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“I’m Andre Iguodala. You don’t know who I am? I’m rich, bitch!”
Can’t say anything to Andre Iguodala now; the man got paid, in a big way. He played a very aggressive hand of poker with the Sixers. He pushed all-in last summer by turning down a $57 million extension when everyone thought he was out of his damn mind. The idea: take home an even bigger pot this summer. His plan came to fruition today as he officially signed a six-year, reported $80 million guaranteed contract. He also has the potential to make an additional $5 million in performance incentives over the course of the contract as well.
Andre and his agent Rob Pelinka are probably somewhere rockin’ these t-shirts and sipping tons of Andre Iguodala Koolaid, in every flavor. And like that cheap champagne the magnitude of this deal probably gives many of you a headache.
“EH” - That’s How I Feel About Iguodala’s New Contract
My philosophy: I personally don’t care if a player is overpaid (perceived to be) because it’s not my money. He isn’t my employee whose salary I must pay. They are nothing more than players on a team I avidly support. Will I debate the validity of that perception? Absolutely, that is why this blog exists. To serve as an open discussion on topics like this.
“But you’re going to feel his inflated contract at that box office.”
The Sixers aren’t over the luxury tax threshold. This isn’t like baseball where owners easily pass the cost of big salaries to the fans. And often line their pockets by milking us for everything we have. Basketball has a salary cap that helps keep that relatively in check. More importantly, I am willing to pay a premium for high performance and winning.
What really matters to me?
Maintaining chemistry and momentum
Making sure the Sixers have the ability to improve the team where needed going forward
Avoiding spite and lack of motivation because of players’ contract situations
Getting the best deal given all the circumstances
The Bottom Line
If we win a championship do you really care how much money Andre Iguodala was overpaid? This team has the best chance to win a title in the next few years of any Sixers team since Doc and Moses were sporting the red, white and blue. And that includes the Finals appearance of 2000 76ers (they had no shot to beat the Lakers).
We rarely miss an opportunity to rip Philadelphia sports management, as fans, for not spending on talent, not going after the necessary pieces to put our teams in contention for championships and not showing a genuine commitment to winning. On the flip side we should show the gumption to praise them in situations when they go above and beyond to better our teams.
Did the Sixers overpay for Andre Iguodala? Yes, I believe so. But what were the alternatives? Gamble next season in the unrestricted market with our 2nd and 3rd best players and potentially squander away the 3-4 year window with Brand at his best? Or to complete a sign-and-trade that would likely net us a lesser player, if only slightly, than Iguodala?
I have to commend Ed Stefanski and the Sixers organization for coughing up a few more ducats than expected to get the job done. Even if I think they were bidding against themselves and went a bit overboard. It was in support of Ed Stefanski’s championship plan. And I am completely on board with Stefanski and that plan right now, so I can live with Iguodala’s pockets being a little fatter.
My Consolation
Higher expectations for AI2. If he doesn’t continue to progress this season and stinks it up in the playoffs again, I will simply BOOOOO the crap out of him like the front-running Philly fan that I am!
Just when we thought the Andre Iguodala contract situation was over - we get faked out by the biggest/most popular sports media yesterday. So you know what that means, right? Yes, another Andre Iguodala blog post!!! (sorry, Matto)
One of our readers, Rob tipped us all off that the deal was not official, according to Stefanksi during the Phillies-Dodgers game. Then a couple Philly Beat writers followed up on that and made contact with Sixers’ GM Ed Stefanski to confirm ESPN’s report that Andre Iguodala agreed to terms of a deal worth $80M over six years.
The 76ers wouldn’t confirm an ESPN.com report yesterday claiming the team and Andre Iguodala have come to terms on a six-year, $80 million contract.
“Can’t report anything,” team president Ed Stefanski replied via e-mail.
“I have not been given that indication, nor has it been alluded to,” said a Sixers source. - Tom Moore, Phillyburbs.com
The question to 76ers president/general manager Eddie Stefanski was: Could he confirm the ESPN.com report that guard/forward Andre Iguodala, a restricted free agent, had agreed to the terms of a 6-year, $80 million contract?
