Everyone likes to talk age when a guy isn’t already “there” yet, but let us also consider how many of those same guys who were 20 years old with potential that didn’t develop. I don’t see the reliable offensive player (especially on the block) in Thomas that the Sixers need and getting him to be our post scorer now makes no sense since he currently is not a post scorer. How long do you want to wait for him to develop? People seem to think this team is ready to go to the next level now, if he does become a reliable scorer that is 2-3 years away minimum IMO. The argument can be made get him cheap now before he blows up into a great player. Ok, but right now that is a gamble for role we would want him to play. I will take him over Reggie Evans to play that role, but not to be our post scorer.

Further if he was so great why isn’t he getting the minutes? Why would they draft Noah? Im sorry but that says the organization who sees him play every day and are paying his salary doesn’t see what you see. Not saying you can’t be right just saying I don’t see it either.

More – he is 6-9, 215. I really hope you expect him to put on at least 20 more pounds to be a dominant player on the block. Antwan Jamison is 6-9, 235 which is on the smaller size for a power forward, but he makes up for it with tremedous offensive versatility. I don’t see Thomas developing that kind of offensive prowess.

Dannie, totally disagree about Ty Thomas…I think he’s been completely unfairly ripped on. This is a guy that has been caught in a total log jam of big men under both Skiles and Boylan, and was given the Obie-Dalembert treatment (shuffled in and out randomly…5 minutes one night, 20 minutes the next, not knowing his role, etc). It is impossible for players in logjams to show their true potential…under Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, J Noah he had too many minutes taken away. Now it’s Gooden/Noah/him/Gray sharing minutes. If he got a regular 25 minutes a game and a coach’s trust, I think the league would be surprised at how talented he is. He was in Boylan’s doghouse from the get go, which was very unfair. A fresh start will do him real good.

When Tyrus Thomas was getting regular minutes at the beginning of the season under Skiles, it was obvious he had REALLY improved his offensive game, worked on his jumpshot, and he used a dropstep in the post a bit more. The dude is 20 years old…I think to label him a bust already is waaaaay too premature. He busts his a** on defense and is a great rebounder/shot blocker too…I think his offensive upside is far better then a guy like Sean Williams (who I also like).

Also, I’m not saying he’s our savior or anything…I think the order in landing a post presence should be:

1. Elton Brand
2. Chris Wilcox
3. Draft from available pool of mid 1st round big men (probably Anthony Randolph, Darrel Arthur, Richard Hendrix would be the three best…or gambling on the Rider’s 20/10 guy…Ryan Anderson maybe, or pray Kevin Love somehow falls far.
4. Pursue a possible minor trade for a guy whose stock is down but are young and still have upside…Ty Thomas, Charlie Villanueva, Channing Frye, etc. (I don’t love these guys, but a 6’8 – 6’10 post presence with SOME potential is better then the crap we have now).
5. Use the midlevel exemption to sign a vet post guy, along the lines of a Joe Smith type.

Backup PG’s…I’d love to try and nab a nice PG from teams that have a glut via trade:

–Memphis: Crittenton/Lowry (I’m assuming Conley is their starter)
–Seattle: Luke Ridnour/Earl Watson
–Portland: Jarret Jack/Steve Blake
–Chicago: Chris Duhon
–Orlando: Arroyo/Dooling

Via draft:
–DJ Augustine would be the perfect guy to groom…a Damon Stoudamire type, with better handle, that is pass first, but can score and hit the three. But I think draft we have to go big.

2nd round:
–Jamar Butler (OSU)
–Brian Roberts (Dayton)

…love both these guys because they are scoring PG’s (who I don’t usually like) but off the bench that’s what we need…a guy capable of running the team that can also hit 3′s and slash).

In order of importance we need:
1. Low post scorer
2. Back-up point guard being groomed to be our future starter
3. Three-point shooting of any kind, BUT that player must be able to defend, like that guy Raja Bell we used to have who decided to become the player we needed after he left the Sixers. Oh or that guy Bruce Bowen we used to have who did exactly the same thing.

