Entries Tagged 'Sixers' ↓

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.

Here is a bit of Sixers-related news…

Samuel Dalembert has apparently been booted from the Canadian National Team.

Philadelphia 76ers center Samuel Dalembert was released from the team after Tuesday’s defeat to Slovenia.

“Without going into too much detail, it’s a situation that we decided to move forward with the players who have the passion and desire to play for Canada,” Head coach Leo Rautins said.

“It’s disappointing for sure, but I think you have to have players who are a 100% committed to it.

“If not, it’s not going to happen for us.” - athens2008.fiba.com

“Everybody that’s here now wants to be here, and wants to be a part of this team, and that’s it,” said Rautins. “Everybody here is playing for each other, and playing for Canada, and if that’s not your agenda, you’re not here.”

Rautins said Dalembert’s relations with the team have been strained for some time.

“Something like this doesn’t just happen in one game, or overnight,” said Rautins, who wouldn’t say whether Dalembert left on his own or was kicked off the team. “It’s kind of something that’s been brewing a little bit.

“At this point, our focus is not that. Our focus is the guys that are here, the guys that are sacrificing and giving up everything for each other, and that’s the way it is.” - TSN.ca

I don’t know about you, but that sounds like the Slammin’ Sammy D that Philadelphia 76ers fans have come to know. This past season Dalembert was on record saying he wasn’t happy and was unsure of his role. Those comments came during the stretch when the Sixers were winning a lot of games and playing the best basketball we’ve seen in a few years. Just adding to the ongoing confusion that is Samuel Dalembert’s mindset.

This particular story doesn’t bother me all that much - now. As long as he doesn’t bring a crappy, unmotivated attitude to the Sixers this season and every season he remains on this team, I am fine with his production.

I know everyone is still on the honeymoon with the Elton Brand signing, but Ed Stefanski and the Sixers still have some work to do. First and foremost they need to get Andre Iguodala and Louis Williams re-signed to long-term deals. Then they need to fill out the remainder of the roster. As I see it the Sixers will only have 10 total players after they sign the guys we all assume are locks to be on the squad.

1. Samuel Dalembert - C
2. Jason Smith - C/PF
3. Elton Brand - PF
4. Reggie Evans -PF
5. Marreese Speights - PF
6. Thaddeus Young - SF
7. Andre Iguodala - SG/SF
8. Willie Green - SG
9. Louis Williams - PG/SG
10. Andre Miller - PG

I estimated those 10 players will bring the Sixers payroll to roughly $60,629,995.

We need 5 more players (2 active) to fill out the rest of the roster. Most importantly, everyone agrees we need to bring in a shooter to create the well-rounded team needed to compete for a championship. Preferably a guy that can both shoot the three and maintain the defensive level we all expect. The problem: the 76ers have no more cap flexibility (2008 cap is $58.68M and the luxury tax threshold is $71.150M). To my understanding all the Sixers have in terms of exceptions or flexibility is the veterans minimum, which this season tops out at $1,262,275 for a player with 10+ years experience and decreases based on tenure in the league.

Potential Shooters for the Sixers

I have one big qualification for making this list. The players MUST shoot the three better than the Sixers’ best 3pt shooter career-wise (Louis Williams at 34.7%). College stats apply for rookies. Just so you get an idea of what other considerations I had, I only put guys on this list that I feel would take or have little choice but to accept the minimum salary if they plan on playing in the NBA this season. Everyone is either an unrestricted free agent or undrafted rookie.

Unrestricted Free Agent Shooters

Eddie House (Looks like House won’t sign for the minimum) - Eight year NBA vet who shoots 38% from three for his career. He would bring playoff and championship experience from his run last year with Boston. He made $1.5M last season and the Sixers could offer him just over $1.14M. If the Celtics have to go full mid-level exception or more to bring back James Posey, Eddie House becomes more attainable.

Michael Finley - 37.1% career three-point shooter. Championship experience. Can play two positions. Also brings good defense even at 35-years-old. The Spurs have 4 unrestricted free agents and with the addition of Roger Mason, it looks like they won’t bring them all back. Robert Horry might retire and his numbers, games played and minutes have been decreasing at a rapid pace the last few years. I know they want Kurt Thomas back if he doesn’t retire. So I think the Spurs will have to make a choice between Finley, Damon Stoudamire or neither. They need to get younger, and Mason was a step in that direction.

