The Philadelphia 76ers have exercised the fourth-year contract option for Tyrese Maxey and the third-year contract option for Jaden Springer; both will take effect for the 2023-24 season, the team announced Sunday.
Maxey played in 75 games (74 starts) in his second NBA season in 2021-22, upping his scoring average from 8.0 to 17.5 while shooting .485 from the floor. The third-year guard’s points-per-game increase ranked as the largest among second-year players last season, while his .427 mark from three-point range was third in the NBA. Maxey reached the 20-point mark on 25 occasions, including five games of 30-plus points.
After seven games this season, Maxey is averaging 22.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per contest on .504 shooting (.468 3FG).
Originally selected by the 76ers with the No. 21 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft out of Kentucky, the 21-year-old has been impressive, and at some point, there could be a max contract in his future.
The 20-year-old Springer, who was selected 28th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, has played mainly in the G League, where he played in 19 career G League games (18 starts) for the Delaware Blue Coats, averaging 14.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 steals in 26.8 minutes per contest. Springer helped lead Delaware to its second consecutive appearance in the G League Finals.
Named to the 2021-22 Southeastern Conference All-Freshman Team during his lone collegiate season at Tennessee, Springer led the Volunteers in scoring (12.5 ppg), three-point percentage (.435 3FG), and free throws made (81).