–IMO, stats per 40 are probably the least indicative and most worthless stat that can possibly be compiled in all of sports.

–I did say Sammy being in the lane helps alter shots, and allows our wing guys to gamble. This is different then “anchoring” the defense. Ben Wallace + Sheed had the same type of effect (not AS big, but the same type) as KG has had for Boston this year. I’m not just talking about Ben Wallace’s play on court…I’m talking about his overall presence on the team. Sammy D is no where near having that type of impact on the defensive end, where he dominates through leadership ability, intimidation, and gets the guys on the same page leading by example…as Ben Wallace did.

–Detroit never had a go to guy…and if they did, most of the time it was Chauncy or Sheed. That’s my point in that you can’t compare Iggy vs. Rip, they had different functions…Iggy IS our go to and “do everything” guy. Rip was more of a very efficient scorer for them…an important cog and central offensive piece, but not “the man” for them.

–I’m comparing this team to not just the ’02 Pistons team, but the 02-05 Pistons team (largely stayed the same, as they had a revolving and unsuccessful bench). Given that…yes, our team is VASTLY inferior bball IQ-wise. Andre Miller is as heady a veteran player as you can get…but to compare Iggy, Lou, Green, Thad & D-Bert to Billups/Rip/Sheed/Prince (yes, Prince was that bball savvy in his 2nd – 5th years)…is kinda laughable to me. Only Andre Miller, and now that he’s evolving more, Iggy, come close.

I’m saying Detroit’s unit as a COHESIVE WHOLE trumps ours as far as ability to have offensive chemistry together. They ran half court sets, which requires far more intelligence and court awareness then our offense does, which relies solely on Andre Miller or Iggy creating, or Lou getting hot, in our half court…and how our team runs the break. That whole era of Pistons team was comparable to San Antonio in how they ran their halfcourt sets…very, very rare.

–I’m not comparing Thad to a younger Jamison…I’m saying I think Thad, in 3-5 years, once he matures and has a few years under his belt, has the capability to be like the veteran Jamison became , in the sense that he might be one of the very few 6’8 guys in the league to be able to be truly successful at both the SF and PF positions…having a solid wing and post game on offense, and being able to D up both to success as well.

–Thad’s game doesn’t seem much like Prince’s to me. Prince is the model of what a role player should be…an excellent passer with great court vision, great one on one defense, great team defense, can take smaller wings in the post with a finesse game, hustles his butt off to get boards with his length, and can score when needed. Prince was never really “raw”…he had a great sense of the game from the beginning, even at UK.

Thad’s talent is far superior, and he has the chance to become a star and be a more focal point of the offense more…but he’s not nearly as versatile as Prince is, nor does he understand the game as well when they were of similar ages. Thad right now is much much much more raw then Prince was at UK, and is relying more on athletic ability and instincts, and from his days playing PF at Gtech and high school, then really knowing the game yet. But he’s a worker, and someday when he’s able to see the game better and fulfills his potential talent…yeah, he’ll be a far superior player.

–The Iggy+Thad deal…that is def an intriguing idea…the problem is if we have them as the 2/3…we basically have no three point shooting. It’s kind of a quandry…we can either do that, kill our three point shooting, and get a better post guy (be it Brand through FA, Wilcox or maybe a Ty Thomas via trade, or an Anthony Randolph/Darrel Arthur via draft)…or we teach Thad to be the 4, and try to land a scoring 2 guard that shoot the 3 ball to be the 2, while Iggy remains the 3…where the risk is that Thad might be smallish as the PF. Interesting choices we have to make!

Rip was the “go to” guy in Detroit that year.(if they had one) He took more shots per 40 or very close and simply was not as efficient a scorer. If he was, he would have averaged the same as Iggy does now or within a point.