Gordan Giricek - 36.8% from three in his career. The 31-year-old has been in the league only 6 seasons. Is a decent defender, but I have seen him at times look to do a little to much on offense. He isn’t a great playmaker, and the Sixers would only need him to make open shots and not be a dog on the defensive end.

Kareem Rush - I really like this option. He is only 27, shoots 36% from three for his career. Last season he finally got an opportunity to play 70 games at 20mpg and shot 3.7 three-point attempts per game at 38.9% both career bests. He is a 6′6″ shooting guard with good athleticism and the potential to be a good defender.

Damon Stoudamire - I really don’t want any parts of a 35-year-old (in September), 5′10″ point guard who shot under 35% from three in his last three seasons. BUT, he is a career 35.7% shooter and won’t get more than the veterans minimum so he makes the list.

Salim Stoudamire - I actually prefer this Stoudamire of the two. He is younger and taller, shooting 36.6% from three in his first 3 seasons. This guy shot 50% from three on 6.6 attempts per game at Arizona. That is ridiculous.

Derrick Byars - I loved Byars in college; he was a leader and good scorer. He also shot 40% from three at Vanderbilt on 4.4 attempts per game over his 3-year career. At 6′7″ he can play shooting guard or small forward. As far as I know he played 5 games last season in Europe and is currently on the Orlando Magic summer league team.

Casey Jacobsen - Remember him? 3rd all-time leading scorer in Standford history - in only 3 seasons. Shot 42.7% in college and was drafted by Phoenix in 2002. He is a career 35.2% NBA three-point shooter. Prior to last season with Memphis, he was playing overseas in Germany and the Euroleague. In 2007 he was the MVP of the Finals in which his team won the German Basketball Championship. At 6′6″ and 27 years old this is my diamond that most people wouldn’t even think to consider.

Pay Garrity - I think its more likely we end up with this Orlando shooter than J.J. Redick the guy everyone is clamoring over. The 31-year old is a career 39.8% three-point shooter who can spread the floor from the PF position.

JamesOn Curry - Chicago Bulls free agent who played 13 games in the NBDL last season shooting 37.7% from three and averaged 20ppg. In college Curry was a very good long-range shooter, attempting 5.6 three-pointers per game, shooting 39.6% from deep in two seasons at Oklahoma State.

Pat Carroll - 44.5% three-point shooter in college with good size. After he graduated in 2005 he went to Italy and ended up hurting his shoulder which kept him from playing the entire season. The last two years he has been playing overseas shooting 44.7% from three. What is pissing me off is that he isn’t shooting many threes on the Sixers summer league team! He does know that is the only way he can win a roster spot right?

Eric Piatkowski - He is turning 38, and I have no idea whether this guy can even still play. Got in 16 games last season with Phoenix and shot 11-26 from three. He is a career 40% three-point shooter.

2008 Undrafted Rookie Shooters

Josh Duncan - I think Duncan can be a decent NBA player if he can improve his lateral quickness to defend NBA small forwards and finds a specialty as a big outside shooter. He proved to be one of the strongest players in the draft and very versatile. He shot 39.4% from three in college, and we could use a back-up small forward now that Carney is gone. You also get the bonus that Duncan should be a good rebounder at small forward as well. He is currently on the Miami Heat summer league squad.

Shan Foster - Everyone knows Foster, big time scorer from Vandy. His senior season was ridiculous for a perimeter player. 20ppg, 52% from the field and 46.9% from three. He clearly has NBA range and size. The knock on him was he didn’t do much else besides score. He’ll have to improve his defense if he wants to play extended minutes or have any longevity in the NBA. He is currently on the Mavs summer league team.

Drew Neitzel - 40% career three-point shooter on 5 attempts per game at Michigan State. Brings leadership and steadiness at the point. And he had some of the best coaching a college player could get from Tom Izzo. Neitzel is on the Timberwolves summer league team.