“Nothing to report from our side,” Stefanski replied.
Whew, good thing I didn’t go crazy last night writing up this huge analysis and opinion piece regarding the rumored deal. I am sure this retraction frustrates some people and makes others happy. I still have the same feelings - I just want it to be over. But, I want it to be over without going crazy and vastly overpaying for him.
Thoughts/Questions
Does that rumor from Henry Abbott just mean they are very close, and we should expect something official any day now?
Would Ed Stefanski refute the rumor of an Iguodala deal if they were accurate? If so, why?
Did this leak come from Iguodala’s camp? Maybe a hint to the public what he is seeking from his side to get the fans in his favor even more.
Finally, who the hell are these league sources? Ed Snider’s first wife, Myrna, or his second wife, Martha? No, no maybe one of his 6 kids or 15 grandchildren; they would have much more accurate information regarding the Sixers. Clearly they didn’t talk to Stefanski, and no one from the Sixers will confirm the deal.
I get a text message and two missed calls from Pete telling me this has happened (was celebrating a work softball championship that Pete and I were apart of today - Pete had to go home and pack for vacation). Looks like a deal has finally been made that will keep Andre Iguodala in Philly for quite a while. Henry Abbott of ESPN is reporting…
The Philadelphia 76ers and restricted free agent Andre Iguodala have agreed to a six-year, $80 million contract, league sources tell ESPN.com. - ESPN.com
Thank god, now I don’t have to write ANOTHER “why Andre Iguodala hasn’t been signed and how much should he get” post to calm the masses who read this blog. That doesn’t necessarily mean I am happy with the terms of the deal (not official yet), but I am happy to be moving on.
More on this later. I want to let it set in and think on it before I give my opinion. But you guys can go crazy in the comments, maybe I will get some ideas from that conversation.
Quite frankly I am a bit tired of writing and talking about the Andre Iguodala contract situation so this will be short. But since the goal is to keep the conversation going on this blog and stay updated, I felt the need to at least put it out there.
Tom Moore, Philly beat writer, is reporting…
A source indicated that the Sixers and agent Rob Pelinka are discussing a deal worth more than $70 million over five years. That would mean $12 million next year, with annual raises of $1.26 million.
That deal would exceed those of fellow fourth-year pros Luol Deng (six years, $71 million) and Emeka Okafor (six years, $72 million). - phillyburbs.com
“Exceed their deal” is an understatement. I am hoping and praying the “5″ in terms of years is a typo that was meant to read as 6 years. But considering the dollar figure, Moore’s write-up is probably on point if his source is reliable. You guys can do the math if you want, but that looks like a final year salary of 17.04 MILLION DOLLARS (forgive my Dr. Evil impression).
Hmm, don’t think anyone saw that coming.
Bombard the comments with this in mind… Assuming these figures are legit, if you could sit down with Ed Stefanski and Ed Snider what would you ask or say to them if they do give Iguodala this deal? I’ll start:
Why only 5 years?
Do you really think Andre Iguodala is that much better/worth more to the Sixers than Luol Deng, Emeka Okafor and the like?
If Andre Iguodala isn’t a $17M player right now, where do you see him improving to warrant that salary in the future? He is 20-5-5 right now, do you really see his production or role increasing? I don’t. I think this contract would be completely out of line.
P.S.
By the way, I will have a non-Andre Iguodala Sixers post coming as well to mix things up.
Below is a list of the top players from the 2004 NBA draft. I also added Monta Ellis and Andrew Bogut from the 2005 draft class since they both signed contracts this summer. It is unquestionable that Dwight Howard is by far the best player on the list. So my question to you is…
Who is the second best player?