Rip used to run off screens back then constantly to get his opponent tired. Iggy does not do that. The statistics tend to show Iggy to be a better decision maker than Rip however.

You keep saying the Pistons had “heady veteran” play and you are referring to a bunch of guys who had been in the league 2, 5, 7, and 8 years. I am not including Rasheed because I feel we compare to the Pistons without Rasheed.

We have guys that have been in the league 1, 4, 6 and 9 years. I mean our current team is essentially as “veteran” as their team was. The Pistons team that won was much older if at all. They are getting old now. Yeah.

(I would define Andre Miller as “heady veteran”)

As far as basketball IQs, I think Miller and Thad have extremely high IQs. Iggy seems to have a somewhat high IQ. Lou’s is not high. I think the Sixers have plenty of guys that can put up 17-20 ppg. Thad, Miller, and Iggy have all shown they can do that. Lou has proven himself to be able to score as well. We could easily hold 2 different meanings for talent…

I don’t buy your description of the Sixers team at the end. The current Sixers team is extremely talented. Thad has more tools than Prince could ever dream of. Ditto Iggy, Rip.

You see Thad similar to Jamison? I never saw a younger Jamison really so I can’t say. I compare Thad to a more athletic Prince mostly. Both bring that southpaw game that tends to trick opponents. Other people have said Odom.

I don’t understand why Mo hasn’t tried out the lineup with Iggy at the 2 and Thad at the 3 as a starting lineup. I think Iggy can guard 2s, so it really just confuses me.

Ben Wallace (when he was in his prime) is a great example. You can compare him then statistically to Dalembert now, but doing so is kinda laughable. Dalembert is a guy for us that will alter shots when people get in the lane, can man up pretty well one on one against decent centers, is a good defensive rebounder, allows our wing defenders to gamble, and can sometimes hit a bucket or two when we give him the ball in the post.

Ben Wallace, for the 02-05 Detroit teams, ANCHORED them. He was an intimidating presence that perpetually stopped people from driving the lane without thinking. He was the glue of the entire team defense, and was the major cog that allowed the Carlisle/LB Detroit teams to play like they did. Ben Wallace could have averaged 2.0 ppg, and he still would have been their co-MVP year to year.

Stats mean FAR less then usual when it comes to team chemistry in the Detroit sense. I also think it’s almost useless to compare Iggy and Rip. Iggy, for us, is our “go to guy”, that is an all around, do everything and score 18-20 ppg for us, that D’s u, is our leader, takes the big drive, and can get to the wrack or pass when needed.

Rip, for Detroit, was simply a veteran scorer that could toss in 18-19 ppg, run any defender ragged, and was an incredible decision maker. Two completely different styles, that form two completely different functions.

Detroit was one of the rarest teams EVER in that it had 4 all star caliber players sacrifice stats year to year for the better of the team…got along…had off the chart bball IQ…and had legitimate potential 17-20 ppg scorers that could fill it up when needed.

This Sixers team: has heart, hustle, scrap, and tough play. We aren’t even in the same realm of bball IQ, heady veteran play as Detroit, nor do we have the talent to pull off an offensive “by committee” approach.

Our team desperately needs a new PG to have grooming in the wings when Andre ages quickly…desperately needs a post scorer (or for Thad to morph into Jamison in one year, who I see his game as similar too), and needs an actual shooting guard, to compliment Iggy with some scoring.

I think Maxiell poses a great problem to this team. Guy can flat out play the PF position even though he is 6-7. His first step is extremely fast, like a SG possibly and he is extremely strong and athletic. He will dunk over someone and will muscle offensive rebounds consistently.