Chris Lofton - This guy could turn into the new Eddie House. An undersized shooting guard who is a great 3pt shooter (42.2% in college) and a great foul shooter. He is also the definition of a specialist attempting 8 threes per game in college representing 67% of his overall field goals. He is currently on the Denver Nuggets summer league team.

Stanley Burrell - Another Xavier alum who shot 37.8% from three on 4.7 attempts per game. He is 6′3″ and a very strong defender. He is currently on the Pacers summer league roster.

Pat Calathes - If you follow local college hoops you should know Calthes from Saint Joe’s. He shot 38.1% from three on 2.9 attempts per game. He is 6′10″ and averaged over 7 boards per game his last two seasons. He is only 210 pounds and more of a big small forward than power forward. He will have to improve his, strength and quickness on the defensive end significantly to guard guys in the pros. Pat is on the Miami Heat summer league team.

Anthony Morrow (signed with the Warriors after a fantastic summer league performance) - I watched a lot of ACC this season as a UNC fan so I know for a fact Anthony Morrow is an NBA caliber shooter. He has good range, great form and decent size at 6′5″. He shot 42.1% on 5 attempts per game for his career at Georgia Tech. Last season shot a blistering 44.8% on 5.6 attempts. He apparently signed to play in Ukraine as a fall back plan if he isn’t picked up by an NBA club this summer. He is currently on the Miami Heat summer league roster, but it doesn’t look like he has played at all.

Brian Roberts - Very good player from Dayton who could be a solid back-up point guard on a team that needs a shooter (Sixers!). This kid shot 44.1% in four years in college, never shot under 41% in any given season and last season shot 45.5% on 6.5 attempts. He is currently on the Orlando Magic summer league squad, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they signed him since they are in need of point guard help and love to shoot the three as a team.

Jaycee Carroll - Carroll can flat out shoot the rock. He comes from Utah State where he shot 46.5% from three on 5.9 attempts over his four year career. He is currently on the New Jersey Nets summer league team and has very little chance of getting picked up there since they are well stocked with guards.

Jamar Butler - Another very solid college point guard with a nice outside shooting touch. Butler shot 47.2% on 4.7 attempts per game at Ohio State. More importantly he is a capable back-up floor general, who is a tough defender and solid shooter. He was listed on the Nets summer league team, but I don’t see him showing up in any boxscores.

Sixers Must Wait and See

Because we can only offer the veterans minimum, the Sixers will likely have to wait and see what players get signed for more money and pretty much pick from what is left. Stefanski has proven he can get a big time player in here almost out of thin air. So it isn’t out of the question that he could convince a proven veteran shooter to come to the Sixers as the final piece to a championship puzzle now that we have Elton Brand.

This is by no means a complete list (I left out the top 10 NBDL 3pt shooters), and I am sure you guys will contribute greatly in the comments. As players get signed elsewhere I will cross them off this list. If you have anyone you want added let me know in the comments - but please do your homework first.

Guys to keep the great conversation going while I research and write some other Sixers posts I figured I share this Elton Brand related link. Followed by a survey question.

How Good Will the Sixers be with Elton Brand Next Season?

The guys over at Accuscore put their vast statistical analysis tools to work to answer that exact question. Basically they estimate with the addition of Brand how the Sixers will fair against the top 4 teams in the Eastern Conference. While I don’t really agree with everything they say in their analysis the data is very interesting.

The chart below shows the Sixers’ simulation winning percentage against the Top 4 Eastern Conference teams from last season (Boston, Detroit, Orlando, Cleveland). Brand improved the Sixers’ winning percentage by an average of 19 percentage points. When you extrapolate 19 percentage points over 82 games it translates to nearly 16 additional wins. - Accuscore

56 wins. That is a monster increase and I know we will all gladly take it. But realistically what do you guys think about next season? How far do you think this team can go as is and with the addition of a shooter?

