Finally found a source on the rumor that Jason Smith hurt his knee this week. Philly.com is reporting…
Jason Smith, the 76ers’ second-year big man, is likely to miss several months after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
Smith went down Wednesday night during a session at Tim Grgurich’s nationally-renowned skills camp in Las Vegas. – philly.com
This is really the first bad news surrounding the Sixers this summer. It’s sucks for Smith as he is coming off a decent summer league and was expected to really contribute behind Samuel Dalembert. He is getting re-evaluated, but the early diagnosis is a torn ligament and that means a long rehabilitation process. Hopefully he can bounce back strong from this set-back late in the season or next year. Two years in a row now the Sixers lose big man depth due to off-season injuries.
What does this mean for the Sixers?
Ed Stefanski, who last week said he wanted to acquire another veteran big man at the minimum has extra pressure to do so – quickly. Yes, we need to resign Andre Iguodala, but really he isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Those negotiations will proceed as they have. But, finding a quality big man on the cheap is a much tougher task. The Bucks are about to sign Francisco Elson so he is off the board. Who else is there?
- Theo Ratliff
- Scott Pollard
- P.J. Brown
- Othella Harrington
- Juwan Howard
- Jamal Magloire
- Dikembe Mutombo
- David Harrison
- Nick Fazekas
- DJ Mbenga
- Alonzo Mourning
- Michael Ruffin
- Jack Voskuhl
- Michael Doleac
- Pat Garrity
- Lorenzen Wright
I am sure there are some others outside of guys who played last year that may be available.
The positive in this…
Looks like we may see a lot more of young Marreese Speights earlier than we had anticipated.
P.S.
Memphis Grizzles make offer to Josh Smith!?!
And Atlanta matched that offer of 5-years $58M immediately
{ 76 comments… read them below or add one }
this makes me unhappy, i thought that Jason was going to improve this year and help the team. I agree that it does give Speights the opportunity to shine, I watched all of the summer league and he has some potential. It would have been nice to have them both
This is a big blow to our squad, I really liked this guy last season. He worked hard off the bench and those are the type of players that we need off the bench this year, especially when you hit the playoffs and players are tired. He had a good mid range shot and tuff under the basket, although Im first to admit his “D” could be better. Now I’m not claiming that he is an all star, but he played well for a rookie and if you were following the summer league, Jason Thad and Speights were all putting up good numbers. I dont know how much money the sixers have left in the pot for another backup.
Who I’d want from the above pool of big men, in order:
1. Theo Ratliff
2. Jamal Magloire
3. Lorenzen Wright
4. David Harrison
5. Scott Pollard
6. Othella Harrington
7. Michael Ruffin
8. Pavel Podkolzin (couldn’t resist)
PJ Brown would (or should) be anyone’s number 1, but he’s 50/50 on playing another year, and even if he did, would only play for a true contender. Mutumbo is probably 90% going to be back with the Rockets, even with his increased pay demands. Mourning, like PJ Brown with the Celts, is probably 50/50 for retiring or returning to the Heat. Also…I’m not sure, but didn’t Pollard sign a two year deal with the Celtics last year?
Kind of a shame Brian Skinner is already signed with the Clippers, he’d be perfect.
With Jason Smith…I’ve never been a fan, but I would never wish an injury on anyone, especially an ACL, so I hope he works hard and recovers nicely. I’m less concerned about what he provided our team on the court (I’m actually very happy Speights will get more PT off the bat) and more concerned with the fact we lose a valuable trade chip to pair with Willie Green, Reggie Evans, or a 1st round pick to acquire new talent via smaller trades.
If a man can be happy while at the same time being sadened, that would be Reggie Evans. He just saw alot of trade talk die and some of his minutes return.
Take care Jason. Come back strong.
Don’t we have decent depth in the frontcourt? Brand, Young, and Evans at the PF position. Dalembert, Speights, and Brand in small-ball lineups at center. It would be nice to get a veteran big man, but I wouldn’t be too worried about it. I’m more worried about having a backup at the SF position.