Dwight Howard - Superman’s deal is the high water-mark at 5-years, $80 million
Emeka Okafor
Ben Gordon
Shaun Livingston
Devin Harris
Josh Childress
Luol Deng
Andre Iguodala
Andris Biedrins
Robert Swift
Sebastian Telfair
Al Jefferson
Josh Smith
JR Smith
Dorell Wright
Jameer Nelson
Delonte West
Tony Allen
Kevin Martin
Sasha Vujacic
Beno Udrih
Anderson Varejao
Chris Duhon
Trevor Ariza
Monta Ellis*
Andrew Bogut*
By now I am pretty sure you know what I am getting at here. On Comcast SportsNite Thursday night Dei Lynam reported that Andre Iguodala’s agent believe he is the second best player of the 2004 NBA draft class and among the free agents to be signed so far this summer (to be clear I think Iguodala thinks this as well). With that understanding he should get a contract representative of that stature. Translation: Andre Iguodala wants more than anyone else on the market. (additional source)
The contract Iguodala is reportedly looking for is a 6-year deal worth $75 million guaranteed.
Is Andre Iguodala worth $12.5 million per season to the Sixers? We have discussed all the guys that have been signed this summer. But let me give you some additional context (comparables) that haven’t been mentioned at all that I think should play a part in the thought process as well.
Al Jefferson received a 5-year contract extension from the Timerwolves at the last minute of the extension period on October 31st, 2007 worth $65 million ($13M per season average). Jefferson played in 69 games, averaging 33.6MPG, 16PPG, 11 boards, 1.5 blocks, 51.4% from the field and 68% from the line the season before his deal.
Kevin Martin got a 5-year, $55 million contract extension ($11M per season average) a month before Al Jefferson’s deal. Martin’s ‘06-’07 stats that lead to his hefty contract? 80 games, 35.2MPG, 20PPG, 4.3RPG, 2.2 dimes, 1.2 SPG, 47.3% from the field, 38.1% from three (4.2 attempts per game) and 84.4% from the line (7.1 attempts per night). Oh, and only 1.7 turnovers per game and 13.3 shots per game. Not bad at all if I must say so myself.
Right now, based solely on guaranteed money, Emeka Okafor has gotten the biggest contract in terms of total years and dollars. But Al Jefferson has the largest average salary at $13 million per year.
If Andre Iguodala and his agent Rob Pelinka are really asking for a 6-year, $75 million deal averaging $12.5M per season that would be right in line for a player considered to be the second best on that list.
But is he? It’s definitely a great debate. If you ask me I think Al Jefferson has turned himself into the best player behind Dwight Howard on this list. Especially considering quality big men of this caliber tend to be harder to come by. The season Jefferson had last year was phenomenal, very comparable to Elton Brand-type production before his injury.
But we aren’t the guys with the big bucks or the power to spend it. So I guess the better question is; Does Ed Stefanski believe Andre Iguodala is the second best player and therefore should be paid accordingly?
Everyday I read another Sixers fan complaining about the time it’s taking to sign Andre Iguodala and Louis Williams. As a fanatic as well I too understand the anxiety of not having two of the team’s best players not signed this late into the off-season. With that said I also fully understand WHY this is the case. When you think about the situation from the point of view of why, it gives, at least for me, some piece of mind.
I have little doubt that both players will be signed and ready to go before training camp. This summer’s free agent market has just been a bear for restricted free agents and their respective teams. Here are some things to consider before you go off on a rant as to what the hell Ed Stefanski and the Sixers are doing.
Top 3 Reason Iguodala and Williams haven’t been signed
1. No offers from other teams and therefore no 7-day time frame to respond.
This is the biggest reason nothing has gotten done. Teams with restricted free agents typically wait for another team to set the market price for their restricted players. But this season, with all the big money swallowed up by the unrestricted players, that left the restricted guys out in the cold.
The 7-day response deadline serves as a built in pressure cooker to speed up the process. So far Stefanski and the Sixers have felt no pressure to get a deal done quickly. All that was needed was one offer and we would be past this; instead the negotiations drag on.