It didn’t really sink in until I saw him sitting at the Press Conference with a Sixers logo on his name tag: Elton Brand is a Sixer. A couple days ago, this seemed like an impossibility. Word was that Brand had told the Clippers he would take a pay-cut to allow them to sign, and team him up with, Baron Davis. His other offer, also in California, was for far more money than we could give him. Whether he stayed home, or took the money, we weren’t an option. Yet, there he sat today, next to Ed Stefanski, looking positively menacing in his black suit. It’s easy to see why many Sixers fans spent the day in delighted shock, something we haven’t felt since we acquired Dikembe Mutumbo in 2001.

Not much hasn’t been said about this deal in the comments section of our post below, but here are my thoughts as I know how to put them best, in bullet-point form.

• When the off-season started, I wanted Josh Smith over Elton Brand. But, now that we have Brand, I feel much more confident in how good this team can be than I would have felt if we got Smith. With Smith, I would have been excited about the highlight reel dunks during the game, and his potential over the years. But I still wouldn’t see him as a #1 guy on a championship caliber team, I think we would have been looking for more than just a shooter to complete the puzzle.
• As I’m sure everyone has heard, the only active players who average 20 points and 10 rebounds for their careers are Brand, Tim Duncan, Shaquille O’Neal and Kevin Garnett. The other 3 guys have won 9 of the last 10 championships since Jordan from the Bulls. I don’t think Josh Smith is on any lists like that.
• Brand is also a VERY efficient player. In his last 5 full seasons, Brand was 9th in the NBA in PER (Player Efficiency Rating) behind only Garnett, Duncan, Nowitzki, Shaq, Kobe, T-Mac, Wade and LeBron.
• The only season Brand played with Andre Miller, for the Clippers, Brand made one of his two all-star appearances.
• The only time the Sixers have ever had a player average, for a single season, what Brand has averaged for his career (20 pts, 10 rebs, 2 blks and 50% shooting), was Moses Malone…in 1983…do we all remember what happened then?
• The last time the Sixers had 2 players who averaged 2 blocks per game was Shawn Bradley and Manute Bol in 1993-94. I’m not sure what to make of that stat.
• From his rookie year to his last full season, Brand was 12th in NBA in total points, 4th in rebounds and 3rd in blocks.
• The person who I think will benefit most from the arrival of Brand is Samuel Dalembert. There has always been too much pressure on him to score since we’ve gotten zero offensive production from PF. Now, he can just do what he does best and offensive rebound, block shots, and take the occasional alley-oop.
• Elton will be able to run with us. Watching his highlights, he is a lot slimmer than I thought he was.
• There is absolutely no reason, NO reason, why the Sixers shouldn’t go back to the uniforms that Brand is wearing above. They can keep the red the “Phila” jersey’s as an alternate. All the other old, historical teams of the NBA (Celtics, Lakers, Knicks) have relatively the same jerseys they have always had, we should do the same.
• Bottom Line: I think this puts the Sixers in the Top-4 in the East, probably at 2 or 3. Definitely behind Boston, and depending how the rest of the off-season turns out, in the mix with Detroit, Orlando (great signing of Pietrus, by the way) and Cleveland.

So what is this big “plan” Ed Stefanski has to improve the Philadelphia 76ers going into the ‘08 - ‘09 season? These quotes will give you some insight into what he is thinking now that the NBA Draft has come and gone.

“We’re trying to build like Detroit, meaning we’re not looking to have that one superstar, but we want to have a lot of good players on the floor together. Detroit is doing it with a different style than us, because our style is to be athletic and push the ball. I know Mo Cheeks wants me to get him a shooter because he asked me the other day if I could get him one or two. I want to, but we’re really looking for people who are athletic and long and defensive-minded. That’s our first priority.” - New York Daily News

- - -

“I have no problem going after anyone if it makes sense,” Stefanski said of pursuing restricted free agents.

“If we don’t get fortunate, or we don’t like what we see in the free agent market, then we could use the money in the way of a trade.”

“We have 11-plus million and if we get the guy we really would like as a big (man), I would think that person’s going to demand the whole $11 million. So we’re not really going to have the luxury of going out and getting a real, real good shooter in people’s eyes. But as I’ve said to many people, I believe that the players in our system are going to become better outside shooters.” - Delco Times

All that helps us (the fans) begin to make inferences into what moves might go down in the next month or so. It also tells me the style of play we saw the Sixers flourish in towards the end of last season won’t change much. Most importantly it solidifies the identity Stefanski and Cheeks are molding for this franchise. A young, fast, athletic and long team who will push the ball and lock in on defense.

