there you go 50-ish wins is the next natural step for this team. been saying that all along.
oden is intriguing. but i think portland will bring him back.
If they win 50 next year I will give them credit. They still need to add a lot of pieces to get to that point.
We'll see how the offseason goes. I'm sure Thorn and Stefanski have a plan
well after the first 3 weeks when collins was still tinkering with his rotation they played .600 ball which would put them at 50 wins over a full year.
definitely have more faith with thorn running the show and stefanski reporting to him than i do with just stefanski there. these guys did take the nets of all teams to two nba finals. throw in doug collins and that adds to the confidence. we will see...
there you go 50-ish wins is the next natural step for this team. been saying that all along.
oden is intriguing. but i think portland will bring him back.
If they win 50 next year I will give them credit. They still need to add a lot of pieces to get to that point.
We'll see how the offseason goes. I'm sure Thorn and Stefanski have a plan
well after the first 3 weeks when collins was still tinkering with his rotation they played .600 ball which would put them at 50 wins over a full year.
definitely have more faith with thorn running the show and stefanski reporting to him than i do with just stefanski there. these guys did take the nets of all teams to two nba finals. throw in doug collins and that adds to the confidence. we will see...
they have a lot of work to do with that roster. at least nocioni is around for another year or two...nice move rod :?
big concern for me is brand's ability to stay healthy. you know, since he's 33 and never seems to
umm, nocioni came here 2 months before rod thorn arrived dude. thorn hasn't really done anyting but evaluate yet. and it's only a team option after next year which means he is a nice expiring contract to move. so him still on the roster actually helps us make a trade at this point.
and brand just turned 32. i'm not concerned about him for just 2 more years.
umm, nocioni came here 2 months before rod thorn arrived dude. thorn hasn't really done anyting but evaluate yet. and it's only a team option after next year which means he is a nice expiring contract to move. so him still on the roster actually helps us make a trade at this point.
and brand just turned 32. i'm not concerned about him for just 2 more years.
dalembert's expiring contract would have held a lot more value than nocioni's (in terms of value to the team and trade value). but whatever, that trade was atrocious.
so thorn didn't sign kapono either...that's refreshing. man, stefanski was horrible.
as for brand. 32, 33...same difference. he'll get hurt again next year
umm, nocioni came here 2 months before rod thorn arrived dude. thorn hasn't really done anyting but evaluate yet. and it's only a team option after next year which means he is a nice expiring contract to move. so him still on the roster actually helps us make a trade at this point.
and brand just turned 32. i'm not concerned about him for just 2 more years.
dalembert's expiring contract would have held a lot more value than nocioni's (in terms of value to the team and trade value). but whatever, that trade was atrocious.
so thorn didn't sign kapono either...that's refreshing. man, stefanski was horrible.
as for brand. 32, 33...same difference. he'll get hurt again next year
yeah, rod thorn had nothing to do with any of that stuff dude.
and why do you think brand is hurt all the time? he had a freak injury with us his first year. broke his collerbone or shoulder falling to floor awkwardly. that could happen to anyone. other than that the only major injury he's had was the achillies thing like 4 years ago. 2 in 12 seasons. that's pretty much it. guy averages about 76 games played per year minus those two seasons.
but you're right. he could always get hit by a bus and break his back or something. keep your fingers crossed on that one. :?
and why do you think brand is hurt all the time? he had a freak injury with us his first year. broke his collerbone or shoulder falling to floor awkwardly. that could happen to anyone. other than that the only major injury he's had was the achillies thing like 4 years ago. 2 in 12 seasons. that's pretty much it. guy averages about 76 games played per year minus those two seasons.
but you're right. he could always get hit by a bus and break his back or something. keep your fingers crossed on that one. :?
13 seasons...only played 80 games in 4 of them. dude is brittle.
I'm just not a huge fan of his. he would be fine in a supporting role, not as a main cog. he's kinda like a reverse iguodala.
we'll see how the offseason goes. I don't think this team is as close to contending as most fans
and why do you think brand is hurt all the time? he had a freak injury with us his first year. broke his collerbone or shoulder falling to floor awkwardly. that could happen to anyone. other than that the only major injury he's had was the achillies thing like 4 years ago. 2 in 12 seasons. that's pretty much it. guy averages about 76 games played per year minus those two seasons.
but you're right. he could always get hit by a bus and break his back or something. keep your fingers crossed on that one. :?
13 seasons...only played 80 games in 4 of them. dude is brittle.
I'm just not a huge fan of his. he would be fine in a supporting role, not as a main cog. he's kinda like a reverse iguodala.
we'll see how the offseason goes. I don't think this team is as close to contending as most fans
what? ....in 15 season kobe bryant has "only" played 80 games 6 times. man, he's brittle. nba players miss time over an 82 game season. ....the same logic you're using is the same logic pjhawks applies to chase utley being injury prone. he's not. he's just had some really bad luck with different injuries.
yes it's clear you don't like him
as for the fans, gotta disagree with you again. a lot of us, like me, agree with the article you posted actually. make a couple smart moves and they're at 50 wins or so. not gonna be nba finals contenders overnight...and i don't think anyone rationally believes they're really close to that at this point.
yeah, 80 games is a pretty stupid barometer. terrible job by me there.
brand is still a turd. if he's there best frontcourt player, then they aren't going to get to the next level
i know you don't like him but brand was a beast this year and was solid in the playoffs. i don't see how anyone who actually watched them night in, night, can walk away not seeing that. but, whatever.
at least we agree that they're a couple good moves away from being a 50 win team. that's progress fixer :thumbup:
(oh, and as a reference point i looked some stuff up-- kobe bryant has averaged 73 games a year for his career...few random searches: charles barkley, minus his last 2 injury plagued years averaged 72 games per year. carmelo anthony-74 games per year...jason kidd, subtracting out 3 big injury plagued years--74/season. so, yes, 80 isn't the best barometer.)
i'd do the kaman trade all day long. also agree with one of the posts at the bottom of the article about throwing in speights to see if you can get more back:
You don't need a microscope to read between the lines of Andre Iguodala's postseason quotes.
