Comments on: Philadelphia 76ers Draft Evaluation http://www.reclinergm.com/philadelphia-76ers-draft-evaluation/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:41:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2 By: Zack http://www.reclinergm.com/philadelphia-76ers-draft-evaluation/#comment-1956 Zack Mon, 30 Jun 2008 15:07:30 +0000 http://www.reclinergm.com/?p=297#comment-1956 I’ve watched some games, and I’ve finally talked myself into the newest Sixer, Mr. Marreese Speights: 1. I read somewhere that practicing with Al Horford and Joakim Noah probably helped out his game, but this isn’t true skill-wise – what has rubbed off is Horford’s and Noah’s sense of teamwork and basketball IQ. He’s a good passer with good situation recognition. The Sixers aren’t getting a dunce here. Speights plays within his talents, and I can see why all those shooting percentages are so high for him. 2. You can see where the “lazy” tag comes from when watching him play, the way he doesn’t play as intensely as other players. But I think this is because he’s so much more gifted athletically and skill-wise than the frontcourt guys he was up against that he really didn’t need to work so hard to be effective. So why didn’t he kick it up a notch and just crush the opposing big guys? I think it’s simply because they didn’t ask him to – it looked like Florida was running a more guard-oriented offense to me. If the Sixers just ask Mo to do more, I think he will. Also, I think that he’ll soon realize that he’ll have to work harder and raise his game if he’s gonna compete with the higher-quality big guys the NBA throws at you, and I believe he will. 3. He plays with emotion, but he’s high-character, coachable guy. The Sixers just gotta ask, and I believe he’ll try his best to come through. 4. I have to disagree with the comparisons to Elton Brand. Speights is much more athletic, and his low-post skills are still developing. His playing style reminds me more of the young Shaq/Amare/Dwight Howard. If he gets the ball near the basket he’s gonna try and dunk over everyone, and with his good basketball IQ, watch for him to try and cut to the basket in all sorts of ways to get his dunks. 5. All of a sudden he’s our best big guy jumpshooter. Great jumpshot (better than Josh Smith’s), maybe the only person who has a better one from 17-18 feet is Andre Miller. 6. He’s a good rebounder, not great like Sammy or Reggie, but much better than Jason (although Jason got better as the year progressed). After a couple years he’s going to be a much better rebounder than Sam. He does have his weaknesses: 1. He’s not great at creating shots for himself, I think he’s gonna be frustrated by the Sixers’ lack of passing, and that he’ll like playing with Andre Miller and not Lou Williams. 2. He’s not that great at establishing inside position – he’s horrible at “making himself big” for post entry passes. 3. His conditioning is definitely an issue - he tires out way too quickly. 4. He rebounds well, but like Sammy he relies a lot on his athleticism to get them. He needs to get better at boxing out. I’ve watched some games, and I’ve finally talked myself into the newest Sixer, Mr. Marreese Speights:

1. I read somewhere that practicing with Al Horford and Joakim Noah probably helped out his game, but this isn’t true skill-wise – what has rubbed off is Horford’s and Noah’s sense of teamwork and basketball IQ. He’s a good passer with good situation recognition. The Sixers aren’t getting a dunce here. Speights plays within his talents, and I can see why all those shooting percentages are so high for him.

2. You can see where the “lazy” tag comes from when watching him play, the way he doesn’t play as intensely as other players. But I think this is because he’s so much more gifted athletically and skill-wise than the frontcourt guys he was up against that he really didn’t need to work so hard to be effective. So why didn’t he kick it up a notch and just crush the opposing big guys? I think it’s simply because they didn’t ask him to – it looked like Florida was running a more guard-oriented offense to me. If the Sixers just ask Mo to do more, I think he will. Also, I think that he’ll soon realize that he’ll have to work harder and raise his game if he’s gonna compete with the higher-quality big guys the NBA throws at you, and I believe he will.

3. He plays with emotion, but he’s high-character, coachable guy. The Sixers just gotta ask, and I believe he’ll try his best to come through.

4. I have to disagree with the comparisons to Elton Brand. Speights is much more athletic, and his low-post skills are still developing. His playing style reminds me more of the young Shaq/Amare/Dwight Howard. If he gets the ball near the basket he’s gonna try and dunk over everyone, and with his good basketball IQ, watch for him to try and cut to the basket in all sorts of ways to get his dunks.

5. All of a sudden he’s our best big guy jumpshooter. Great jumpshot (better than Josh Smith’s), maybe the only person who has a better one from 17-18 feet is Andre Miller.