Will a foreign team come in and make an offer to Andre Iguodala or Louis Williams? Maybe. It really depends on the conversations between them and their agents. Are they looking overseas to put pressure on the Sixers? Is there a team out there willing to pay Iguodala $13M+ per year to play overseas? I doubt it. But I think if that were to happen the Sixers would react and at least match the offer from a team outside the U.S. for either player.
2. No comparable restricted players have been signed (until now)
Prior to the Monta Ellis signing last week and the Andres Biedrins signing that should be final today that is (more on this in my next post). Basically there has been NO market at all for restricted players, making evaluating a player’s worth that much tougher. The Sixers should be evaluating how much Lou and Iguodala are worth to the Sixers but having more information should help. Those outside points of reference help both sides of the negotiations.
For the player, he can see what similar players are getting and help shape his own number in his mind. I honestly think players have little clue how much money they should ask for. They aren’t like management working under a salary cap or charged with building a winning club. They are the puppets of sports agents, and looking at what other guys get paid is really their only way to get a ballpark figure for themselves.
For teams, it gives them rebuttals to outlandish contract demands. Meaning if player X says “this guy got this and I am on that level” (aka Emeka Okafor looking at Dwight Howard’s contract), the team can respond with hard core statistics and production to dispute such ridiculous claims as in the case above. We all know it; people are delusional and constantly overstate their abilities. As a pro athlete that psychological misrepresentation is just amplified by the money-hungry agents who stroke their egos.
Is this the case with Andre Iguodala? I don’t know because I am not a fly on the wall in these negotiations. But if I had to bet on it I think the answer would be a resounding - YES.
3. New Sixers GM
I already wrote about my theory regarding Andre Iguodala hoping he could juice Billy King this summer for an overblown contract. I don’t think there will be very many bad contracts given out during the Ed Stefanski era in Philly. That means negotiations are probably not as warm and fuzzy as Iguodala and Williams had hoped. I can just picture Stefanski as a pretty hardcore negotiator and, considering nothing has gotten done, pretty firm on his position.
And the deliberations continue.
At first I was going to do a top 5 or 10 list, but I’d rather stop at three and see what you guys can come up with in the comments. Good to be back and should have a couple more Sixers posts coming in the next day or so.
What’s taking so long to sign Andre Iguodala? His take…
I’m sure everyone wants to know what’s going on with my contract situation. Everything is kinda in slow motion right now, which is for the most part normal for all restricted free agents. Teams come in and out of play each day and my agent and I are taking our time to see how things develop with the Sixers and around the league. The Elton Brand deal was huge and I feel he will be a huge addition. The opportunity to play with a dominant low post player still in his prime will be exciting. - Iguodala9.com
It’s just the business of the NBA and being a restricted free agent. But it is clear Iguodala is not happy with how his negotiations are going and the inability to come to a deal that works for both sides. Early this week he spoke with HOOPSWORLD while in Vegas watching the Sixers summer league squad. You can really feel his frustration…
76ers forward Andre Iguodala told HOOPSWORLD he was thrilled the 76ers signed Elton Brand, but was not as thrilled with how his contract talks are going. Iguodala said he couldn’t understand the reluctance from the 76ers given how much they just gave Elton Brand, and that he had to keep his options open.
… the manner in which [contract negotiations are] being handled has not sat well with Andre and that’s not necessarily a smart move. Iguodala wants to be a 76er, but the process has not been fun for him and has created doubt about his role with the team going forward. - HOOPSWORLD
Hmm, the Elton Brand money is on his mind. He is keeping his options open. He is unsure of his role with the team going forward.
Well, for starters his options have almost completely dried up. The only team with enough cap space to make a run at him is the cheap Memphis Grizzles, who are clearly in save mode and in no need of a small forward or shooting guard. But really, this is no surprise at all. Its been known for months that this summer was not a players’ market. I said in my first post ever on this blog that his decision to turn down the $57M extension made little sense given the projected market - especially with his restricted status.
