Kelly Oubre Jr. of the Philadelphia 76ers is playing on an expiring contract, which would normally put him squarely in the mix as a potential trade chip ahead of the deadline.
However, his recent performance has strengthened the Sixers’ case to retain him, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Since returning to the starting lineup on Monday, Oubre has averaged 21.7 points per game over his past three outings while shooting an impressive .558/.611/.545.
The player was originally moved back into the starting five to replace Paul George, who missed a couple of games while managing a left knee issue.
Even after George returned to action, Oubre remained in the lineup Thursday, as head coach Nick Nurse shifted Dominick Barlow to the second unit.
“I think Barlow has played outstanding and played outstanding again tonight,” Nurse said after the game.
“But Kelly obviously has been a pretty big spark plug, getting to the rim and just guarding. Just guarding really good, tough matchup every night as well. So I went that way. He’s pretty experienced as well.”
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— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) January 24, 2026