Concerning Josh Smith’s offer sheet, is that 58 million over 5 years? If so, that should throw a nice monkey wrench into the Iguodala negotiations…
I like Jason Smith, but this is by no means a big blow to the team. I’m dissapointed we won’t see if he improves this year, but we have PLENTY of depth with Brand, Evans and Speights at PF (and Young, from time to time)
Can somebody please tell me what this means (from the ESPN Josh Smith article)
“The Hawks will have seven days to match the offer, which the report said was unexpected from the Grizzlies.”
does this mean the offer was unexpected? or that the grizzlies dont expect the hawks to match? I’m pretty sure it’s the former, and that espn news services should watch their use of the passive voice. c’mon people.
I’m sad to see this news. Jason was going to give the team another demension when he played. It looks like Speights will be this year’s Thad Young. Bring back Theo, Dikembe or the my boy Horry!
As for Josh, that seems like a cheap deal and it definitley should affect the Iguodala negotiations.
another comment. how exciting would the grizzlies be if the hawks dont match? They should have blown the Hawks out of the water, considering their need at PF. BUT, this will help the Sixers with Iggy.
PG- Mike Conley
SG- O.J. Mayo
SF- Rudy Gay
PF- Josh Smith
C- Marc Gasol
Bench – Kyle Lowry, Hakim Warrick, Darrell Arthur, Darko Milicic
I’d start Lowry over Conley all day. I’d rather have Kyle on the floor next to Mayo because he doesn’t demand the ball to be effective and is a ballhawk. Defensively he’s already one of the best point guards in the league.
Smith thing seems like a PR move to me. Now the Grizzlies can say… hey… we aren’t cheap. We just tried to get Josh Smith.
If I am Atlanta, I am on the phone with Memphis trying to get good value in a sign and trade. Maybe Conley and another solid player or something. They don’t need Smith really at all with Horford being a stud PF in the making IMO. Conley, Darko( or Gasol), and a pick?
Dave T was right on the money…
1. Theo Ratliff
2. Jamal Magloire
3. Lorenzen Wright
4. David Harrison
Dave T….I’ll second the Duke in agreeing with your top 4 big man choices. Just one question though. Why exactly would Brian Skinner be ideal? Are you thinking the third time with us would be the charm or something? I didn’t see much from him in his first two tours here (or since he left for that matter) that would make me think he would be a perfect fit for us now.
About Jason, I agree that it won’t be a major blow to the team. I feel badly for him though because I think this was the year he really needed to show something. An unfortunate injury like this could really alter his career path. If Speights develops like many anticipate, Smith may no longer be needed around here, although that might have been the case anyway, even if Smith remained healthy.
Lastly, no matter how much we might want to stop talking about Iguodala, it seems like we keep getting sucked back in to the discussion. If Josh Smith ends up with a deal like that it certainly knocks a leg of support out from under Iguodala’s case while simultaneously strengthening ES’s position. Pelinka and Iguodala must be having some interesting conversations about where to go from here.
I don’t think the Josh Smith deal will have any impact on the Sixers negotiations from the Iguodala/Pelinka side of the table. It’s fairly clear Iguodala and his agent believe they are in another stratosphere compared to the recent free agents who were and are still on the market.
The Depressed Fan has a nice little league-wide salary comparison based on PER, with Iguodala’s hypothetical/rumored salary.
I was going to write a post about this Josh Smith deal and how it related to Iguodala, but I think I might vomit if I have to allocate anymore brain power to this increasingly annoying situation. Will try to come up with some different, fresh ideas for posts.
Theo Ratliff is trash, and not worth a paycheck on this team. He hasn’t been good since we traded him away to get Dikembe back in the day.
How about Austin Croshere?
6-10 in height
Can play 3 positions
Great Bench Player
Can Score in a variety of ways
If added, he would have the most playoff experience.
Plays big
Great rebounder and hustler
Impressive extra step for a guy his age.
Provides us another three point shooter.
Great at understanding game situations
What do you think?
@Rob
I like it. I forgot about him. The Warriors renounced him to get under the cap I believe.
He could be a good pick up. I think you need to get a legit center though as well.
I think a lot will have to do with what we can do with the cap. Im not positive but I think you can sign veterans for their minimum and it not go directly against the cap. Though that could only be if you sign your own player back, not really sure. Like the two guys we just signed they said they were given the minimum for years of service. Would guys come to us and take that bc we now look to be much more improved in the east? Maybe? Hopefully.
