Heading into the 2022-23 NBA season, Paul Reed appeared poised to battle with second-year big man Charles Bassey for the Sixers’ primary backup center spot. But when the Sixers signed Montrezl Harrell to a two-year, $5.2 million contract shortly before training camp began, it effectively closed the door on Bassey’s tenure with the team and Reed’s chances of playing major minutes behind Joel Embiid.
Reed racked up three DNPs in the Sixers’ first seven games, and he didn’t crack double-digit minutes until the 10th game of the season (one which Embiid missed). He again played a larger role when Embiid missed four games in late November—he had 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting and 10 rebounds in the short-handed win over Brooklyn and 12 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks in a blowout win over the Orlando Magic—but he has since largely fallen out of the Sixers’ rotation.