I love that. It plays to the strengths of the core members of the Sixers and will be an exciting brand of basketball that should entice more fans to the Wachovia Center (along with more wins!). That means any new player brought to the team should in some way fit within that style of play. That still leaves two main holes that must be closed if the Sixers want to contend in the Eastern Conference: inside scoring to strengthen the half-court offense and perimeter shooting.

76ers’ 2008 Free Agent Wish List

Below I have compiled a list of free agents that fill needs for the Sixers that Stefanski/Cheeks might be interested in based on what they’ve said. It’s broken down by position rather than free agent status because I think that is a better way to look at the market based on our team’s needs. Key: (R) Restricted

Big Men

1. Josh Smith (R) 2007 salary: $2,243,543 - “Athletic, long and defensive-minded” that Stefanski quote describes Josh Smith to a “T” and is the reason I have him ranked #1 in this category. Pete and I also believe this is the guy the Sixers are targeting and referring to when they say “get the guy we really would like as a big (man).” And it just so happens Josh Smith is visiting the 76ers this week according to John Smallwood. Smith would bolster our defense, fit perfectly with our up-tempo style and is young. That bodes well considering this team is still developing as a whole. His post game is still raw, but I have seen flashes of dominance on the block and facing up inside 15-feet. With Iguodala, Smith, Williams and Young, the Sixers would be in position to compete at a high level for a very, very long time. Because of that I think he should be their prime free agent target. Here is my question: Would Josh Smith really leave his hometown if he is offered equal money to stay?
2. Elton Brand 2007 salary: $15,344,000 - Everyone wants Brand and have him as the Sixers #1 option. I just don’t think he is at this point. Sure it sounded good when he was on ESPN 950 talking about the possibility of coming to Philadelphia, but in reality I don’t see that as anything more than standard procedure for a guy looking to improve his situation. Signing Brand outright as an unrestricted free agent is a pipe dream because he won’t take a $5M pay cut to come here at this stage of his career. Especially when its not likely we would be a championship caliber team with only his addition. That means we would have to negotiate a sign-and-trade with the Clippers to get him. That becomes tricky because I don’t think the Clippers are looking to rebuild or dump salary. That pretty much eliminates the idea of trading say Reggie Evans’ $4.6M contract, the Utah first-round pick and absorbing the rest of his contract with our cap space. That leaves a sign-and-trade involving Andre Iguodala, and I just don’t think Stefanski has any plans to do that. Should he? I think you can argue both sides of the fence on that point. With the addition of Baron Davis I think it’s safe to say all Elton Brand to Philadelphia talk should stop.
3. Emeka Okafor (R) 2007 salary: $5,427,307- I don’t think the Sixers have any chance of prying Okafor away from the Bobcats, but he fits the mold of what Stefanski and the Sixers are looking for. Athletic, long and defensive-minded. You pair him with Sammy and we have one of the best defensive and rebounding front-courts in the NBA. I also think the development of Okafor’s post game would benefit greatly being locked in at the power forward position and not having to play much center. But like I said, not chance of him leaving Charlotte. Larry Brown wouldn’t allow it.

Point Guards

1. Chris Quinn (R) 2007 salary: $687,456 - Pete tipped me off to this Notre Dame product. He is a 6′ 2″ point guard who shot the three at a 40% clip last season. I think he is a life-long back-up but a good one to have for a team that lacks a true reserve point and guy who can shoot the three ball with some consistency. Oh, Quinn is first on the list because I think he is more attainable.
2. Daniel Gibson (R) 2007 salary: $687,456 - I’d be surprised if Cleveland let him go because he protects LeBron from getting quadruple-teamed every possession. With that said they certainly can’t afford to overpay for him either. They if they want to compete for LeBron’s continued services in 2010 they had better be prepared to outbid nearly every major market franchise who is chomping at the bit for that huge free agent pool. I like Gibson because he is more of a shooter than point guard but has proven he can handle those duties on a team with a marquee scorer. As long as he isn’t asked to do too much playmaking I think he’s fine at the point. Like Quinn he serves two purposes for the Sixers as a back-up PG and needed outside shooter.
3. Shaun Livingston 2007 salary: $4,404,629 - Heard a lot of campaigning for this guy once the Clippers indicated they wouldn’t pick up his qualifying offer making him an unrestricted free agent. Right before he got hurt Livingston was averaging 30mpg, 9ppg, 5apg while shooting 46% from the field and 70% from the line. He is only 22-years old and clearly had lots of potential. My concern: has the injury dramatically decreased the likelihood of him reaching that potential? To my knowledge he resumed basketball activities in the middle of June but still may not be cleared to participate in the Vegas Summer League. He also isn’t a very strong perimeter shooter. The price and whether he can play this season will determine if he is worth the risk.

