win a championship right away.

With Paul George on the court and Tyrese Maxey just named an All-Star for the first time, Oubre will need to step up his game and perform well alongside NBA superstars. That means minimizing his offensive actions while giving more value to his defensive performance. He will also need to play shooting guard when Paul George is in the starting lineup.

At 6’1″, Oubre has the size and versatility to be a tweener in today’s NBA. Nick Nurse used the Kansas product at shooting guard last season, even after the 76ers signed Buddy Hield. The Warriors’ current sharpshooter underperformed in the 76ers uniform, and Kelly Oubre was moved to shooting guard for a few games.

According to Basketball Reference, the Kansas star played 21% of his time on the court as a secondary guard, compared to the 57% he spent as a shooting guard in Charlotte during the 2022-23 season. As a result, Oubre showed his ability to guard wing players and was usually deployed to guard superstar players at the forward position.

With the new additions, the 76ers hope to have a large but versatile lineup on the court most of the time. However, Kelly Oubre Jr. will need to develop into a disruptor off the ball who can run around and defend smaller opponents on the perimeter. The 76ers have followed the recent trend of drafting big wing players, following the standard established by other top Eastern Conference players.

Oubre will need to step up and establish himself as the team’s perimeter defender after building a reputation as an instant scoring option earlier in his career. If he can do that, the Sixers’ chances of winning the championship will increase significantly.