If you want to be somewhere, or do something, you rarely bury the admission beneath layers of verbiage.
Veteran Andre Iguodala does not seem to fit with coach Doug Collins´ youthful 76ers, and the team will look to trade him.
DAVID MAIALETTI / Staff photographer
Veteran Andre Iguodala does not seem to fit with coach Doug Collins' youthful 76ers, and the team will look to trade him.
Heat 97, Sixers 91
Sixers 86, Heat 82
Heat 100, Sixers 94
There's an extra pair of tickets to the Phillies game at work: First come, first served.
We'll take them.
Do you kids want to go to Disney World?
Yes!
An answer to a straightforward question is simple, but Iguodala's answer to the question, "Do you want to play for the 76ers next year?" was anything but.
Here was his first attempt: "I expect to be back in the NBA," Iguodala said after the team's season-ending loss to the Miami Heat in the NBA playoffs. "It's always been a dream of mine to play ball. This has been a great ride so far, not just with the Sixers, just playing basketball in general. I'm really looking forward to getting some rest this summer, just letting my body recuperate and get back to 100 percent, and I'm really looking forward to next year being my best year in the league."
Not his best with the Sixers, but his best in the league.
When asked to clarify his answer - considering it was anything but clear - Iguodala continued down the same fuzzy path.
"I think it's something I've always dreamed about, playing in the league," Iguodala said. "Once I got here, I think I've always wanted to be in one place, not having to move around a lot, being comfortable in one spot."
Iguodala never actually said he didn't want to return to the Sixers. He danced around igniting an aggressive offseason controversy, but he tossed in a cup of passive-aggressiveness for confusion.
Iguodala has not asked Sixers management for a trade, but the team will be looking to trade him this summer.
Sixers coach Doug Collins has finally found a nucleus of guys - Thaddeus Young, Jrue Holiday, Lou Williams, and Jodie Meeks - who enjoy playing for the Sixers. Veteran power forward Elton Brand, in addition to having an anchor of a contract, serves as a complementary presence for those guys.
What Collins doesn't need is a borderline star answering questions vaguely about his desire to play for Collins' team. It's too much navigation at this stage of the building process, and Collins is too genuine to ignore Iguodala's half-statements and innuendo.
Here's the breakdown of how NBA general managers feel about the remaining $56 million on Iguodala's contract. Approximately half of the GMs believe he's paid appropriately, perhaps slightly overpaid but nothing that would prevent them from making a deal. And half believe he's overpaid and wouldn't trade value for him.
This brings us to the main question each Sixers fan must ask this offseason: Do you care for whom Iguodala is traded?
Two deals that have been whispered about in NBA circles highlight the different directions this move could take.
Some league folks have hinted that the Sixers and Memphis Grizzlies could discuss a swap of Iguodala for Memphis' injured star Rudy Gay. The Grizzlies are making an impact in the Western Conference playoffs without Gay, who went down with a shoulder injury late in the season.
The salaries match: Iguodala will make $13.5 million next season, while Gay will make $13.6.
Gay is under contract through the 2014-15 season, meaning the Sixers would take on an extra year of salary (approximately $20 million) in such a trade.
But the biggest question is: Should the Sixers trade Iguodala for a similarly skilled player? Or should their focus be on an area of need - the center spot, for example - while also opening up minutes on the wing for returning sophomore Evan Turner?
Another trade that was discussed last season involved trading Iguodala to the Los Angeles Clippers for big man Chris Kaman.
Kaman has only one year remaining on his contract - $12.2 million for the 2011-12 season. He also would provide talent and experience in the low post, while relieving the franchise of a good chunk of the remaining millions on Iguodala's contract.
This offseason will be crucial in taking the Sixers from mediocre to good, and to do so won't involve just the decision of whether or not to trade Iguodala. They also need to hit a home run in what they get in exchange.
so it looks like they will have to get lucky with one of these gems. I don't know anything about any of these guys except for the Morris twin. looks like the lithuanian is the best fit. not good times
19. Justin Harper, PF, Richmond: Legit NBA 3 in terms of size, skill and length, Harper also has something NBA scouts love: basketball DNA (his dad was a great player at Niagara). He can play some finesse 4 as well but is not a good man-to-man defender as his college team ran a lot of matchup zone.
20. Jonas Valanciunas, PF, Lithuania: Very skilled 6-10 power forward who might not have the athleticism to project as a lottery pick. He's very big, can guard the low post and will last with his game.
21. Nikola Mirotic, PF, Montenegro: Huge shooting wing with big-time experience in the Spanish ACB league. Contract issues drop his stock, but at just 20 years old, he can pass, shoot and move on the offensive end of the floor. Solid body that will only have to learn NBA defenses, but he would be a very good fit alongside scoring guards.
22. Trey Thompkins, C, Georgia: He's massive and has a bit of a high-post game. He never truly dominated in college but also never played with great guards. He has gotten out of shape in the past and the lockout will not be good for guys with a tendency to put on weight, but he has toughness, skill and good hands.
27. Markieff Morris, PF, Kansas: A better rebounder and shot blocker than his twin brother, and he's not afraid to make the hard foul or the tough play. He's not as skilled in terms of low-post game and has not gotten as many minutes to display on-floor IQ as his brother. Solid big man who might become a starter someday.
95% of the nba draft is a total crap-shoot...especially this year. just get a big body who can rebound. any production out of him next year is a bonus.
After yesterday's Live Chat, it seemed as if a lot of folks wanted to talk about the potential big men available in June's NBA Draft. If you read Thursday's entry, you know that the 76ers have very little wiggle room via free agency, and therefore almost certainly will use the draft and trade market to make improvements for the 2011-12 season.