Shooters/Shooting Guards

1. Ben Gordon (R) 2007 salary: $4,881,669 - I was back and forth between Gordon and Ellis for first on this list, but I went with the perimeter shooting. Gordon is a career 41% 3pt shooter, and he takes 4.5 per game. There were only 6 other players in the league who shot over 4 threes per game and had a better shooting % than Gordon last season. I loved Gordon in college and got lukewarn on him in the NBA because outside of AI I am not a fan of undersized shooting guards. But the Sixers need what he brings to the table. He can come right in as our starting shooting guard, something he hasn’t been consistently in Chicago. And unless the Bulls get rid of Larry Hughes I am not sure he will be starting either if he is back with Chicago.
2. Monta Ellis (R) 2007 salary: $770,610 - Might as well take him right off the list. With Baron Davis gone there is no way in hell Golden State lets Ellis leave. Especially when at best they probably have a 25% chance to getting Gilbert Arenas to leave Washington for the same amount of money. Ellis had a break out year last season and have a lot of Sixers fans on the bandwagon. He is a slashing combo guard that can get into the paint as will. When a 6′3″ player shoots 53% from the field that means he is getting easy shot after easy shot. The one weakness is that Ellis is a poor 3pt shooter and that doesn’t help the Sixers already stocked full of wing players who prefer to drive to the cup.
3. Corey Maggette 2007 salary: $7,000,000 - This is actually a player the Sixers could probably get fairly easily, but should we? If Josh Smith doesn’t work out Stefanski could settle for a shooting guard. Maggette is easily a big step up from Willie Green, and the one thing he really does better than Andre Iguodala is get to the foul line and knock them down (9.7 attempts per game at an 81% clip). He shot a career best 38% from the 3pt line, but I honestly don’t think that was typical and wouldn’t expect him to shoot that well next year. If that $11M is burning a hole in the Sixers pocket to the point they want to spend it now, Maggette might be the best available player on the market.
4. Eddie House 2007 salary: $1,500,000 - Need a shooter who is now playoff tested? Eddie House is your guy. He proved in the NBA Finals last season he isn’t afraid to take and make outside shots. The reason I like him is because he can also handle a bit of the point guard duties as well. With Boston placing priority on the highly coveted James Posey, House could be stolen from under their nose.
5. J.R. Smith (R) 2007 salary: $2,134,067 - Athletic 3pt shooter who loves to get out on the break and can finish at the rim. Smith would fit perfectly on the Sixers with his style of play. And I would much prefer him over Willie Green as my starting shooting guard. What scares me is Smith can sometimes be a head case. Not sure we want to risk added that type of attitude to this franchise. From a talent standpoint he will likely get $5-6 million from someone.
6. Delonte West (R) 2007 salary: $1,889,760 - Not a great 3pt shooter, but a decent shooter who can play the point as well. He started for Cleveland, but I think he is better served as a back-up player who can play two positions.
7. Roger Mason 2007 salary: $770,610 - Very good shooter who probably won’t be resigned by Washington because they have to go all out to keep Arenas. With all the injuries Mason actually played 21mpg and shot 39.8% from three on 4.1 attempt per game. He is definitely worth $2-$3 million per year if you are looking for a perimeter shooting threat.
8. Kareem Rush 2007 salary: $770,610 - Another decent 3pt shooter with nice size for the shooting guard position. If the Sixers are just looking for a shooter who isn’t a small forward, Rush would be a reasonable choice at a decent price.
9. Juan Dixon 2007 salary: $2,550,000 - Journeyman who can shoot the three and score. If the Sixers were a contender, I would be higher on Dixon coming in as a veteran shooter to strengthen the bench for the playoffs.
10. James Jones 2007 salary: $2,900,000 - Very good 3pt shooter but we have too many small forwards already. Are you willing to trade Carney to make room for him?

