Here's my takeaways from the last 2-3 weeks of Sixers basketball and my 3 New Year's resolutions for the Sixers.
1) Be a bully. This one is for Andre Igoudala. Fortunately, Iggy didn't lose all his game changing ability when he got his contract this past offseason. In fact, his best career move would be to get a little more Bron-ish with his game. His jumper is unreliable. He should keep working on it. In the meantime, he needs to focus on becoming as close to unstoppable as he can get when going to his dribble drive. He's almost always the most athletic player on the court. He's stronger, faster and a better finisher than just about any other wing player in the league. He needs to play like it, and translate his youtube-ready fast break game into consistently getting close shots or drawing contact when he goes to the hoop on isos. He doesn't have the handle or defensive IQ to be a young Scottie, but he can be a poor man's Bron Bron (or a King's nephew) with a nice all around game.
2) Do not trade 'Dre Miller (unless it's an absolute Godfather deal). Point guard play is crucial, especially in the playoffs. We have a top 10 guy right now. And when you're bad or mediocre at that position you have no shot of winning it all. If he were a wing player, I'd quickly send him to the highest bidder. But again, after center, PG is the hardest position in the league to fill with quality. He's more than a highly valued commodity. He's a guy, baring serious injury, who can anchor a contender for the next 2-3 seasons. If a a can't-say-no-trade doesn't happen, I'd try to extend him for something like 4 years at $28M. If things don't work out or we get desperate, he'll be almost as valuable next year in the trade market.
3) Sammy gots to go. Sammy and Willie are the two guys on the squad who most of the time give you nothing. Kareem Rush could be added to that list I suppose. Point is, as you have said for a long time G, "Sammy sucks". Also, it's been made abundantly clear that Iggy is better at the 3. So, we need a SG who can shoot and a big man who's not a liability on the court and in the payroll structure. I've said this before, but I'll repeat: Sammy and Willie for Gerald Wallace and Raymond Felton is a doable trade. I really feel like LB would go for this. He doesn't like Wallace. He needs help in his front court. Sammy's a shot blocker and rebounder. If you're Stephanski and you can do this, wait no longer. Sammy's not the perfect compliment to Elton. He would be if he were reliable, but he is not. Start Speights at center for now. Let Theo, who's playing great, get 15-20 minutes off the bench. You're gonna need minutes for Speights once Elton comes back anyway. You've already got Thad as the first front court backup when EB returns, and both deserve to play. If you can't re-sign 'Dre, you've got Raymond Felton. Otherwise, he's a super solid backup. If Felton's a bust, his contract runs out at the end of next year. Few teams in the league have better than average centers. That trade would make us solid and deep 1-4.
'Dre (Felton, Ivey)
Wallace (Lou, Rush)
Iggy (Thaddeus, Donyell)
Elton (Evans)
Speights (Theo)
Think about it...
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2 comments:
I would make that deal. I like that team on paper. Still wondering how we would improve our team D and overall shooting, but this would be a nice start.
I'm not as crazy as you are about 'Dre, though. I like him...but I think he's more valuable on the market than he is on the court. A lot of teams are itching for a good PG, and we could steal something back. I just don't see 'Dre as a guy who can really win anything -- probably 'cause he's never won anything. And if that nice piece of tradable stock leaves out at the end of the season -- which I think he will -- and we end up with dicks-in-hand, I'm gonna be pissed.
-G
I really disagree that 'Dre is more valuable on the market than he is on the court. If we trade him, I guarantee you next year we'll be looking for a legit PG to steer this team into contention. It doesn't make sense to get rid of a player who has all the qualities you want filling that position, and doing it at a reasonable price. He's Chauncey to our Nuggets. Without him, I think we'd really regress.
He's calm under pressure. He's the best ball handler and decision-maker we have on this team. When it's crunch time in a playoff game who are we gonna let run the final play if he's not there? Take him away and we're the Hawks before they got Bibby. Plus, his take-what-you-give-me game is perfect for letting young cats like Speights and Thaddeus get the rock and a chance to make big plays.
I'm telling you, short of a team throwing an All Star or several nice pieces our way, it doesn't make sense to move him. If we can't re-sign him (which I think we can) in the off season, then we're left with a void. But we'd have $9M, tradeable pieces and the draft to fill it. I'd rather take my chances when we get there and give this team a chance to make a jump this playoffs.
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