The Sixers hold the No. 16 selection in the 2011 NBA Draft, scheduled for June 23. The Sixers also have a second-round selection. And while we're not yet at the point where we can narrow down the prospects the Sixers are targeting (the Chicago combine is May 18-22 and the Sixers will begin inviting prospects for workouts toward the end of the month), we can certainly take a look at some of the big men that will be available under the assumption that the team will want to add frontcourt depth.
Some of these guys are slated to go much higher than the Sixers' No. 16 spot, but a draft-day trade isn't an impossible scenario, so we include even the big men that are projected as top 5 picks. This year's draft isn't particularly mind-blowing, but there are a few intriguing interior players.
Here goes, in no particular order:
1.) Enes Kanter, projected anywhere from No. 3 to No. 8 in various mock drafts, a 6-foot-10 center from Turkey, 18 years old, 250 pounds, 7-1 wingspan, working out at the University of Kentucky, but ineligible because of his pro career in Turkey. Sixers would need to make a draft-day trade (a considerable piece, their No. 16, possibly an in-between guy like Marreese Speights in exchange for the other team's high pick and a considerable high-salary player to match the trade) to get into Kanter's range. The book on Kanter is that he's a legitimate low-post scorer as opposed to some big guys who want to play away from the basket. He isn't overwhelmingly athletic, but his basketball IQ allows him to make the correct interior plays more often than you'd expect.
2.) Jonas Valanciunas, projected anywhere from No. 4 to No. 11, a 6-11 center from Lithuania, 19 years old, and 240 pounds. Similar trade likely needed to move up for Valanciunas, although depending on how the combine and draft shake out, he could drop as some mock drafts already have him at No. 11. Seems like Kanter and Valanciunas have had some matchups coming up through the ranks, with Kanter being the more polished of the two. Very skinny, raw talent -- a guy that is developing and would likely be more of a project.
3.) Bismack Biyumbo, projected in the No. 5 to No. 8 range as more than one mock draft has him at No. 7, a 6-9 power forward from the Congo, 19 years old. Seems like this guy has burst onto the scene in the last month, specifically impressing scouts at the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland. His toughness seems to be his greatest asset: he blocks shots, rebounds, and gets to the free throw line. Undersized, but emotional is how the scouting report reads. Kind of reminds one of Reggie Evans, including poor free throw shooting. Sixers are still too low to snag this guy, so this would be deal territory.
4.) Donatas Montiejunas, projected anywhere from No. 11 to No. 20, a 7 footer from Lithuania, 20 years old, and 215 pounds. The scouting report reads best-case like Toronto's Andrea Bargnani and worst case like Phoenix's Channing Frye, this just doesn't seem to be the interior presence the Sixers need as both those guys prefer hanging out on the perimeter and impressing with their jump shots.
5.) Marcus Morris (Kansas), 6-9 power forward, Markieff Morris (Kansas), 6-9 power forward, Tristan Thompson (Texas), 6-8 power forward, Tobias Harris (Tennessee), 6-8 power foward, Kenneth Farried (Morehead State), 6-8 power forward, and Trey Thompkins (Georgia), 6-8 power forward. This list of guys basically gobbles up the mock draft area from No. 12 to No. 20. Clearly the list of 6-8 power forwards is long and the Sixers will have an opportunity to draft one of them at the No. 16 spot. The question will be whether or not the Sixers want to make a move to get a dedicated low-post player higher in the draft.
The Sixers also have the 20th pick of the draft's second round (50th overall), with which to snag a project big man. One mock draft in particular (draftexpress) has the Sixers selecting 6-11 center Jeremy Tyler with that pick. Tyler is 19 years old and weighs 240. He's from San Diego, but currently playing his first season of professional basketball overseas. That worked out well for Milwaukee's Brandon Jennings, but Tyler has had a rougher time of it. For a more in depth look, you can check out this New York Times piece about Tyler: Overseas.
Shortly after the draft lottery concluded and the Minnesota Timberwolves were locked into the second overall pick, rumors of GM David Kahn willingness to trade the pick for "veteran help" surfaced. Here's what we know:
This is a weak draft, especially at the top.
The T'Wolves need a small forward.
Kahn wants "veteran help".
The Sixers desperately need a young big man to pair with Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner.
The Sixers have a very good veteran small forward whose been the subject of trade rumors since the beginning of time, and the Wolves own a pick – which they're supposedly willing to shop – that could net the Sixers a much-needed big man prospect in Enes Kanter.
With the uncertainty surrounding the CBA and salary cap, forget the details of a potential trade for now. Just know, Rod Thorn ain't doing his job if he doesn't at least call Kahn and the Wolves about a potential Iguodala-for-two swap. It makes too much sense. I doubt the Wolves will get a better offer. Iguodala and pick 16 is much sweeter than the hypothetical proposed here.
Shortly after the draft lottery concluded and the Minnesota Timberwolves were locked into the second overall pick, rumors of GM David Kahn willingness to trade the pick for "veteran help" surfaced. Here's what we know:
This is a weak draft, especially at the top.
The T'Wolves need a small forward.
Kahn wants "veteran help".
The Sixers desperately need a young big man to pair with Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner.
The Sixers have a very good veteran small forward whose been the subject of trade rumors since the beginning of time, and the Wolves own a pick – which they're supposedly willing to shop – that could net the Sixers a much-needed big man prospect in Enes Kanter.
With the uncertainty surrounding the CBA and salary cap, forget the details of a potential trade for now. Just know, Rod Thorn ain't doing his job if he doesn't at least call Kahn and the Wolves about a potential Iguodala-for-two swap. It makes too much sense. I doubt the Wolves will get a better offer. Iguodala and pick 16 is much sweeter than the hypothetical proposed here.
wow. big news day for the sixers. i don't know too much about this. i do know ed sniders couldn't care less for this team so i'm assuming this is good news...
Sources: Sixers sales talks ongoingEmail Print Comments5 By Henry Abbott
ESPN.com
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Philadelphia 76ers owner Comcast-Spectacor is in talks to sell the team to a group led by New York-based leveraged buyout specialist Joshua Harris, according to sources.