@gcl138 – You can sign any players for the veteran’s minimum (which is calculated based on years of service) if they are willing to take that contract of course. That is regardless of cap situation for the most part (over or under).
The Sixers are going to be over the cap (once they sign Iguodala) but not quite at the luxury tax line, so they should be fine.
Austin Croshere is an interesting name. Quick question, if he was cut loose, what happens to the remainder of his contract? Do the next team pick it up or does his old team have to pay a portion of it?
@Joe: “Conley, Darko( or Gasol), and a pick?”
I think it is funny that they traded pau and then they draft his younger brother.
Croshere is a free agent. He earned $770,610 in the 2007-2008 with the Warriors.
This guy would be a great bench player, not to mention a better choice of PF to come in for Brand in case of a major injury or foul trouble. And you have Reggie Evans come off the bench.
Also, this would give Speights more minutes and more opportunities!!!
Who’s For Croshere?
All of a sudden Speights is a factor?! When’d that happen? A little realism is in order – he averaged 14.5 (22nd) and 8.1 (4th) in the SEC. And Donovan didn’t exactly speak glowingly of him. Looks like a factor in future; I wouldn’t count on much this year.
It’s an unfortunate turn for Smith, but it doesn’t dent Sixers hopes much, if at all.
Theo would be a good add and it looked like they were targeting him anyway…Stefanski signaled as much recently, saying they would sign another veteran big man. Of course, he’s not the impact player he used to be, but as he showed down the stretch and in the playoffs with Detroit, he’s a big step up from Calvin Booth. Plus, he could help Sam. Bottom line is, now they need two big bodies for the minimum. Croshere would be most intriguing if he’d do it [would he?], but my choice from that list would be Harrison, the youngest of the bunch, may still have some upside, and mirrors J. Smith’s play the most.
I disagree with a lot of people’s diagnosis of the situation, but mostly agree on the solution. We’ll be ok at PF with Brand, Reggie Evans, and Speights (with Thad filling in for small lineups). Where this hurts us is at the C position. Dalembert was already the only true C on the roster, but Smith was going to be his main backup. The team was already going to pursue an aging stiff (like Ratliff, Magloire, Ruffin) for depth, so we probably will still be in the market for somebody like that.
What changes with Smith being gone is that we no longer have a change-of-pace type center who we can pair with Brand to hit open 15-footers. With that in mind, Croshere sounds like an ok fit. However, he’s a terrible rebounder and shotblocker, is undersized at C, and is 33. Because Brand is undersized at 6′9″, I think we need somebody that can rebound. Consequently, I’m touting Nick Fazekas. He’s a little bigger than Croshere, with just as good (maybe better) of a jump-shot (though he doesn’t have quite as much range), and is a better rebounder (4 more boards per 40 minutes). Not to mention he’s a full decade younger. Basically, he’s just like Jason Smith.
With Fazekas and either an old stiff or a hustling youngster (is it too late to bring back Shavlik? anybody still curious as to what Herb Hill looks like?) I think we’ll be ok. I think it’s important that we not put pressure on Speights to play. If he plays his way into the lineup, great, fantastic, bravissimo. However, we drafted him with the expectation that he would be a long-term project, and I’m worried that if we thrust him into the spotlight and it doesn’t pan out immediately we could lose him to his reputed weak work ethic and conditioning. Thoughts?
For Speights, I said OPPORTUNITY. It is not etched in stone for a spot on the active roster. Without a doubt, he has to work hard. That is where he can prove the doubters wrong about the work ethic.
Croshere for 08-09!!!!
Croshere’s not a bad name. Has always been a smart, tough player with a few skills to apply. The Providence Friars – Johnny Egan, Lenny Wilkins, John Thompson, Dave Gavitt, Jimmy Walker, Mike Riordan, Ernie DiGregorio, Kevin Stacom, Marvin Barnes, Otis Thorpe, Eric Murdock, Marty Byrnes, Croshere – great history for a small school.
Fazekas is an interesting idea…the strengths you mention are spot on. Only one problem — having seen him play up close here in LA, he is slow as molasses. No foot speed. The one thing that really helped JSmith fit in here was his ability to run the floor. Even Theo can still run a little. And the Sixers are still, by and large, going to be a running team, right?