6. He’s a good rebounder, not great like Sammy or Reggie, but much better than Jason (although Jason got better as the year progressed). After a couple years he’s going to be a much better rebounder than Sam.

He does have his weaknesses:

1. He’s not great at creating shots for himself, I think he’s gonna be frustrated by the Sixers’ lack of passing, and that he’ll like playing with Andre Miller and not Lou Williams.

2. He’s not that great at establishing inside position – he’s horrible at “making himself big” for post entry passes.

3. His conditioning is definitely an issue – he tires out way too quickly.

4. He rebounds well, but like Sammy he relies a lot on his athleticism to get them. He needs to get better at boxing out.

]]> By: Kevin http://www.reclinergm.com/philadelphia-76ers-draft-evaluation/#comment-1953 Kevin Sun, 29 Jun 2008 23:28:37 +0000 http://www.reclinergm.com/?p=297#comment-1953 I hope somebody on the current roster is going to be moved. While they are fun to watch, these Sixers are not going to win a title. I am confidant enough in ES that he is going to shake up this roster some. And this draft just reminded me of how much I hated Billy King. Those two first rounders that we got in the Iverson deal that were "keys" to our future were wasted. We got a marginal big man in the deal (plus we threw away this years second rounder, which by the way was used to get Mario Chalmers). And instead of using the one to draft a foreign player and letting him develop overseas, we trade it away for nothing. (Yes I do know that we drafted that Finnish PG, but got nothing in return). I hope somebody on the current roster is going to be moved. While they are fun to watch, these Sixers are not going to win a title. I am confidant enough in ES that he is going to shake up this roster some.
And this draft just reminded me of how much I hated Billy King. Those two first rounders that we got in the Iverson deal that were “keys” to our future were wasted. We got a marginal big man in the deal (plus we threw away this years second rounder, which by the way was used to get Mario Chalmers). And instead of using the one to draft a foreign player and letting him develop overseas, we trade it away for nothing. (Yes I do know that we drafted that Finnish PG, but got nothing in return).

]]> By: Backcourt Mate http://www.reclinergm.com/philadelphia-76ers-draft-evaluation/#comment-1952 Backcourt Mate Sun, 29 Jun 2008 14:23:59 +0000 http://www.reclinergm.com/?p=297#comment-1952 If I can add something to the mix here, I believe the reason the 76ers didn't acquire any additional picks for this draft is because there are only so many roster spots available. If, let's assume, the 76ers are going after 2 or 3 proven pieces to add to the team through agency and/or trade, ultimately that means someone currently on the roster would have to be moved (Willie Green, Rodney Carney, etc.). A pick late in round 1 or round 2 - where would that player fit on the roster? I would much rather trust in Eddie's "plan" to bring in some proven pieces, rather than remain too young and too inexperienced to be contenders. If I can add something to the mix here, I believe the reason the 76ers didn’t acquire any additional picks for this draft is because there are only so many roster spots available. If, let’s assume, the 76ers are going after 2 or 3 proven pieces to add to the team through agency and/or trade, ultimately that means someone currently on the roster would have to be moved (Willie Green, Rodney Carney, etc.). A pick late in round 1 or round 2 – where would that player fit on the roster? I would much rather trust in Eddie’s “plan” to bring in some proven pieces, rather than remain too young and too inexperienced to be contenders.

]]> By: Kevin http://www.reclinergm.com/philadelphia-76ers-draft-evaluation/#comment-1951 Kevin Sun, 29 Jun 2008 13:18:41 +0000 http://www.reclinergm.com/?p=297#comment-1951 I like the Speights pick. I would have liked to have seen a point guard drafted as well but I think we can get a young pg via trade (Charlotte or Memphis maybe). Those teams got guys they are going to be just giving away. The key to this offseason is coming up, how does Ed shape this team through free agency. I like the Speights pick. I would have liked to have seen a point guard drafted as well but I think we can get a young pg via trade (Charlotte or Memphis maybe). Those teams got guys they are going to be just giving away. The key to this offseason is coming up, how does Ed shape this team through free agency.

]]> By: Zack http://www.reclinergm.com/philadelphia-76ers-draft-evaluation/#comment-1949 Zack Sat, 28 Jun 2008 22:04:00 +0000 http://www.reclinergm.com/?p=297#comment-1949 I don't know how this is legal, but you can actually watch some Florida games w/Speights: http://sports.yahoo.com/top/collegebroadcast/teams/jps Instead of commercials, they just put up "Raycom Sports" for a minute or two, don't think it's frozen or glitched-up in any way. I don’t know how this is legal, but you can actually watch some Florida games w/Speights:

http://sports.yahoo.com/top/collegebroadcast/teams/jps

Instead of commercials, they just put up “Raycom Sports” for a minute or two, don’t think it’s frozen or glitched-up in any way.