Negotiations are ongoing and a source with knowledge of the talks called a deal "imminent."
Once the parties reach final agreement, it would become official only with approval of the league's Board of Governors.
The Sixers were not known to have been for sale.
Harris, 46, co-founded Apollo Global Management, which invests primarily in distressed properties, in 1990. In Forbes' 2011 billionaire rankings, Harris was reported to have a net worth of $1.5 billion.
Other partners in the deal include private equity executive David Blitzer and former NBA player agent and Sacramento Kings executive Jason Levien.
Blitzer moved from New York to London in 2002 to create the London-based European office of the Blackstone Group, one of the largest private investment groups in the world.
As an agent, Levien represented players including Kevin Martin, Luol Deng and Udonis Haslem.
Harris and Blitzer have Philadelphia ties, having graduated from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania within a few years of each other.
Through his holding company Spectacor, Ed Snider has controlled the Sixers since 1996 -- the same year Spectacor merged with Comcast. Comcast-Spectacor also owns the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers, and the Wells Fargo Center where both teams play. The company would continue to own and operate the arena with the Sixers as a tenant, according to sources.
The Harris group would become the sixth owners in the club's 65-year history, which is among the league's richest. Only the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers have won more regular season games, and the Sixers are one of just eight NBA teams with three or more championships.
In recent years the team's performance has been somewhat lackluster, despite a significant payroll. This season, under coach Doug Collins, the Sixers, led by Andre Iguodala, Elton Brand and Thaddeus Young defied expectations by making the playoffs, where they fell to the Miami Heat in five games.
The 78-year-old Snider has long been more closely associated with hockey than basketball. He founded the Flyers in 1966, is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, and operates a Philadelphia-based youth hockey program that bears his name.
A buddy just texted me this earlier today. I love watching ellis play, but I'm not sure he's a guy I'd want on my team. He's one of those guys that always seems banged up too. Plus, that really gives them too many guards...unless they would have another move coming
+ Super quick guard who loves to push tempo and finish in transition.
+ Defensive ball hawk but gambles too much and lacks size for two.
+ Mediocre outside shooter who often shoots contested Js early in shot clock.
Ellis is talented enough that he may eventually become very valuable, but at the moment he is the league's most overrated player. He plays like he learned the game from watching Allen Iverson tapes, and I don't mean that as a compliment. Probably no player in the league took more ill-advised jump shots early in the shot clock, a particular problem in this case because Ellis isn't a good jump shooter -- he made only 33.8 percent of his 3s and 38.1 percent of his long 2s.
Ellis finished with a gaudy scoring average because he played a lot of minutes on a fast-paced team, but he was 47th among shooting guards in both TS% and pure point rating. Basically, he dribbles around looking for a shot unless circumstances force him to pass.
The most damning stat, however, is how much better the team played without him. Golden State outscored its opponents quite comfortably as long as Ellis wasn't around, and finished a whopping 11.4 points per 100 possessions better without Ellis -- giving him the single worst differential in basketball.
+ Super quick guard who loves to push tempo and finish in transition.
+ Defensive ball hawk but gambles too much and lacks size for two.
+ Mediocre outside shooter who often shoots contested Js early in shot clock.
Ellis is talented enough that he may eventually become very valuable, but at the moment he is the league's most overrated player. He plays like he learned the game from watching Allen Iverson tapes, and I don't mean that as a compliment. Probably no player in the league took more ill-advised jump shots early in the shot clock, a particular problem in this case because Ellis isn't a good jump shooter -- he made only 33.8 percent of his 3s and 38.1 percent of his long 2s.
Ellis finished with a gaudy scoring average because he played a lot of minutes on a fast-paced team, but he was 47th among shooting guards in both TS% and pure point rating. Basically, he dribbles around looking for a shot unless circumstances force him to pass.
The most damning stat, however, is how much better the team played without him. Golden State outscored its opponents quite comfortably as long as Ellis wasn't around, and finished a whopping 11.4 points per 100 possessions better without Ellis -- giving him the single worst differential in basketball.
I was gonna call him a poor man's AI. Fun to watch, but that doesn't equal wins.
I think they can get more for iguodala. And turner needs a fair shot to play the 2
Monta Ellis is Lou Williams
by Jordan Sams on Jun 6, 2011 11:00 PM PDT in Features
Last summer I compared Monta Ellis and Lou Williams. How can a player who averaged 24 points per game last season (Ellis) be compared to 14-point-per-game Lou Williams you ask? Simple math, my friends.
Check out this statistical comparison from Basketball Reference. When you look at the two players per games statistics Monta is +10 in points per game, +2 in assists, +1.5 in rebounds, +1.5 in steals, and +0.7 in free throws. The kicker, he's also +17 in minutes. When you scroll down to each players statistics 'per 36' minutes (meaning the stats they're projected to put up when each play an equal number of minutes), their numbers are eerily similar.
Williams - 21.2 points, 5.2 assists 3.1 rebounds, 1.0 steal
The only significant advantage Monta had over Lou is his field goal percentage of 45, opposed to 41 for Lou. However; when free throws and threes are factored in, the players' true shooting percentages are identical. Lou got to the line 2.5 more times per 36, and shot a slightly better percentage (82% to 79%). He also made 0.3 more threes per 36, but shot a slightly lower percentage than Monta (36% to 35%).
If you want to get all fancy and compare advanced stats, Lou and Monta both had a PER of 18 last season, an identical TRB% of 4.9, an AST% within 0.7 of each other and the same usage rate. Lou edged Monta big time in offensive rating, defensive rating, turnover rate and win shares per 48 minutes. Monta had advantages in steal percentage and effective field goal percentage (the statistic adjusts for the fact that a 3-point field goal is worth one more point than a 2-point field goal).
(If you are unfamilar with these advanced statistics and want to know more visit the Basketball Reference glossary).