Re #22: NBA Hall Of Famer deserves his name spelled correctly – that’s “Wilkens”, as in an admirable African-Irish Brooklynite left-handed point guard of steady and long accomplishment; high school teammate of LA Dodgers batting champ Tommie Davis. And now, back to the Sixers… .
@Ben
They didn’t draft him. He was part of the Gasol deal… LA had his rights before.
@jjg
To be fair, Speights didn’t play many minutes so his totals will be down. The reason he didn’t play much at Florida is because he wasn’t in shape. It is well documented for the most part.
He was one of the 5-10 most productive players in the NCAA last year probably.
The only question I have is how many minutes can he take. He was dying in some summer league games.
Joe, Thanks for feedback. Considering Speight’s listed strengths and weaknesses by a number of evaluative sites, he seems like the kind of player who could range from a bust or to a super-find, Stefanski’s handshakes notwithstanding. The jury’s out. Potential-plus it seems, but motivational issues aren’t usually solved with dollars, or the promise of, with certain sorts. Should be interesting to watch.
For a roster, I want 15 guys that are prepared to play no matter how many minutes. See what the Celtics did last year– commitment to team defense and team basketball.
Croshere is always ready no matter what!!!
I hope Ed Stefanski reads this or have someone in connections with him can offer a name like Croshere. He would find it very intriguing!!
I like Theo, Harrison and as a sleeper, Voskuhl. He sets screens, rebounds and hustles; brings Smith!s energy without the 18 footer. Smith could have flourished with Brand, its a shame.
Here is what a Warrior fan put on Youtube with Austin Croshere highlights.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQHwjrp_1Eo
Atlanta matched the offer the Grizzles made to Josh Smith almost immediately. Now let’s hope and pray Memphis makes a similar offer to Andre Iguodala and he accepts so we can luck out just like the Hawks did.
I don’t think that is a real possibly because Iguodala has no place in Memphis’ lineup but I guy can hope. I was actually hoping maybe the Hawks didn’t match and then made a reasonable offer to Andre Iguodala. It would make sense for them because they could then move Marvin Williams into that quality 6th man role vacated by Josh Childress. Oh well.
Please excuse me for what I’m about to do. I need to vent and since there is not a current baseball topic up, this is the only place I’ve got.
The Phillies were just shut out for the second game in a row. What made tonight’s lack of effort even more special was that the game went 12 innings. On top of that, it was against the Pirates. We’re talking about the Pirates. Are you serious? C’mon man, are we talking about the Pirates? I mean, the Pirates? You gotta be kidding me if you’re talking about the Pirates. Y’all gotta be jokin’…the Pirates?
I am sooooooo disgusted with our “high powered” offense, and they’re only getting worse. It’s not worth it to watch them anymore. Look what I’m doing to myself. I could go on all night, but somehow I’ve got to restrain myself.
I apologize for this inappropriate post, but I just had to get at least some of this out. Thank you for your indulgence. I will do everything in my power to prevent it from happening again. In the words of Frank Costanza….serenity now
rob
nice find. Im shocked someone would spend so much time on that
Dannie….You have figured that has been ES’s plan all along, right? Sit back and let someone else determine Iguodala’s value for him. I hope it happens because it gets rid of everything else involved in the negotiation process. There is no pressure on ES (if he even feels any at all) to get Iguodala signed, which might cause him to over pay. There is no need to get negative with Iguodala while trying to show that the Sixers’ offer is more than fair to him.
If nobody makes an offer to Iguodala, how long can this stalemate go on? Can Iguodala hold out and miss training camp (like NFL players)? Is there some deadline date after which Iguodala is forced to accept the qualifying offer? Since he is a restricted free agent, the Sixers have the upper hand, right? Can ES just sit back and say that the Sixers final offer is 5yrs, $60 mil, knowing that Iguodala will eventually have to choose between accepting it or be forced to take the qualifying offer?
I’m just wondering how much longer this could possibly go on and how much drama we could expect.
i think there is a deadline
in the nfl, i know the player has to take a paycut like devan hester had to pay 15,000 everyday he missed of training camp, it basically forced the bears and him to come to an agreement. im not sure if its similar in the nba or not.