Peeking inside the mind of Andre Iguodala
Many have been debating what the fair market value is for Andre Iguodala. That is determined by the Sixers, other teams who covet him and the signings of similar players with similar production. But, I think the more important question is how much difference is there between that fair market value and the value Andre Iguodala places on himself. As always I am not claiming to know the intricacies of these negotiations, but I don’t believe the Sixers are trying to vastly low-ball Andre. So the hold-up must be how much money Iguodala wants above the market value the Sixers have placed on him and/or terms and perks included in the deal. The only number I’ve heard regarding what Iguodala wants is 5-years, $65M ($13M per year average).
Do you think $13M per year is fair market value for Andre Iguodala? A 24-year old combo guard/forward with 2008 production numbers of…
19.9 PPG
5.4 RPG
4.8 APG
2.1 SPG
2.6 TOV
45.6% FG
32.9% 3PT
72.1% FT
19 PER
54.3% TS percentage
49.5% eFG percentage
In 39.5 MPG
Why do you think he would demand that type of money when his numbers and game are very similar to a 24-year old Corey Maggette who got $7M per year? Well for starters Andre WAS the best player on the team prior to the Brand signing. When the real AI left he was, in not so many words asked to become the face of the franchise and the #1 guy, even though we all believed he didn’t have the capability to do so. And well, he did a pretty good job! Increasing his production each of the last three seasons.
Why else? I will let you in on a theory that hit me the other day. This may not be what Andre Iguodala and his agent were actually thinking, but it’s a rationale I have yet to hear anywhere else…
At the time Iguodala refused the $57M (or $11.4 per season on average) contract extension Billy King was still the Sixers’ general manager. The same Billy King that gave Samuel Dalembert a 6-year, $64M contract or $10.6M per season on average. If you are Andre Iguodala, do you think you are worth more than $800,000 per year above Samuel Dalembert’s salary?
I have to believe Rob Pelinka knew the free agent landscape was going to be pretty dry this summer and consulted his client accordingly. So why else would they opt to turn down that deal, which most thought was very fair, to become a restricted free agent?
Pelinka and Iguodala believed they could squeeze the maximum or damn close out of a weak-negotiating Billy King.
They were banking on the fact that Billy King would hold to form and give Iguodala anything he wanted after a successful 2007 campaign. Throw in a little bit of competition and pressure on King this summer to sign the Sixers’ budding star and that would be enough to get the deal they were looking for.
Make sense?
But then the greatest day came -December 4th, 2007. Out goes Billy King, in comes a much savvier Ed Stefanski. Now Iguodala and Pelinka are dealing with Stefanski who knows his stuff. A GM who isn’t going to vastly overpay for a 2nd tier player, who has yet to show the jumper to be a great shooting guard, lacks the height to be a dominant small forward and who has only scored over 30 points 8 times in the 158 games post-Allen Iverson (no 30-pt games with AI on the squad). Don’t get me wrong; I like Andre Iguodala. I want him on the team. But he is what he is. I very good wingman. A player who is nowhere near as great as the wingman many like to compare him too - Scottie Pippen.
So Pelinka and Iguodala’s hypothetical plan to juice Billy King goes up in smoke. Now what options does he have? Take what Stefanski is offering. Threaten to sign the qualifying offer and bolt as an unrestricted free agent next summer to put the pressure on the Sixers. And lastly just sign the qualifying offer and take his chances next summer to get his big pay day.
There are a couple problems with the last two options, mainly the 2010 free agent class. I doubt teams will be willing to commit to Iguodala knowing they could position themselves for the creme of the crop the following year. Besides that, how many good teams are going to have $13M-$14M next summer anyway? With the Sixers now positioned to make a serious run at a title, is he really going to go to a losing team for a few million more dollars?
I will end this with a hilarious quote from one of our regular readers, AaronMcKieforMVP:
I can see the face to face meeting…. “Sorry Andre, but you shot 25% against Detroit in the playoffs. We are not paying you $12mm per year. Here is $7mm per, take it or leave it. Now get out of my office!!!”
Ultimately I think the negotiations will take the form of a softer version of the above scenario because now the Sixers have ALL the leverage.
P.S.