Statistics imply that if Lou Williams received the same amount of playing time as Monta Ellis he would put up similar numbers, and vice versa. Obviously this isn't an exact science, because who knows how Lou would react if his opponents game-planned for him they way they game-plan for Monta. But I'd bet a ton of money that Lou would score 20+ points per game if he received Monta's minutes and shots, because they're matching ball-hogging combo guards.
The average percentage of an NBA player's field goals made which are assisted by their teammates is 60%. Lou and Monta were both well below average at 42% and 41%, respectively, meaning they create their own shot more often than one of the teammates create a shot for them.
Whether you're looking at each player's 'per 36' stats, advanced stats, and even more advanced stats like percentage of assisted field goals made Lou Williams and Monta Ellis compare perfectly. They were even drafted out of high school in the same draft (2005), both in the second round! They're essentially the same person, except one is a budding rap star, and the other crashes mo-peds. Oh, and the're both awful defensively.
These similarities between two equal-age players make the Andre Iguodala for Monta Ellis trade rumor look idiotic from the Sixers perspective, because they already have a Monta Ellis clone as their sixth man, with half his salary. I understand the potential trade would save the Sixers 11 million over the next three seasons, but Ellis' contract ends a year after Elton Brand's, so it still prevents the from being major free agency players in 2013 (read here).
I realize trading every Sixers fan's whipping boy for a "go-to scorer" who perrenially drops upwards of 20 points per game sounds like a great idea, but trust me, Monta is not the answer. He doesn't compliment the future backcourt of Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner, he doesn't fill any need that Lou Williams already fills, and he doesn't improve the salary cap situation long-term, only short-term, and only marginally.
To be completely honest, I'd rather trade Iguodala for Hedo Turkoglu.
Just what the sixers need...another non-frontcourt guy that can't shoot.
The sixers are so frustrating to root for.
that was last week's rumor. salary dump. we'd save about 22M and have all kinds of crazy cap space in a couple years. i thought you were interested in that kind of trade before? :?
think i'd like to see them package iggy and one or two other pieces to move up and get one of the better big men in a couple weeks.
gonna be interesting...especially if ownership actually changes.
Just what the sixers need...another non-frontcourt guy that can't shoot.
The sixers are so frustrating to root for.
that was last week's rumor. salary dump. we'd save about 22M and have all kinds of crazy cap space in a couple years. i thought you were interested in that kind of trade before? :?
think i'd like to see them package iggy and one or two other pieces to move up and get one of the better big men in a couple weeks.
gonna be interesting...especially if ownership actually changes.
If the ellis trade is the first of multiple moves, then obviously that changes things. They need frontcourt help desperately.
Like I said, I like watching ellis play, but he's not a guy I'd want on the team I root for.
We'll see how things play out. This shit is all speculation at this point. I'm sure they will fuck it up like they always do
Comments
oden is intriguing. but i think portland will bring him back.
If they win 50 next year I will give them credit. They still need to add a lot of pieces to get to that point.
We'll see how the offseason goes. I'm sure Thorn and Stefanski have a plan
well after the first 3 weeks when collins was still tinkering with his rotation they played .600 ball which would put them at 50 wins over a full year.
definitely have more faith with thorn running the show and stefanski reporting to him than i do with just stefanski there. these guys did take the nets of all teams to two nba finals. throw in doug collins and that adds to the confidence. we will see...
they have a lot of work to do with that roster. at least nocioni is around for another year or two...nice move rod :?
big concern for me is brand's ability to stay healthy. you know, since he's 33 and never seems to
and brand just turned 32. i'm not concerned about him for just 2 more years.
dalembert's expiring contract would have held a lot more value than nocioni's (in terms of value to the team and trade value). but whatever, that trade was atrocious.
so thorn didn't sign kapono either...that's refreshing. man, stefanski was horrible.
as for brand. 32, 33...same difference. he'll get hurt again next year
yeah, rod thorn had nothing to do with any of that stuff dude.
and why do you think brand is hurt all the time? he had a freak injury with us his first year. broke his collerbone or shoulder falling to floor awkwardly. that could happen to anyone. other than that the only major injury he's had was the achillies thing like 4 years ago. 2 in 12 seasons. that's pretty much it. guy averages about 76 games played per year minus those two seasons.
but you're right. he could always get hit by a bus and break his back or something. keep your fingers crossed on that one.
13 seasons...only played 80 games in 4 of them. dude is brittle.
I'm just not a huge fan of his. he would be fine in a supporting role, not as a main cog. he's kinda like a reverse iguodala.
we'll see how the offseason goes. I don't think this team is as close to contending as most fans
what?
yes it's clear you don't like him
as for the fans, gotta disagree with you again. a lot of us, like me, agree with the article you posted actually. make a couple smart moves and they're at 50 wins or so. not gonna be nba finals contenders overnight...and i don't think anyone rationally believes they're really close to that at this point.
brand is still a turd. if he's there best frontcourt player, then they aren't going to get to the next level
i know you don't like him but brand was a beast this year and was solid in the playoffs. i don't see how anyone who actually watched them night in, night, can walk away not seeing that. but, whatever.
at least we agree that they're a couple good moves away from being a 50 win team. that's progress fixer :thumbup:
(oh, and as a reference point i looked some stuff up-- kobe bryant has averaged 73 games a year for his career...few random searches: charles barkley, minus his last 2 injury plagued years averaged 72 games per year. carmelo anthony-74 games per year...jason kidd, subtracting out 3 big injury plagued years--74/season. so, yes, 80 isn't the best barometer.)
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/six ... odala.html
Inside the Sixers: Prepare to say goodbye to Iguodala
By Kate Fagan
Inquirer Staff Writer
You don't need a microscope to read between the lines of Andre Iguodala's postseason quotes.
If you want to be somewhere, or do something, you rarely bury the admission beneath layers of verbiage.
Veteran Andre Iguodala does not seem to fit with coach Doug Collins´ youthful 76ers, and the team will look to trade him.