What I like about Croshere is that he is Fearless.
In order to beat teams like Boston and Detroit, you need players that are fearless, meaning they are not afraid of contact and do not whine constantly over the lack of a call when they were bumped and bruised.
If you add Croshere, our 2nd unit would have a catchy name for the clan: THE FEARLESS FIVE
PG: Lou Williams
SG: Willie Green
SF: Kareem Rush
PF: Reggie Evans
C: Austin Croshere
Or if Ed is looking for a veteran big man that strictly plays Center, go for Theo Ratliff. He would be the best option to play backup center. He still has shot blocking instincts and is a fan favorite. In case Dalembert gets into major foul trouble, he is the best option defensively for a small amount of minutes, plus it removes a big man from Detroit’s roster.
In addition to Theo Ratliff, they should get G/F Devin Brown to round out their roster in addition to resigning Iggy. Devin Brown is the type of player that manages to fit in any system. He is a defensive stopper one needs to contend, in addition to Royal Ivey. You need someone with size and strength that can defend Richard Hamilton, Paul Pierce, LeBron James, and other SG/SFs. Plus, he can relieve Iggy and Rush somewhat in case both are in foul trouble and can give them a breather. Rush is not a great defender. Brown played for some great teams and great defensive coaches: San Antonio (Greg Popovich: 02-05), Utah (Jerry Sloan: 05-06), New Orleans (Byron Scott 06-07), and Cleveland (Mike Brown 07-08). He won two championships with the Spurs. Again, we need guys that have been there and have the experience if we want to go DEEP!! I was stunned when the Cavaliers did not use him much in the regular season and in the playoffs, especially against Boston. He could have defended Pierce and tired him out. Pierce really had to work hard against the Cavs. Plus, Sixers fans should remember him last season as the guy that killed us in the last second and we had to redo the last four-tenths of a second with him shooting two free throws. He made them!! Before, those free throws, he took it to the hoop and made a tough layup. Again, FEARLESS. Something the Sixers need if they want to match with the best!!! http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=3673
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/stats?playerId=1858
Can’t go wrong with:
1) A. Croshere and someone else
2) T. Ratliff and A. Croshere
3) T. Ratliff and D. Brown
4) A. Croshere and D. Brown
Not to mention FEARLESS as in:
1) taking big shots
2) creating their own shots and with little space between themselves and the defender
3) taking it strong to the hoop and expecting contact
4) battling for every possession
5) using their hands for tipping and tapping to keep possessions alive
6) putting defensive pressure.
Whatever it takes to win and make it a game!!
@iggydala
Iguodala isn’t under contract. There is no “reporting” for him. He isn’t under contract so it is different. This stalemate could, hypothetically, go on for years. He could play overseas. He could eat Taco Bell all day if he wanted and never play basketball again.
Dannie, if he doesn!t come back, is he a B.Y.C. case, and if so , could you give an example of a trade scenerio, based on him getting 14.2 per and why a third team usually has to get involved.
@Suede – working on an definitive answer regarding when a decision must be made regarding restricted free agents. I’ve read the CBA and it’s extremely confusing and I don’t want to publish bad information so I have contacted a bunch of NBA/Sixers people.
I don’t think teams will make Iguodala an offer because they don’t want to do all the negotiating work for the Sixers and have very little (NO) chance of winning him. That is why the stab Memphis took on Josh Smith didn’t make much sense to me at all. When the current team of the restricted free agent has proclaimed they would match anything, the only real reason to make an offer is if you are very confident you can blow them out of the water. Really putting pressure on them to back-up their statement. Memphis did not do that. They made a reasonably good offer from an organization standpoint which basically did Atlanta’s job for them.
I don’t think the Sixers will be so lucky.
And yes he would be a BYC situation. Will work that into the post once I get an answer on the deadline date.
Dannie: Memphis might have been doing a PR move – they knew ATL would match a reasonable deal, so wanted to show their fans some action. ATL got very lucky.