On a more positive note…did you catch the line in Iguodala’s recent blog post about being fully focused on improving his jumper? Gotta like that.
Iguodala was easily the 76ers’ best all-around player. Up until the 83rd game of the season, he had pretty much proven all the critics and skeptics wrong regarding how much he was worth after he turned down the Sixers’ initial contract extension. He showed tremendous growth in one key area that I got to personally witness - leadership(5th bullet down).
Defensively I honestly thought this wasn’t that strong a year for Andre Iguodala. I often saw him taking plays off, not fighting around screens and was nowhere near the defensive player he was when he came into the league. If you believe that statement to be true here is my thought as to why. Typically when a player’s offensive responsibilities increase something has to give. In this case I think it was Iguodala’s overall defense. Also, he is not a small forward in size and doesn’t defend bigger or talented SFs well at all. Was he bad? Not by any means, but certainly not up to the standards we expect and the level he is capable of.
Offensively was clearly where he made the biggest improvement. Not in pure numbers (1.7ppg increase over the previous season) but in the type of offense he was able to generate. He added the step-back jumper as his pet move and was able to create a little more off the dribble. Iggy also showed he was willing and at times capable of hitting clutch shots at the end of games, especially at the free throw line (85.5% in clutch situations). The one thing that really worries me about Andre was his tendency to settle for the jump shot. Consider this, Iguodala’s shot attempts increased by 2.6 per game, but his free throw attempts decreased by 1.1 per game. That scares me. What’s worst his overall FT% dropped from 82% to 72%.
Grade: B (would have been an A had he not sucked in the playoffs)
What Andre Iguodala Should Improve
My entire mentality on Iguodala’s off-season is about developing his game as a shooting guard. With that said, the 3 main areas Iggy should focus on are (in order of importance):
3-point shooting. 32.9% is below average (league avg. is 36.2%). I don’t see any reason why Iguodala can’t be a 38% three-point shooter as he takes good shots. I don’t think he is a bad shooter so it is reasonable to expect improvement in this area with some work and better shot selection. This would make him more of a threat on the perimeter forcing his defender to play him closer which feeds right into his ability to drive to the cup. It also helps address one of Sixers biggest weaknesses in house!
Post game. Again thinking that Andre would thrive at the SG position this is an aspect of his game that 1. needs a lot of improvement and 2. could take his offensive game to the next level - and all-star level IMO. All I ever really saw him do was take fadeaways in the post. Sometimes when he had a big size advantage he would muscle his way closer to the basket for a high % shot. But, those situations were few and far between. I like the fadeaway (with good shot selection of course), but I’d like to see him develop another move in there. If he is consistently at the guard position he will be matched up with guys equal size or smaller more often where he can take advantage of his strength and athleticism in the post.
Ball-handling. I already think he controls the ball pretty well now. What I think he could work on is making his handle more of a scoring weapon. But as a guard myself I fully understand not everyone can develop the creativity necessary to become a threat with their ball-handling. With that said, he could add a nice little cross-over move and use the in-and-out move more often, that I’ve seen him do last season to go with the hesitate-and-go he already utilizes.
Should Iguodala Be on the Roster Next Season?
Hmmm, I’ve heard a lot of people calling for a sign and trade of Iguodala since the season has ended. I am not opposed to that if in exchange we get either an equally good PF or a better perimeter player. Otherwise Andre Iguodala needs to be locked up long-term for the 76ers. He is not Scottie Pippen, but he is of the same cloth. He has a versatile game which poses a triple-double threat every night. And he is young, having not even reached his prime year yet. Iguodala is vital piece of the Sixers’ championship puzzle.
Ideal Role for Andre Iguodala on the 2008 Team
I know I have been very critical of Iggy, but that is because I believe he has tremendous talent and potential to improve. If I thought he sucked I wouldn’t bother wasting my breath. He is clearly good enough to be a #2 option on most NBA teams but IMO not at all a go-to offensive player. In his short career he has only had 8 games over 30 points and his career high is an unimpressive 34. The Sixers are 7-1 in those games, but my question remains: is he capable of doing that on a more consistent basis? Right now I haven’t seen enough signs that suggest he can.