DAVID MAIALETTI / Staff photographer
Veteran Andre Iguodala does not seem to fit with coach Doug Collins' youthful 76ers, and the team will look to trade him.
Heat 97, Sixers 91
Sixers 86, Heat 82
Heat 100, Sixers 94
There's an extra pair of tickets to the Phillies game at work: First come, first served.
We'll take them.
Do you kids want to go to Disney World?
Yes!
An answer to a straightforward question is simple, but Iguodala's answer to the question, "Do you want to play for the 76ers next year?" was anything but.
Here was his first attempt: "I expect to be back in the NBA," Iguodala said after the team's season-ending loss to the Miami Heat in the NBA playoffs. "It's always been a dream of mine to play ball. This has been a great ride so far, not just with the Sixers, just playing basketball in general. I'm really looking forward to getting some rest this summer, just letting my body recuperate and get back to 100 percent, and I'm really looking forward to next year being my best year in the league."
Not his best with the Sixers, but his best in the league.
When asked to clarify his answer - considering it was anything but clear - Iguodala continued down the same fuzzy path.
"I think it's something I've always dreamed about, playing in the league," Iguodala said. "Once I got here, I think I've always wanted to be in one place, not having to move around a lot, being comfortable in one spot."
Iguodala never actually said he didn't want to return to the Sixers. He danced around igniting an aggressive offseason controversy, but he tossed in a cup of passive-aggressiveness for confusion.
Iguodala has not asked Sixers management for a trade, but the team will be looking to trade him this summer.
Sixers coach Doug Collins has finally found a nucleus of guys - Thaddeus Young, Jrue Holiday, Lou Williams, and Jodie Meeks - who enjoy playing for the Sixers. Veteran power forward Elton Brand, in addition to having an anchor of a contract, serves as a complementary presence for those guys.
What Collins doesn't need is a borderline star answering questions vaguely about his desire to play for Collins' team. It's too much navigation at this stage of the building process, and Collins is too genuine to ignore Iguodala's half-statements and innuendo.
Here's the breakdown of how NBA general managers feel about the remaining $56 million on Iguodala's contract. Approximately half of the GMs believe he's paid appropriately, perhaps slightly overpaid but nothing that would prevent them from making a deal. And half believe he's overpaid and wouldn't trade value for him.
This brings us to the main question each Sixers fan must ask this offseason: Do you care for whom Iguodala is traded?
Two deals that have been whispered about in NBA circles highlight the different directions this move could take.
Some league folks have hinted that the Sixers and Memphis Grizzlies could discuss a swap of Iguodala for Memphis' injured star Rudy Gay. The Grizzlies are making an impact in the Western Conference playoffs without Gay, who went down with a shoulder injury late in the season.
The salaries match: Iguodala will make $13.5 million next season, while Gay will make $13.6.
Gay is under contract through the 2014-15 season, meaning the Sixers would take on an extra year of salary (approximately $20 million) in such a trade.
But the biggest question is: Should the Sixers trade Iguodala for a similarly skilled player? Or should their focus be on an area of need - the center spot, for example - while also opening up minutes on the wing for returning sophomore Evan Turner?
Another trade that was discussed last season involved trading Iguodala to the Los Angeles Clippers for big man Chris Kaman.
Kaman has only one year remaining on his contract - $12.2 million for the 2011-12 season. He also would provide talent and experience in the low post, while relieving the franchise of a good chunk of the remaining millions on Iguodala's contract.
This offseason will be crucial in taking the Sixers from mediocre to good, and to do so won't involve just the decision of whether or not to trade Iguodala. They also need to hit a home run in what they get in exchange.
19. Justin Harper, PF, Richmond: Legit NBA 3 in terms of size, skill and length, Harper also has something NBA scouts love: basketball DNA (his dad was a great player at Niagara). He can play some finesse 4 as well but is not a good man-to-man defender as his college team ran a lot of matchup zone.
20. Jonas Valanciunas, PF, Lithuania: Very skilled 6-10 power forward who might not have the athleticism to project as a lottery pick. He's very big, can guard the low post and will last with his game.
21. Nikola Mirotic, PF, Montenegro: Huge shooting wing with big-time experience in the Spanish ACB league. Contract issues drop his stock, but at just 20 years old, he can pass, shoot and move on the offensive end of the floor. Solid body that will only have to learn NBA defenses, but he would be a very good fit alongside scoring guards.
22. Trey Thompkins, C, Georgia: He's massive and has a bit of a high-post game. He never truly dominated in college but also never played with great guards. He has gotten out of shape in the past and the lockout will not be good for guys with a tendency to put on weight, but he has toughness, skill and good hands.
27. Markieff Morris, PF, Kansas: A better rebounder and shot blocker than his twin brother, and he's not afraid to make the hard foul or the tough play. He's not as skilled in terms of low-post game and has not gotten as many minutes to display on-floor IQ as his brother. Solid big man who might become a starter someday.
Bigs in 2011 Draft
After yesterday's Live Chat, it seemed as if a lot of folks wanted to talk about the potential big men available in June's NBA Draft. If you read Thursday's entry, you know that the 76ers have very little wiggle room via free agency, and therefore almost certainly will use the draft and trade market to make improvements for the 2011-12 season.
The Sixers hold the No. 16 selection in the 2011 NBA Draft, scheduled for June 23. The Sixers also have a second-round selection. And while we're not yet at the point where we can narrow down the prospects the Sixers are targeting (the Chicago combine is May 18-22 and the Sixers will begin inviting prospects for workouts toward the end of the month), we can certainly take a look at some of the big men that will be available under the assumption that the team will want to add frontcourt depth.
Some of these guys are slated to go much higher than the Sixers' No. 16 spot, but a draft-day trade isn't an impossible scenario, so we include even the big men that are projected as top 5 picks. This year's draft isn't particularly mind-blowing, but there are a few intriguing interior players.