There is a pretty long list of free agents. Herein lies the problem. Teams literally started meeting with players at 12:01a.m., the first minute they were allowed by league rules. Players aren’t going to be waiting around for the Sixers to come calling. Since I believe Stefanski will be targeting Josh Smith, those negotiations probably won’t be quick and easy. During that time all these other players will either be scooped up by the highest bidder or resigned by their current teams who aren’t in the market for one of the few big time free agents. So I am worried that if we don’t land Smith and those negotiations drag on too long, there won’t be anyone of value left for the Sixers to bring in.

Then you have to factor in we still have to sign Iguodala and Williams this summer as well. If a team (Memphis/Golden State) comes in and offers Iguodala a contract larger than the cap hold allocated for him on the Sixers’ books and Stefanski matches before we sign our top FA, that $11M cap space will shrink taking us out of the market for any big time player.

I am excited to see what happens. But I am also staying grounded because the possibility of us NOT getting anyone of significant value seems pretty high to me. The restricted status and current teams’ strong desire to keep their players makes this free agent market tough to maneuver.

As usual I will leave you guys with a few questions/thoughts…

• If the Sixers don’t sign any of these big time free agents, how will you feel about the team going into next season?
• If the Sixers can’t get a big impact player, should they divvy out their cap to role players who would fill a need (shooter or back-up PG)?
• If free agency isn’t an option a trade may be. I will probably wait and see before I do a post on potential trades to acquire a marquee player.
• Should the Sixers just bank the money and wait until next summer or even the summer of 2010?

I am working on a monster of a post entitled “Ed Stefanski’s Master Plan for the Sixers.” I can’t finish it until July 1st at the earliest when I have a better picture of who is in and out of free agency. In the meantime I figured I throw this question out to you guys.

Who should remain on the Sixers roster next season and who should be gone? Why?

I’ve read a lot on this blog and in forums different views on who should remain on the team and who we should let walk. If you don’t already know its a 12-man active roster with 3 players inactive. Here is the current roster with estimated salaries. Players who are free agents are clearly marked as well.

I had to take a step back for a while before I reacted to the Sixers draft day. When the pick was made Pete and my reaction was “eh.” Nothing surprising and nothing special. I have to admit I am a little bit disappointed but not as much as I was last night. It’s not that they didn’t select the player I preferred (J.J. Hickson), but that we walked away from this pretty talented draft with one player when the Sixers clearly have many needs.

I think it is well known the Sixers have 3 main holes in their roster:

1. PF/low-post scorer. Not some cupcake PF that likes to shoot from the perimeter either. A guy that is willing and able to bang in the paint, command a double team and score with his back to the basket.
2. Shooter and not just a 3pt-shooting specialist. (Rant coming) If you’re going to pay a guy to shoot, make sure he can knock it down from all over the court. I personally hate 3pt specialists who are incapable of pump faking and taking just one step in and hitting that shot. They just settle for the contested three when defenders are closing hard rather than showing the ball, making the defender look stupid by jumping completely out of the play and getting an even easier 17-foot shot.
3. Back-up point guard. Preferably one who is being groomed as our future starting point guard

The Sixers probably did the best they could in this draft to address hole #1 by taking Marreese Speights with the 16th pick. Apparently this was their guy all along, and they asked every question, reviewed every aspect of his game and turned over every stone to be sure of the pick. The questions about his work ethic and on/off attitude on the court weren’t even an issue for Stefanski and DiLeo. Speights has been working extremely hard in Vegas with trainer Joe Abunassar. I did some research on Abunassar, and he is the real deal of NBA trainers. Not on the level of Tim Grover but right up there. That is very comforting for me since I was definitely in the “pass on Speights because he’s lazy” camp.