What he can do is dominate a game in multiple ways: defense, passing, rebounding and, I believe in time, leadership. What I really would like to see next season is him reestablish his lock-down defensive effort. Again this is if he plays the shooting guard where he doesn’t face big size disadvantages every night.
The cumulative impact of those factors are enough for me to feel comfortable with Andre Iguodala as the leader of the 76ers and second option on offense going forward.
I am writing this post after getting home from another superb performance and win by our 76ers over the San Antonio Spurs. That means my head has not exploded - yet. In my opinion this was the perfect basketball game to attend when you are a die-hard fan of the home team has 3 main characteristics.
Some exciting plays and moments. That can be dunks, crossovers or draining a few big three point shots.
A comfortable lead that is not too large that you lose interest because the game is a rout.
A victory. Obviously this is the most important trait.
This game, at least for me, was perfect. It had all the aspects, and the win is even sweeter coming against the defending NBA champions.
Observations from the game
Another packed house - 19,942. Compared to the Boston game the crowd was almost entirely Philly dominated. The fans were electric from the opening tap, and this was easily the loudest the Wachovia Center has been in all the games I’ve attended.
Andre Miller’s post game was dominating against Tony Parker. Parker’s weak defense was completely exposed all game by Miller. What I found interesting was Miller’s pre-game and halftime routine. Almost every single shot he practiced was from the corners in that 15-17 foot range. It served as foreshadowing for what was to come during the game.
The Spurs looked tired coming off a tough lost in Detroit the night before. With that said, it takes nothing from the Sixers even a little bit who had their own hard fought game last night. From the jump they controlled the game on offense working in the half-court through Miller’s post game, at times almost exclusively. Our guys clearly had much more energy evidenced by the 12 offensive rebounds, many of which were floor boards. The Sixers won the hustle points aspect of the game getting to most of the lose balls.
What won’t show up in the box score was Samuel Dalembert’s individual defense on Tim Duncan. Timmy shot 5-14, scoring just 16 points and pulling down only 6 boards in 33 minutes. When the Spurs were trying to make their run cutting the lead to 6, Dalembert did what everyone said he couldn’t. Stop Duncan with no help. He blocked two Duncan shot attempts straight up, which for me sealed the win.
The final game note is a very promising one. I saw a clear sign of Andre Iguodala’s emerging leadership. When San Antonio was pressing at the end of the game, in two possessions Lou Williams turned the ball over, then almost did it again but was bailed out with a foul call. As Williams headed to the line Iguodala who was visibly pissed off after the previous turnover put his arm around Lou’s head “tight.” What came next can only be assumed as a stern “get your act together” judging from his face followed by some words of encouragement. I was very pleased to see this type of behavior from the Sixers best player.
Going into the Boston game all the talk was about this “tough stretch” coming up and rightfully so. The next 11 games for the 76ers are against the likes of Boston (twice), Detroit, Chicago (twice), San Antonio, Denver, Orlando, New Jersey, Phoenix, and Cleveland.
But I think the mentality of the fans when saying “tough stretch” was still coming from a losing team perspective. Meaning the expectation over the next 11 games was vastly lowered. If I would have said the Sixers would be 3-1 in these first four games I would have been laughed at and called “retarted.”
But times are changing and our expectations for the Sixers should be changing as well. Are they a title contender? Of course not. In fact they aren’t even over .500 yet. But what they are is a team that has finally figured out how to win - consistently. Like Pete pointed out, the team is 17-6 since the end of January ranking second the in the Eastern Conference. And I believe this level of performance will continue through the last 15 games of the regular season and into the playoffs.
Come on Philadelphia 76ers fans, it’s time to expect more from this team. They deserve it.
Forgive me while I show my true “homerism” and rant about my disappointment/anger regarding Philadelphia’s non-existent representation in the 2008 All-Star festivities.