I think Smith’s injury will hurt more than people think at the moment. The best we can hope for from a veteran minimum backup C is basically a slightly better version of Booth, whereas Smith gave the possibility of being an offensive weapon. Also, we are in the position of actually needing solid contributions from Speights this year, for which he was not drafted. I think Speights can play C, and has more upside than Smith, but it is 50/50 as to whether he can have a positive effect as a rookie. Mo will be tempted to play small ball quite often now.
Thanks Dannie; Morty, agree with you that Spieghts, this year, should of been allowed to be a luxury, not a must to give a major contribution, The pressure he will face as part of a team expected to go to the playoffs is far greater than what our young guys faced last year.
With sure down time ahead, Smith has been pointedly assigned 3 non-fiction novels by Sixers brass: “How to Box Out (When You’re In)”, “Acquiring Mo Clues” and “Running & Chewing Gum: The Elusive Daily Double.”
@Morty – You may be referring to the same Chad Ford article I read regarding Memphis making the offer as a PR move.
1. I think everyone, not just Memphis knew Atlanta would match an offer in that salary range.
2. I do think Memphis had the added benefit of using the offer as a PR move, if/when Atlanta matched.
3. Most importantly I agree with Chad Ford – Josh Smith clearly fits a need at PF for that team having traded Kevin Love on draft day. He would mesh well with the style they play and the type of talent they already have. So I think Memphis took a LONG shot stab at testing Atlanta’s assertion that they would match anything considering they have been historically cheap. I just don’t think they push the price enough to really put Atlanta to a decision. Had that offer been more like 5-years, $64-$66M I think their odds go up.
Stefanski will get a veteran big man, I am almost 100% sure of it. He said he would and his word is enough for me to be that confident it will happen. This summer he has done pretty much everything he said he would, so their isn’t much reason to think that won’t continue.
Dannie: Everything except sign their incumbent “marquee” player, as yet. Smith replacement will arrive in form of veteran, no problem. As it’s Aug. 10, Iguodala situation getting more intriguing with each passing day.
JJG
I suspect the Smith contract has had an influence on the AI negotiations. As has been mentioned previously, AI’s demands were higher than all the others in his class except Howard in Orlando. Smith and Deng were the only other players in that class who might have been worth more $$ than AI. With first Deng and now Smith’s $$ coming in around what the Sixers offered AI last year and Smith’s performance and upside equal or greater than AI’s, the demand for $70m for 5 years looks even less realistic than it did last week. The question now is , Will the Smith contract force a concession by AI or just stretch things out more?
thie Iggy situation is strange. not sure how he can warrant being paid more than Josh Smith, but we have already beaten this argument to death. I want to ask some other questions…..
If Iggy has not been signed at this point, isn’t it possible that there is a major stalemate here (thank you, Ed!) ? is it possible he plays out his contract next season and tests the unrestricted free agent waters ?
if this is the case, i think this is actually a great scenario for us for the following reasons :
1) he is playing for a contract so he can’t dog it all season – still has to give 100%
2) it gives us a full year to figure out if we can win with this roster and Iggy at SG (if things work, i would be more willing to pay $14mm at the end of the season)
There are tons of opinions about how much he is worth. But i dont think anyone can argue that he can ever warrant more than the $14mm he is looking for. Therefore, i dont think we lose anything by waiting at this point. Even if he has a terrific 2008-2009 season, no one will pay him $17-18mm. i don’t see a lot of downside to waiting. some might say that management’s waiting may annoy Iggy to the point he will go play somewhere else in 2009-2010. if we win 55 games, there is no way he signs elsewhere. if we win 45 games, well then Iggy has to go anyway because he isnt worth his demands. for you gambler’s out there, this is called an asymetric payoff.
Dannie: I did read that article, but this offer didn’t pass the smell test from the get go. It was way too reasonable! The only way to pry away a RFA, especially from a team like ATL that already lost a big RFA, is to be unreasonable.
I am surprised that a deal has not been done with Igoudala, his market value has been set for quite a while now. I can only conclude that there is a very real stalemate between the two sides, and a very real disagreement about his value. Since I would think that ES is prepared to pay him Deng-money, the holdup must be from AI2’s side. Disappointing indeed.
morty, how about commenting on my post …. what do you you think about letting play and go unrestricted ?
