Even Paul Reed is taking shots at the tanking Sixers: ‘They thought I was the problem 🤦🏿♂️’
“We certainly didn’t think Paul Reed was a problem,” head coach Nick Nurse said Sunday.
It’s safe to say this hasn’t been the season Sixers fans were expecting after acquiring nine-time All-Star Paul George last summer. A fan base that once had championship aspirations is now suffering through a 23-44 season that looks more like the Process than anything else. And it seems like everyone is poking fun at the tanking squad — even former Sixers center Paul Reed.
Following a 112-100 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Friday, Inquirer beat writer Keith Pompey posted about the Sixers’ placement in the “NBA reverse standings” — Philly isn’t just going to have a lottery pick, they could be picking in the Top 5.
Reed, a former Sixers fan favorite known as “BBall Paul,” responded to Pompey’s post saying, “They thought I was the problem,” with a facepalm emoji added for good measure.
“I don’t have a response,” Sixers coach Nick Nurse said when asked about Reed’s message on Sunday. “We certainly didn’t think Paul Reed was a problem.”
Reed spent four years playing with the Sixers before being waived last summer, and ultimately claimed by the Detroit Pistons. After he was drafted by the Sixers in the second round in 2020, Reed made a name for himself in the NBA G League — earning G League Rookie of the Year and G League MVP — before playing backup to Joel Embiid.
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During his time with the Sixers, Reed appeared in 215 games where he averaged 4.5 points and 3.6 rebounds. In his final year with the Sixers, the six-foot-nine backup center played in all 82 games after the Sixers signed him to a three-year, $23 million contract in the 2023 offseason. But following that year, which included an early playoff exit, the team decided to move on.
Reed is currently averaging 4.1 points and 2.6 rebounds with Detroit — who is sitting at the No. 6 seed in the East with a 37-31 record.
Staff writer Keith Pompey contributed to this article.