Rookie/Sophomore Challenge
Why the hell was Thaddeus Young not on the All-Star rookie team?!? Can you say BULLSHIT. If you need a refresher on why he should have been playing Friday night check this out. Who would I replace for Young? Jeff Green. He has been nothing short of mediocre considering he plays 24.5 minutes per game and takes almost 8 shots a night. On a p/40min basis he doesn’t stack up and shoots a rookie All-Star worthy 44% from the field. Add the fact that Seattle sucks and his selection makes less sense.
When you also consider the potential entertainment value for the fans of having a high flying, super athletic Thaddeus Young in the game it should have been a no brainer to have him representing the Sixers. It’s one thing to be Tim Duncan and have a boring, yet dominant game. It’s a completely different story when your game is just as boring and your name is Jeff Green. Matter of fact, did he even play in the game? I think John Hollinger sums it up best in his post-game grade of Green (D-) “Plenty of time (34 min.) to prove unworthiness.” Enough said.
Skills Competition
For a competition that rewards speed I think we all agree the first Sixers player that comes to mind is Lou Williams. His athletic ability fits perfect for this event. Blazing fast with and without the ball, ability to stop on a dime and quickly change direction.
You put Lou in the competition this season vs. the current contestants - Jason Kidd (former winner), Chris Paul, Deron Williams, and two-time defending champion Dwyane Wade and I’d argue he’d give these guys a run for their money. Wade is all beat to crap now, Kidd is aging (albeit still quick), Paul has failed to win the past two years, and Deron Williams I think is the least quick of the bunch.
Passing ability you say? If Wade can win being the weakest passer in groups composed of Nash, LeBron, Kobe and Paul I wouldn’t worry about Louis Williams’ passing skills for this event.
Slam Dunk Contest
This section is best served with videos.
Rodney Carney
I don’t know about all of you but I am an animated basketball watcher. When this dunk happened I was screaming. Posterizing like this is always better when it’s a high profile player getting banged on. D. Wade can you say FACE!
Andre Iguodala
We can all agree he got completely shafted at the 2006 dunk contest, right?
Three-Point Shootout
Ummmmm……………Willie Green? OK ok moving on.
2008 NBA All-Star Game
We have no iconic superstar that would get voted in by the fans. (Sad) More importantly, not having a stud big man on the Sixers makes getting a current player selected by the coaches even tougher in the East. I think the PF and even more so the center position is the weakest in terms of depth in the Eastern Conference.
So right now our best hope is Iggy to get in over players like Joe Johnson or Rip Hamilton. The #1 thing he can improve individually to make it next season? Shooting percentage (44.7% this season and last). Since his shots per game increased over 10 he hasn’t shot as well from the field. Why? 3.6 three-pointer taken per game and this has increased each of his 4 seasons. That’s fine, but he isn’t hitting the magic number - 33%. Add some more Sixers wins next season and I don’t see how Andre doesn’t make it with marginal improvement.
Here’s a good article from Philly.com about Andre Iguodala and the All-Star game by Phil Jasner.
Even without any Sixers representation I am still excited about Dwight Howard in the dunk contest tonight and the All-Star game on Sunday, although not as much because of all the injuries. How bout you?
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Peeking inside the mind of Andre Iguodala
But then the greatest day came -December 4th, 2007. Out goes Billy King, in comes a much savvier Ed Stefanski. Now Iguodala and Pelinka are dealing with Stefanski who knows his stuff. A GM who isn’t going to vastly overpay for a 2nd tier player, who has yet to show the jumper to be a great shooting guard, lacks the height to be a dominant small forward and who has only scored over 30 points 8 times in the 158 games post-Allen Iverson (no 30-pt games with AI on the squad). Don’t get me wrong; I like Andre Iguodala. I want him on the team. But he is what he is. I very good wingman. A player who is nowhere near as great as the wingman many like to compare him too - Scottie Pippen.
Andre Iguodala 2007 Season Review
Forgive me while I show my true “homerism” and rant about my disappointment/anger regarding Philadelphia’s non-existent representation in the 2008 All-Star festivities.
