Some NBA players take longer to develop than others.
For every Luka Doncic, there is a Kyle Lowry or Khris Middleton.
Whatever the case, certain players need different coaching or a new environment to reach their potential.
That seems to potentially be the case for Isaiah Joe.
Joe was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 19th pick in the second round of the 2020 NBA Draft.
Coming out of college, he was regarded as one of the best shooters in the draft.
Joe was slight of frame but had decent size for the shooting guard position at 6’5”.
The 76ers used him sparingly in his first two seasons.
He appeared in 96 total games, starting twice, and averaged just over 10 minutes per game.
Joe averaged just 3.7 points per game on 34.9% shooting from deep.
While the stats were not great, the eye test told a different story.
Joe shot the ball confidently from deep and had decent range.
On a team like the 76ers, surrounding ball-dominant stars such as James Harden and Joel Embiid with plenty of shooting should be paramount.
However, Joe was cut before the 2022-23 season due to a deep Sixers roster and cap reasons.
Fast forward to last night, and the 76ers may be kicking themselves down the line.
In a 33-point win over the Boston Celtics, Joe went for 21 points in just 28 minutes of playing time.
ISAIAH JOE POSTER. WHAT A SHOWING FROM THE OKC THUNDER.@okcthunder | #ThunderUp pic.twitter.com/kixCAZFdSb
— Bally Sports Oklahoma (@BallySportsOK) January 4, 2023
He shot 8-13 from the floor and 3-7 from deep.
On the season, Joe is averaging 6.9 points across 12.8 minutes per game while connecting on 44.6% of his 3.7 triples per game.
Sounds like the type of player who would fit nicely next to Harden and Embiid.
NEXT: Joel Embiid Receives A Monthly NBA Honor