]]> By: Morty http://www.reclinergm.com/philadelphia-76ers-draft-evaluation/#comment-1948 Morty Sat, 28 Jun 2008 20:37:05 +0000 http://www.reclinergm.com/?p=297#comment-1948 Also, if you saw the post draft press conference, Stefanski looked kinda pissed off, not his usually smiley self. So maybe he is upset he didn't get a deal done Also, if you saw the post draft press conference, Stefanski looked kinda pissed off, not his usually smiley self. So maybe he is upset he didn’t get a deal done

]]> By: Morty http://www.reclinergm.com/philadelphia-76ers-draft-evaluation/#comment-1947 Morty Sat, 28 Jun 2008 20:35:23 +0000 http://www.reclinergm.com/?p=297#comment-1947 The more I read about Speights, the more I like the pick. His college numbers were huge, he averaged 25 and 13 per 40 minutes. Being able to finish with both hands and have a solid mid range jumper is huge at his age. So many "athletic big man with upside" types (cough, Sammy, cough) can never learn those talents - Speights already can. He has the body type, and he has the athleticism to be a very good starting player on this team, a 20 and 10 guy. Probably not this year, but within 3 years for sure. Dannie: I think ES tried, but is probably loath to over pay. Whether that proves to work out long term we will see, but it's a nice change from King. The more I read about Speights, the more I like the pick. His college numbers were huge, he averaged 25 and 13 per 40 minutes. Being able to finish with both hands and have a solid mid range jumper is huge at his age. So many “athletic big man with upside” types (cough, Sammy, cough) can never learn those talents – Speights already can. He has the body type, and he has the athleticism to be a very good starting player on this team, a 20 and 10 guy. Probably not this year, but within 3 years for sure.

Dannie: I think ES tried, but is probably loath to over pay. Whether that proves to work out long term we will see, but it’s a nice change from King.

]]> By: Jordan http://www.reclinergm.com/philadelphia-76ers-draft-evaluation/#comment-1945 Jordan Sat, 28 Jun 2008 17:08:04 +0000 http://www.reclinergm.com/?p=297#comment-1945 I like Speights and I like even more that he'll have some time to develop. Nice draft, but I'm a little disappointed Eddy didn't make a trade. I like Speights and I like even more that he’ll have some time to develop. Nice draft, but I’m a little disappointed Eddy didn’t make a trade.

]]> By: dre http://www.reclinergm.com/philadelphia-76ers-draft-evaluation/#comment-1944 dre Sat, 28 Jun 2008 11:02:47 +0000 http://www.reclinergm.com/?p=297#comment-1944 bski: I agree it was a letdown. As a fan it felt like Christmas Eve, waiting until morning only to find one gift under the tree. It still could be a very special gift but only time will tell. On the bright side, this time last year we had little hope for the season. A blind date with a cute voice kinda thing. That "date" with Thad went really well, all things considered. We have 11 million reasons to be optimistic, but let the record show that I'm a little puzzled by the outcome as well. I can't wait for this date to be over. bski: I agree it was a letdown. As a fan it felt like Christmas Eve, waiting until morning only to find one gift under the tree. It still could be a very special gift but only time will tell.

On the bright side, this time last year we had little hope for the season. A blind date with a cute voice kinda thing. That “date” with Thad went really well, all things considered.

We have 11 million reasons to be optimistic, but let the record show that I’m a little puzzled by the outcome as well. I can’t wait for this date to be over.

]]> By: bski http://www.reclinergm.com/philadelphia-76ers-draft-evaluation/#comment-1941 bski Sat, 28 Jun 2008 03:10:42 +0000 http://www.reclinergm.com/?p=297#comment-1941 DRE: What Dannie says here is more what I feel about our situation. I know it's a process. I know it takes time and I will be patient. I didn't mean to seem all doom and gloom, like you said. I am just a bit disappointed/frustrated/confused because we seemed to have a lot of options, but we ended up right where we started, with one pick at #16. We went in with a couple of glaring holes to fill and came out still needing to fill those holes. Just a bit of a letdown is all. DRE: What Dannie says here is more what I feel about our situation. I know it’s a process. I know it takes time and I will be patient. I didn’t mean to seem all doom and gloom, like you said. I am just a bit disappointed/frustrated/confused because we seemed to have a lot of options, but we ended up right where we started, with one pick at #16. We went in with a couple of glaring holes to fill and came out still needing to fill those holes. Just a bit of a letdown is all.

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