Marreese Speights may or may not be an big-time impact player this upcoming season or ever for the Sixers. Much of it will be determined by his continued hard work and development. From a skill standpoint and potential to be starting PF there is very little question there. I am actually not ruling out the chance that he actually steps in and contributes right away a la Thaddeus Young. Why? Pete and I both believe Stefanski’s big free agent move is going to be in the form of a shooter - not impact PF. I wish I could tell you what exactly that means (Pete thinks Ben Gordon), but I don’t really know. What I think everyone knows is the chance of us getting Elton Brand (via free agency) for less money than he is currently expected to make is the type of miracle Philadelphia fans rarely experience. Josh Smith is a real possibility simply because he is in our price range, but unless Atlanta was bluffing in their recent remarks about matching any deal for Smith that seems like an unlikely outcome as well.

What I will be looking for this season from Speights is his pick-and-roll game. I think he immediately becomes the best pick-and-roll big man on our roster. And I believe that is something he can step in and do successfully right away if only on a limited basis. He will need to develop his strength, NBA post game and defense, but I am going to be optimistic regarding his impact this season.

Grading the actual pick I give the Sixers an A+ based on what was available to them at 16.

That was the end of the draft for the Sixers! I progressively got more irate every time I didn’t hear “we have a trade” while Mario Chalmers was still on the board. Then almost spontaneously combusted when I heard that Miami had acquired Chalmers for two 2009 second-round picks and cash considerations. Ironically (sadly), ONE OF THOSE 2ND-ROUND PICKS WAS THE SIXERS‘, acquired by Miami in the Jason Smith/Daequan Cook trade in last year’s draft!

With the number of quality players at multiple positions I can’t understand how nearly every team was able to make some sort of move while the Sixers could not. Not only that, but there were countless opportunities with very good players unexpectedly falling that would have filled multiple needs. With so many teams willing to sell picks for cash ($3M maximum) and/or future second rounders, I am just confused by the Sixers’ non-existent maneuvers to improve the team via this draft. I keep hearing about this “plan” for the team; I just don’t understand why that plan didn’t incorporate this draft. I heard Stefanski’s post draft quotes, one of which said he tried to acquire a late-first round pick or early 2nd-round pick, but the deals fell through.

I DO believe Stefanski tried to make a move but for some undisclosed reasons teams wanted to deal with everyone BUT the Sixers. As a depressed fan with no inside information as to why some draft day deals went through and others died I feel like we got blackballed or something. I don’t think us being purposely excluded from trades is a reality nor do I plan to spew any conspiracy theories either.

Overall draft grade - C+ If Marreese Speights turns into our starting PF of the future then clearly the grade would be much better, but that remains to be seen. As of today, we got ourselves a nice young big man who management projects to be a marginal contributor at best next season.

I will leave you guys with this…

What’s next for the Sixers in the off-season?

Eddie Stefanski said recently that the Sixers have a list of about “8 guys” they are looking at with the 16th pick. Based on what he’s said about wanting a big man, and who they’ve brought in for workouts, I’m pretty confident that our pick will be from one of the 9 players listed below (unless we trade up or someone like Anthony Randolph falls to us, or the Sixers are completely lying). So - what do the people think? If all 9 of these guys were available at the 16th pick, who would you be rooting for us to take?

Here is my dream scenario for the Sixers off-season - Land 2 impact players, preferably at SG and PF, one through free agency and one through trading up in the draft. There are several different scenarios that could land the Sixers these two players, but for the purpose of this article, I’ll present my 2 favorites.

Option #1: Sign SG Monta Ellis to an offer sheet that the Warriors can’t match, then trade up to #5 or #6 and select PF/C Kevin Love

Option #2: Sign PF Elton Brand and trade up to #5 or #6 and select SG Eric Gordon

Personally - I’d prefer Option #1 because I think that Ellis would fit wonderfully into our system and Love’s rebounding, defense and famous fast-break-starting outlet passes would as well.

But I’ll leave the debate up to you (and I’ll chime in) - which of these 2 options would you prefer, and what would be your “dream scenario” for the Sixers’ off-season.