Seth Curry has solidified his spot as a Sixer for seasons to come

With a few trades, Daryl Morey has brought the Sixers back to glory, helping franchise cornerstones Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid thrive in their respective games. One of the best moves conducted by Morey so far has definitely been the acquisition of Seth Curry. The 30-year-old has put together his best season to date while wearing the Sixers’ red, white, and blue since his arrival via trade last offseason.

Looking back on the move that brought Curry to Philly, it really seems like the Sixers made out in that transaction. Seth Curry has been a key starter in one of the best starting fives in the NBA, while Josh Richardson slowly faded from the Dallas Mavericks’ rotation — averaging a career-low in playing time in the postseason at around 13 minutes per game. Tyler Bey, the other player in the deal drafted and traded to the Mavericks, only played 18 games this season, averaging less than four minutes per game. The Sixers also achieved some long-term stability in this deal, as Seth Curry is under contract for the next two seasons after the conclusion of this postseason.

Sixer fans knew what they were getting with Seth when he was traded here by the Mavs on the night of the 2020 NBA Draft — a guard who could provide valuable floor spacing, shooting, and a splash of playmaking.

Seth Curry’s played as advertised, averaging 12.5 points per game and shooting a ludicrous 45 percent from 3 on nearly five attempts per game. Most will view these numbers and be very satisfied, but there’s also an argument that Curry could’ve out-preformed these already solid numbers. Remember: Seth Curry was one of the few Sixers that contracted the COVID-19 virus back at the season’s start, which left him out for two weeks.

Before contracting COVID-19, Seth Curry was averaging 17 points per game, on 60 percent shooting and 59.5 percent shooting from 3 (!!!!). One of the most devastating aspects about this season was players not only contracting the virus, but having to deal with the after-effects of it. Boston’s Jayson Tatum is another example of this, as he admitted to having to use an inhaler for the first time in his life. Curry definitely suffered from some of the after-effects as he looked simply gassed in some games — even being pulled from one.

Fortunately, it seems like the after-effects of Curry’s COVID-19 contraction are a thing of the past. He ended the season on a very strong note, averaging 14 points per game on incredible shooting from the perimeter — a 54.4 percent mark from the field and 57.1 percent shooting from 3. The impressive shooting display has translated quite a bit to the Sixers’ postseason run, as Curry is playing arguably his best basketball yet.

We’ve seen Seth Curry be a valuable member of good playoff teams’ rotations, with the Portland Trail Blazers and the Dallas Mavericks being prime examples. Curry has gotten his biggest NBA role yet, and he’s stepped up to the plate and then some, capitalizing on the opportunity.

It appears that the Sixers have given him an even bigger offensive role in the postseason, where he’s averaging nearly three more shot attempts per game. Through seven playoff games against the Washington Wizards and Atlanta Hawks, he’s averaging 17.3 points per game on 54.8 percent overall shooting and 45.5 percent from 3. The postseason is where defensive intensity ramps up, and it simply hasn’t affected Seth Curry.

His shooting will deservingly get most of the shine, but my favorite Seth Curry stat of the postseason has been how well he’s taken care of the ball. He’s only turned the ball over three times total across 7 games, averaging 0.4 turnovers per game. While he’s primarily a shooter, the Sixers have used him as a secondary playmaker here and there, connecting with Ben Simmons on numerous offensive possessions.

One of the biggest knocks against Seth Curry was him turning down some “semi-open” 3s throughout the regular season. I can appreciate a player turning down a good shot for a better one, but there were many moments where it would’ve benefitted Curry and the Sixers for him to just let it fly. This really hasn’t been a problem for him in the postseason, as he’s playing with an extreme level of confidence and actively hunting out his shots. He’s a gifted shooter, and you love to see him let it fly.

Seth Curry has been a huge factor in the Sixers’ success in the regular season and playoffs. What makes all of this even better is the fact that he’s under contract for the next two seasons, at a very reasonable $8.1 and $8.5 million, respectively. This league values shooting to an extreme premium and we’ve seen shooters such as Davis Bertans and Joe Harris get paid handsomely at over $80 million each. Curry is not only a valuable player in the NBA, he’s been a perfect player with the Sixers and his fit alongside Simmons and Embiid has been seamless.

This offseason may feature some big name transactions, with players such as Steph Curry, Bradley Beal, and Damian Lillard having very murky futures with their individual teams. While I’m sure the Sixers may be mentioned in the mix for any of them if they do become available, they’d be wise to do whatever it takes to try to hang onto Curry in the event of a trade. Seth Curry has solidified his place in Philadelphia, and I hope this season is the just the start of a long tenure for him.