It’s not often you see 10-year veterans make improvements in their game, but that’s what Kelly Oubre Jr. did as he consistently showed up and played hard for the Sixers this season.
There really weren’t many bright spots for the Sixers this season, but Kelly Oubre Jr.’s play was one of them.
The 29-year-old wing returned to Philadelphia last offseason on a very reasonable two-year, $16.3 million deal and spent 2024-25 more than living up to it. While the team was constantly riddled with injuries, Oubre was reliable and available. He started all but three of the 60 games he played until he was ruled out for the last month for recovery/tanking purposes, and made some noticeable improvements in his game. Which, for a 10-year veteran, is usually a rarity.
In 34.6 minutes per game, Oubre finished the year averaging 15.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and career-highs of 1.8 assists and 1.5 steals. He even upped his true shooting percentage to 55.1 — nothing overly efficient, but still his highest since 2021-22 when he was in Charlotte. Which, considering everything Oubre brings to the table beyond sheer efficiency due to his subpar 29.3 percent three-point shooting, isn’t bad at all.
Of course, Oubre has his flaws. That underwhelming three-point shooting is probably at the top of that list. Fortunately, he does at least shoot with the confidence and volume (4.0 attempts a game) that still commands some attention from defenders, which means he has something to offer as a spacer alongside his teammates. Second is his aggressiveness can lead to him being a bit out of control at times, such as ill-advised pull-ups or erratic passes.
However, Oubre’s athletic aggressiveness is usually something that helps the Sixers, and we’ve seen that more and more over his time in Philly. He’s quick to act and attack when he does get the ball, beyond just firing those jumpers. He can soar to the rim with quick catches and drives past closeouts, make sharp cuts to add more value off the ball, and the touch of extra creation ability he provides out of isolations and pick-and-rolls is another plus alongside the team’s stars (whenever they’re actually available).
Oubre’s defense often stood out this year, too. In a season that went off the rails so fast and it was clear playing for contention was off the cards surprisingly early, Oubre continued to play hard when others wouldn’t. He has the speed and motor to cover guards plus the size and wingspan to defend forwards, and he did a fine job at both. He also upped his rebounding this year to average 6.1 and the third-best rebound percentage of his career at 10.0 percent. Apart from his defense on the ball and increased disruption off it in passing lanes, the way he fought on the glass really helped highlight his energy and mindset overall.
This summer, Oubre has a big decision to make. Now, with a $8.4 million player option for 2025-26, he can stay put on a solid (albeit short-term) salary, opt out and try to negotiate a new deal with the Sixers, or try his luck elsewhere. I won’t dive deep into the finances here and everything Oubre needs to consider, as our Bryan Toporek has done so in great detail here.
There’s little cap space available on the market this coming offseason, though, so Oubre likely isn’t to receive many offers of much more than the Sixers can pay him if he opts to leave. The issue for Philly at that point would be trying to re-sign all of Oubre, Guerschon Yabusele and Quentin Grimes. If they use some or all of the non-taxpayer MLE to re-sign Yabusele, it may not be possible to keep all three unless they trade away one of their star players’ salaries. And all things considered, keeping their versatile big in Yabusele and the breakout play of Grimes likely are (and should) be the priority over Oubre.
“I am a Philadelphia 76er,” Oubre said in his exit interview this season. “I’m blessed to be a part of this organization. I’m here in front of you guys right now, so taking it day by day. But also, this is a business, but at the end of the day I’m happy. And I feel like I like to finish what I start, and I don’t feel complete, so Godspeed.”
Will we see Oubre finish what he set out to do with the Sixers? For the right price, that could be beneficial for both sides. There’s certainly plenty of value Oubre has left to offer on the court to complement the team’s stars if they can get healthy and back on track for 2025-26. He deserves a lot of credit for showing up in a season when he could’ve easily taken his foot off the gas.
Player grade: B+