The renowned self-declaration “out of the mud” 2020 No. 58 overall pick will be joining fellow former Sixer Tobias Harris in Detroit.
After winning the Delaware Blue Coats’ 2021 NBA G League Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year titles, Reed gained the love and affection of Philadelphia 76ers supporters in addition to a full-time roster berth on the team.
The Orlando native eventually won the backup position for Joel Embiid, even though former head coach Doc Rivers seemingly would have preferred to play Glen “Big Baby” Davis over B-Ball (just kidding). Instead, Doc would angrily choose washed names like Paul Millsap and DeAndre Jordan over Reed, much to the dismay of fans and media members.
In 2023, when Embiid missed a decisive Game 4 against the Brooklyn Nets, Reed came through with a huge performance, completing the sweep with a 10-point, 15-rebound double-double.
In the very next game, during the second round of the 2022–2023 playoffs, Reed assisted a Sixers team without Embiid in stealing Game 1 from the Boston Celtics. That was one of his most memorable moments, in my opinion.
While Joel healed from his injury, B-Ball showed that he had cold water in his veins by coolly making four consecutive free throws to help a James Harden-led team surprise the Celtics and win home court.
Reed concluded that game with 13 rebounds and another important 10 points.
After those performances, Danny Ainge, the top executive in Utah, made a bid for B-Ball Paul, who attended DePaul for his collegiate education (that was too much fun to describe). However, the Sixers would eventually match a cleverly worded offer that Ainge crafted for the restricted free agent who was 2023.
If and only if Reed’s 2023–2024 club advanced past the first round, his 2024–2025 pay would be guaranteed. For that reason, Philadelphia decided not to sign Reed after the New York Knicks upset a crippled Sixers team in the previous spring.
But Reed still receives his remaining salary because the Pistons claimed him off waivers. Therefore, this is a win-win situation. A likeable athlete with talent, athleticism, and some upside is acquired by the Pistons, a non-threat in the Eastern Conference. In the end, Reed receives his money. Additionally, the Sixers were given additional cap room to go after bigger fish, such as Caleb Martin and Paul George.
For many fans doing the arithmetic at home, Andre Drummond’s signing signaled the end of the Reed era in Philadelphia. And it becomes official with this Pistons trade.
Since the Oklahoma City Thunder had recently lost Isaiah Hartenstein, there had been some speculation that Reed may end up with one of their rival teams, the New York Knicks. As a result, Sixers supporters may now comfortably continue to…