@AaronMcKieforMVP – It’s a gamble. I think you overestimate teams by saying “Even if he has a terrific 2008-2009 season, no one will pay him $17-18mm.” I actually think someone would pay him that if he was unrestricted. Fact of the matter, teams hand out contracts above a players perceived value all the time.
Before I would consider anything like your idea I would need to know and consider what the free agent landscape will look like next summer. What players will be available? What teams will have cap space and how much? Do you really want to put yourself in the position to negotiate and try and resign both your second and third best players in the unrestricted market? You increase the risk of losing at least one, and so far it’s clear Stefanski wants to resign Miller. Had Iguodala been signed in a timely fashion, I think he would have been in Miller’s ear the rest of the summer trying to work on an extension so he doesn’t let him go to unrestricted status. How will this effect Elton’s Brand’s mindset?
It’s a gamble, and many more things need to be considered outside of the information you gave.
McKie: What Dannie Said, It’s a unneeded gamble for both sides, and thus totally avoidable. Going back to an earlier idea I had, since a 5 or 6 year deal seems to be a problem, both sides should agree to a 3 year deal. 3/ 36 mil.
Morty, I like the 3-year solution much better if a long-term deal doesn’t seem possible compared to having him take the QO. I think it satisfies the benefits Mckie alluded too as well, maybe 1-year isn’t enough time for this team to gel into a championship contender anyway.
Having him play 2 or 3 years is a better sample to determine if he can handle the SG and mesh with the other talent on the team. In no way is going into next summer with Iguodala and Miller unrestricted a good idea considering the 3-5-year window we have with Brand playing at a high level.
Dannie: Exactly. For all the people who would like the Sixers to take a firm stand, imagine a team where 2 or your 3 best players are unrestricted FA’s next summer. And the team cannot negotiate during the entire year. That would be too much uncertainty. ES has got to get creative, given AI2’s intransigence.
Dannie, You need a 6 to 7 year playing sample (4 yrs to date, plus the 2 to 3 additional you’re suggesting) of Iguodala to determine whether or not he’s a legitimate shooting guard and/or a champion component? That’s a loooooooong look (and investment & roster spot) for a “question” who is showing ‘I over We’ now in 2 consecutive negotiations with team. ES may be thinking the same thing, even as we blog.
JJG – I don’t look at it that way. We drafted him and his rookie contract helped us find out what kind of player we got. Would he be productive in the NBA. He think we all agree he proved that. Now the dynamic of this team has changed as well as the expectations. We now need to find out if he is the right wing man for Elton Brand as the team moves forward toward being a real championship contender. That, for me at least, is an entirely different evaluation process. Sure, you look at what he did in the first 3-4 seasons and forecast the best you can, but you won’t really know until they get on the court and they play together.
I look at it as there isn’t a need at this point for court evidence of Iguodala fitting with Brand, or anyone else for that matter, even setting aside for a moment the big numbers he’s seeking. As the old saw goes, basketball is not rocket science. It comes down to knowing how to play AND in having the individual temperament to execute the knowing. Any truly superior player (as stances suggests Iguodala envisions himself) can adapt to personnel changes and incorporate for ultimate team advantage the staples and nuances of personnel additions. Brand, with his veteran’s experience, strength, shooting abilty and sound basis in fundamentals of the game is an easy accomodation, and “a no-brainer” of a change. ES and cohorts may have already concluded from both a basketball and business standpoint that 70 million can be invested more wisely in another player(s), thus, the absence of news.
I would be concerned with losing Iggy after this season basically getting nothing for him. I like 20 pts., 5 rebs., 5 assists and 2 steals per game. I do believe he’s top 5 in the league with that average per game.
@ RROSE – Top 5 what?
jjg: Given that a sign and trade is unrealistic in terms of getting back equal or better value (Ben Gordon, Michael Redd, etc.), because of the base year salary cap restrictions, what would you recommend the team does with AI2? Play for the 1 year deal and let him walk, or sign and trade at that time?
By the way, thanks for inventing the handy shortening of Igoudala’s name – way too many letters to repeatably type.
By the way, despite the fact that negotiations are progressing very slowly, if at all, respect is due to both ES and AI2’s agent for not turning this into a media spectacle. Knock on wood, but both sides seem to realize that this is business, not personal.