Here goes, in no particular order:
1.) Enes Kanter, projected anywhere from No. 3 to No. 8 in various mock drafts, a 6-foot-10 center from Turkey, 18 years old, 250 pounds, 7-1 wingspan, working out at the University of Kentucky, but ineligible because of his pro career in Turkey. Sixers would need to make a draft-day trade (a considerable piece, their No. 16, possibly an in-between guy like Marreese Speights in exchange for the other team's high pick and a considerable high-salary player to match the trade) to get into Kanter's range. The book on Kanter is that he's a legitimate low-post scorer as opposed to some big guys who want to play away from the basket. He isn't overwhelmingly athletic, but his basketball IQ allows him to make the correct interior plays more often than you'd expect.
2.) Jonas Valanciunas, projected anywhere from No. 4 to No. 11, a 6-11 center from Lithuania, 19 years old, and 240 pounds. Similar trade likely needed to move up for Valanciunas, although depending on how the combine and draft shake out, he could drop as some mock drafts already have him at No. 11. Seems like Kanter and Valanciunas have had some matchups coming up through the ranks, with Kanter being the more polished of the two. Very skinny, raw talent -- a guy that is developing and would likely be more of a project.
3.) Bismack Biyumbo, projected in the No. 5 to No. 8 range as more than one mock draft has him at No. 7, a 6-9 power forward from the Congo, 19 years old. Seems like this guy has burst onto the scene in the last month, specifically impressing scouts at the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland. His toughness seems to be his greatest asset: he blocks shots, rebounds, and gets to the free throw line. Undersized, but emotional is how the scouting report reads. Kind of reminds one of Reggie Evans, including poor free throw shooting. Sixers are still too low to snag this guy, so this would be deal territory.
4.) Donatas Montiejunas, projected anywhere from No. 11 to No. 20, a 7 footer from Lithuania, 20 years old, and 215 pounds. The scouting report reads best-case like Toronto's Andrea Bargnani and worst case like Phoenix's Channing Frye, this just doesn't seem to be the interior presence the Sixers need as both those guys prefer hanging out on the perimeter and impressing with their jump shots.
5.) Marcus Morris (Kansas), 6-9 power forward, Markieff Morris (Kansas), 6-9 power forward, Tristan Thompson (Texas), 6-8 power forward, Tobias Harris (Tennessee), 6-8 power foward, Kenneth Farried (Morehead State), 6-8 power forward, and Trey Thompkins (Georgia), 6-8 power forward. This list of guys basically gobbles up the mock draft area from No. 12 to No. 20. Clearly the list of 6-8 power forwards is long and the Sixers will have an opportunity to draft one of them at the No. 16 spot. The question will be whether or not the Sixers want to make a move to get a dedicated low-post player higher in the draft.
The Sixers also have the 20th pick of the draft's second round (50th overall), with which to snag a project big man. One mock draft in particular (draftexpress) has the Sixers selecting 6-11 center Jeremy Tyler with that pick. Tyler is 19 years old and weighs 240. He's from San Diego, but currently playing his first season of professional basketball overseas. That worked out well for Milwaukee's Brandon Jennings, but Tyler has had a rougher time of it. For a more in depth look, you can check out this New York Times piece about Tyler: Overseas.
yeah. she is spot on. but that should not be news to anyone though.
gotta pull the trigger on some trades. draft night could be interesting
she does a great job...agree with you.
hopefully...def will be an interesting off season (or not if the league shuts down)
http://www.libertyballers.com/2011/5/17 ... econd-pick
Shortly after the draft lottery concluded and the Minnesota Timberwolves were locked into the second overall pick, rumors of GM David Kahn willingness to trade the pick for "veteran help" surfaced. Here's what we know:
This is a weak draft, especially at the top.
The T'Wolves need a small forward.
Kahn wants "veteran help".
The Sixers desperately need a young big man to pair with Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner.
The Sixers have a very good veteran small forward whose been the subject of trade rumors since the beginning of time, and the Wolves own a pick – which they're supposedly willing to shop – that could net the Sixers a much-needed big man prospect in Enes Kanter.
With the uncertainty surrounding the CBA and salary cap, forget the details of a potential trade for now. Just know, Rod Thorn ain't doing his job if he doesn't at least call Kahn and the Wolves about a potential Iguodala-for-two swap. It makes too much sense. I doubt the Wolves will get a better offer. Iguodala and pick 16 is much sweeter than the hypothetical proposed here.
Do it!
KAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sources: Sixers sales talks ongoingEmail Print Comments5 By Henry Abbott
ESPN.com
Archive
Philadelphia 76ers owner Comcast-Spectacor is in talks to sell the team to a group led by New York-based leveraged buyout specialist Joshua Harris, according to sources.
Negotiations are ongoing and a source with knowledge of the talks called a deal "imminent."
Once the parties reach final agreement, it would become official only with approval of the league's Board of Governors.
The Sixers were not known to have been for sale.
Harris, 46, co-founded Apollo Global Management, which invests primarily in distressed properties, in 1990. In Forbes' 2011 billionaire rankings, Harris was reported to have a net worth of $1.5 billion.
Other partners in the deal include private equity executive David Blitzer and former NBA player agent and Sacramento Kings executive Jason Levien.
Blitzer moved from New York to London in 2002 to create the London-based European office of the Blackstone Group, one of the largest private investment groups in the world.
As an agent, Levien represented players including Kevin Martin, Luol Deng and Udonis Haslem.
Harris and Blitzer have Philadelphia ties, having graduated from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania within a few years of each other.
Through his holding company Spectacor, Ed Snider has controlled the Sixers since 1996 -- the same year Spectacor merged with Comcast. Comcast-Spectacor also owns the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers, and the Wells Fargo Center where both teams play. The company would continue to own and operate the arena with the Sixers as a tenant, according to sources.
The Harris group would become the sixth owners in the club's 65-year history, which is among the league's richest. Only the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers have won more regular season games, and the Sixers are one of just eight NBA teams with three or more championships.
