PHILADELPHIA — With the Charlotte Hornets paying a visit to the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday, it meant Seth Curry returned to the Wells Fargo Center, which he called home for 1 1/2 seasons.
Curry was a member of the Sixers for the 2020-21 season and for half of the 2021-22 season before being sent to the Brooklyn Nets in the big James Harden deal. He averaged 13.6 points and 3.3 assists while shooting 42.6% from deep in 102 games for the Sixers.
When young Tyrese Maxey came into the league in 2020, Curry was one of his first backcourt mates. From being a wide-eyed rookie to now being an All-Star, Curry saw this coming for Maxey.
“From Day 1, I knew he would be a good player in this league,” Curry told Sixers Wire. “He worked at it. When he came in, everybody was saying he can’t shoot, but I remember we used to work out together post-practice, before practice, we used to shoot together, and I’m like ‘I don’t know what y’all are talking about’, he can shoot the ball so I knew he would be really good. It’s good to see him get the opportunity to run the team and keep getting better and better.”
Maxey is shooting 38% from deep while taking over the starting point guard job from Harden. He has taken advantage of the opportunities placed in front of him and the Sixers have benefited from it.
As far as Joel Embiid is concerned, the big fella is obviously out right now recovering from a meniscus procedure he underwent on Feb. 6. Curry always had a great relationship with the big fella and he expressed sorrow for his former teammate, but has hope that he will return and continue to be dominant.
“Yeah, it seems like every year something happens to him,” he continued to tell Sixers Wire. “He can’t be at his full potential, but he’s as dominant as he’s ever been this year so hopefully, he gets back out there and gets back out on the floor and overcome some of these injuries to have a successful playoffs.”
After being acquired from the Dallas Mavericks, this isn’t the first time Curry has been traded midseason with the aforementioned Sixers-Nets deal. Now back home in Charlotte, he admits it’s a bit tough for him, but being back home has made it a little easier for him.
“It’s always difficult,” he said. “It depends on the situation. In Brooklyn, I went over there, we were in the playoff hunt. We knew we were gonna be a playoff team so it’s kinda different situation. I went over there and was actually playing the same amount of minutes like mid-30s, but here, it’s obviously kind of a rebuilding situation.”
Curry started in Friday’s 121-114 loss to the Sixers, but he ended up leaving with an injury. The 33-year-old knows he’s more of a leader at this stage of his career.
“I kinda have a leadership role,” he explained. “Obviously, I’m still playing out on the floor, but having a leadership role. It means a little bit more playing back at home so it’s always tough, but I feel like I’m just super happy to be out there on the floor and still compete.”
Playing for the franchise his father, Dell, made his biggest impact in the league is important to Curry. He just wants to help the Hornets turn the corner and get back on track.
“This organization means a little bit more to me,” he finished. “Obviously, growing up around it and having my dad be around it for so many years, but it’s been kind of a whirlwind going back home and seeing family and friends, but at the same time, it’s kind of a different world that I’m in now with this team and I’m trying to help them get back on the right track.”
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