Rasheed getting offensive boards? Maybe. I don’t see it. I think his overall post game on both sides of the court is dangerous. His 3 point shot it as well. He doesn’t get offensive boards really. Not his game. I would like for Jason Smith to go toe-to-toe with Rasheed personally. It sounds crazy, but I think it would allow for Sammy to stay close to the net and open things up for the Sixers on the offensive side of the ball. I think Reggie is such a crappy offensive player and an overall bad defender. His hustle is appreciated, but for every offensive rebound he gets, he travels or presses too hard getting caught out of position giving the other team a wide open shot.

[Begin Rant]In the current matchup, The Sixers HAVE TO bench Willie Green. He is the reason this team faces 8 point deficits at the end of the first quarter so often. He allows for Rip Hamilton to defend Willie, who is a joke. Willie then has to defend someone on the opposite end, which once again is ridiculous. Willie Green is just such a bad player. If you put Thad in the starting lineup and put Green on the bench for the past 4 months, and I see this team with 4 more wins at least. All problems lead to Willie for this team. Cheeks is doing a pitiful job coaching by trotting him out there night in and night out killing this team. [End Rant]

I think you are looking at the current Pistons team and thinking the championship team was even remotely similar. It really was not. Before I continue, I think the Sixers still need a Rasheed Wallace. That was Detroit’s missing piece. The Pistons won in 03-04 and I think we are a far better team with a much brighter future than they were in 02-03.

Sorry for the novel…

Point Guard: Billups v. Andre Miller. I think Andre Miller right now was as good as Billups in every aspect of the game except 3 point/ft shooting. I think Miller has a better midrange game to somewhat offset that though. Advantage Billups just because he can spread the court much moreso.

Shooting Guard: Iggy v. Rip. You can disagree with me on this and I am sure many will, but when it comes to overall defense I think Iggy is far superior. Rip is good at playing defense within himself. Rip didn’t even know what 3 pointers were in 03-04 as well. I think Iggy wins this by a landslide.

Small Forward: The battle of the South Paws. This was Prince’s sophmore year. He played much more ball than Thad in college. I think Prince gets the win on the defensive side of the ball by a hair, but I think Thad’s post game is more developed than Prince’s was. I think the range goes to Prince by a hair, but as an overall scoring threat Thad wins. I view this as a push. Next year, Thad’s sophmore year, will be advantage Thad.

Rasheed: We don’t have this yet. I will admit it. The Pistons got him along the way. I think the Sixers could do the same thing with someone else. Elton Brand maybe? Who knows. Some disgruntled stars will be out there.

Sammy vs. Ben: The battle of the defenders. Sammy gets 2.4 blocks. Ben got 3.0. Sammy gets 10.4 boards. Ben got 12.0. 10.6 pts for Sammy vs. 6.9 from Ben. When you compare their per 40 minute numbers, they are eerily similar on the in rebs and blocks. I think this is close to a push. The way Sammy has played the last 2 months makes it a push IMO. If Sammy’s play diminishes, I would surely say Ben takes the advantage. As is, I see a push.

SO I think at those 4 positions, the Sixers are as good if not better right now. The Sixers need a Rasheed. I never said they have one, but the Pistons didn’t whine, cry, and roll up in a ball just because they didn’t have that one more piece, they played within themselves and when the opportunity came up for that final piece, they took it.

Then you look at the reserves…

Pistons had Okur, Jon Barry, Chucky Atkins and Corliss.

The Sixers have Jason Smith, Rodney Carney, Lou Williams, and Reggie Evans.

I see a direct correlation here pretty much.(much younger though for Sixers) Maybe you and me see differently though.

I never said the Sixers had their Rasheed. I think the Pistons without Rasheed would have had a shot at some titles assuming they kept Okur.

I just think people too often create illusions about championship teams. The Pistons won the championship as a rather young team with an experienced Point Guard and a guy they got for NOTHING via trade.

I think next year they will show great improvement and will be similar to the Pistons. I think Thad works on his 3 point shot, along with Lou, Jason Smith, Carney and Iggy. All those guys have the ability to be 3 point threats. At that point, they will be better than the Pistons were w/o Rasheed IMO.