In recent years the team's performance has been somewhat lackluster, despite a significant payroll. This season, under coach Doug Collins, the Sixers, led by Andre Iguodala, Elton Brand and Thaddeus Young defied expectations by making the playoffs, where they fell to the Miami Heat in five games.
The 78-year-old Snider has long been more closely associated with hockey than basketball. He founded the Flyers in 1966, is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, and operates a Philadelphia-based youth hockey program that bears his name.
A buddy just texted me this earlier today. I love watching ellis play, but I'm not sure he's a guy I'd want on my team. He's one of those guys that always seems banged up too. Plus, that really gives them too many guards...unless they would have another move coming
john hollinger (insider) on ellis:
+ Super quick guard who loves to push tempo and finish in transition.
+ Defensive ball hawk but gambles too much and lacks size for two.
+ Mediocre outside shooter who often shoots contested Js early in shot clock.
Ellis is talented enough that he may eventually become very valuable, but at the moment he is the league's most overrated player. He plays like he learned the game from watching Allen Iverson tapes, and I don't mean that as a compliment. Probably no player in the league took more ill-advised jump shots early in the shot clock, a particular problem in this case because Ellis isn't a good jump shooter -- he made only 33.8 percent of his 3s and 38.1 percent of his long 2s.
Ellis finished with a gaudy scoring average because he played a lot of minutes on a fast-paced team, but he was 47th among shooting guards in both TS% and pure point rating. Basically, he dribbles around looking for a shot unless circumstances force him to pass.
The most damning stat, however, is how much better the team played without him. Golden State outscored its opponents quite comfortably as long as Ellis wasn't around, and finished a whopping 11.4 points per 100 possessions better without Ellis -- giving him the single worst differential in basketball.
I was gonna call him a poor man's AI. Fun to watch, but that doesn't equal wins.
I think they can get more for iguodala. And turner needs a fair shot to play the 2
by Jordan Sams on Jun 6, 2011 11:00 PM PDT in Features
Last summer I compared Monta Ellis and Lou Williams. How can a player who averaged 24 points per game last season (Ellis) be compared to 14-point-per-game Lou Williams you ask? Simple math, my friends.
Check out this statistical comparison from Basketball Reference. When you look at the two players per games statistics Monta is +10 in points per game, +2 in assists, +1.5 in rebounds, +1.5 in steals, and +0.7 in free throws. The kicker, he's also +17 in minutes. When you scroll down to each players statistics 'per 36' minutes (meaning the stats they're projected to put up when each play an equal number of minutes), their numbers are eerily similar.
Per 36
Ellis - 21.5 points, 5 assists, 3.1 rebounds, 1.9 steals
Williams - 21.2 points, 5.2 assists 3.1 rebounds, 1.0 steal
The only significant advantage Monta had over Lou is his field goal percentage of 45, opposed to 41 for Lou. However; when free throws and threes are factored in, the players' true shooting percentages are identical. Lou got to the line 2.5 more times per 36, and shot a slightly better percentage (82% to 79%). He also made 0.3 more threes per 36, but shot a slightly lower percentage than Monta (36% to 35%).
If you want to get all fancy and compare advanced stats, Lou and Monta both had a PER of 18 last season, an identical TRB% of 4.9, an AST% within 0.7 of each other and the same usage rate. Lou edged Monta big time in offensive rating, defensive rating, turnover rate and win shares per 48 minutes. Monta had advantages in steal percentage and effective field goal percentage (the statistic adjusts for the fact that a 3-point field goal is worth one more point than a 2-point field goal).
(If you are unfamilar with these advanced statistics and want to know more visit the Basketball Reference glossary).
Statistics imply that if Lou Williams received the same amount of playing time as Monta Ellis he would put up similar numbers, and vice versa. Obviously this isn't an exact science, because who knows how Lou would react if his opponents game-planned for him they way they game-plan for Monta. But I'd bet a ton of money that Lou would score 20+ points per game if he received Monta's minutes and shots, because they're matching ball-hogging combo guards.
The average percentage of an NBA player's field goals made which are assisted by their teammates is 60%. Lou and Monta were both well below average at 42% and 41%, respectively, meaning they create their own shot more often than one of the teammates create a shot for them.
Whether you're looking at each player's 'per 36' stats, advanced stats, and even more advanced stats like percentage of assisted field goals made Lou Williams and Monta Ellis compare perfectly. They were even drafted out of high school in the same draft (2005), both in the second round! They're essentially the same person, except one is a budding rap star, and the other crashes mo-peds. Oh, and the're both awful defensively.
These similarities between two equal-age players make the Andre Iguodala for Monta Ellis trade rumor look idiotic from the Sixers perspective, because they already have a Monta Ellis clone as their sixth man, with half his salary. I understand the potential trade would save the Sixers 11 million over the next three seasons, but Ellis' contract ends a year after Elton Brand's, so it still prevents the from being major free agency players in 2013 (read here).
I realize trading every Sixers fan's whipping boy for a "go-to scorer" who perrenially drops upwards of 20 points per game sounds like a great idea, but trust me, Monta is not the answer. He doesn't compliment the future backcourt of Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner, he doesn't fill any need that Lou Williams already fills, and he doesn't improve the salary cap situation long-term, only short-term, and only marginally.
To be completely honest, I'd rather trade Iguodala for Hedo Turkoglu.
Just what the sixers need...another non-frontcourt guy that can't shoot.
The sixers are so frustrating to root for.
that was last week's rumor. salary dump. we'd save about 22M and have all kinds of crazy cap space in a couple years. i thought you were interested in that kind of trade before? :?
think i'd like to see them package iggy and one or two other pieces to move up and get one of the better big men in a couple weeks.
gonna be interesting...especially if ownership actually changes.
If the ellis trade is the first of multiple moves, then obviously that changes things. They need frontcourt help desperately.
Like I said, I like watching ellis play, but he's not a guy I'd want on the team I root for.
We'll see how things play out. This shit is all speculation at this point. I'm sure they will fuck it up like they always do