Morty,
IF door is closed to an advantageous sign-and-trade, I’d let him play for 1 yr. deal and see where he and team stand at termination. If he and team flower this season, that changes all the aspects. Big $ enters then. Risk of loss is there, choosing said route, but taste of real winning is intoxicating, can influence player direction, depending on individual. Also, a lot can happen in a year’s time, including the rise of unforeseen personnel opportunities.
Maybe I’m wrong, I just have a feeling both AI2 & Miller aren’t content in Philly, are bound to go west or to “green”-er pastures regardless, when their time comes. As GM, if that were my strong inkling, I’d be alert to every pawning opportunity and work towards progress from there.
Agree with your respectful nod to ES & agent for anti-Rosenhaus approach. The suspense builds… .
Iggy is just observing what everyone else in his 04 classmates are earning. I think $12-$13 million would be right for him. To his defense, with the exception of Dwight Howard, he is the best of his class. He somehow manages to average 20pts a game and fill a stat sheet with his versatility, not to mention be able to defend the opponent’s best shooting guards and small forwards. He can do both. Since Iggy was drafted, the Sixers have had 2 playoff appearances and more to come once he resigns with us. Plus, he is fun to watch!! Even though that jumper needs consistency, it will improve greatly. Plus, most players reach their prime in their mid to late 20s. I think at the end of day, Andre Iguodala will be a Sixer!!
As for Andre Miller, he is just messing with the media about his future. He doesn’t what is going to happen. Now that the team has made significant changes to the roster, he might reconsider staying. His best shot of winning a championship is and will be in Philly. But let’s wait until the season begins before we start talking about that!!!
In ED we trust!!!
P.S: We should get either:
1) T. Ratliff, A. Croshere, & Fred Jones
2) T. Ratliff, A. Croshere, & Devin Brown
Is it too much to ask for both T. Ratliff & A. Croshere?
Real quality NBA guys asking for the minimum to join us in hopes of winning a championship!!!
THE Celtics did it, why not us? (in 1-2 years!!)
If Iggy wants 17 million a season then let him go to europe to showcase his brick laying jumper. Thanks but no thanks. Look at Thad Young, his is a future half-court monster as soon as Mo decides its time to runs some plays for him. And we all know that he is already a monster in the transition game just like AI2. The only difference is that AI2 is a nightmare in the halfcourt. In 2 years he if he is still here he will be or should be the 4th leading scorer for us behind Brand, Young, and Lou W
Rob, Like many present day professional athletes, Miller & AI2 are mercenaries; they want a comfort zone & max money (plus adulation in AI2’s case). That “Ring” talk is often subterfuge or, as it’s known in the hinterlands, bull manure.
Greek – As good as Thad looked as a rookie, Iggy looked just as good (while both played out of position).
It still amazes me how many people are trashing Iguodala because he’s not signed. We have no idea what his thought process is or what his agent has advised him to do. We can all speculate about what kind of money he wants or (demands) but that doesn’t mean he should be trashed by us so-called fans.
In negotiations the two sides try to get the best deal possible for themselves.
Let’s stay positive guys and trust Stefanski to together a championship caliber team (preferably with Iggy)
Iggy signed a 5yr $80mm contract. now that this is done, we can stop arguing his worth and get behind our team.
SORRY! it is 6 for $80. i can live with this.
According to ESPN, the Sixers and Iggy agree to a 6 yr $80 million deal!!!
It’s a lot better than the 5 yr $70 million deal, PhillyBurbs mentioned a week ago!!!
Now let’s fill the rest of our roster with players with tremendous experience (especially postseason experience and pressure) and we’re set!!!
Ratliff, Croshere, and fill in the blank!!
sorry, Rob. i beat you to it. you heard it here first ! AaronMcKie4MVP breaks story on recliner!
That kind of money is truly unbelievable for a player of Iguodala’s caliber. Goes to show you what Comcast is rakin’ in. If report is correct, Ed Stefanski just did a Billy King – saddled organization for 6 years with “projected excellence.” I’m surprised and disappointed.
He goes belly up in the playoffs, and they add a year and 23 million to last summer’s offer?! Makes no sense.