Thursday, September 13, 2007

The Bottomline for the 76ers

Can you compare the second half of last season to the success of the entire 07/08 season?

You can't. Too many factors come up before and during the regular season, especially with this team. Based on the way the Sixers played last year, you would think they would be a lock to make the playoffs.

But given how young this team is, is it really possible to make the playoffs? I think this team has potential, but the non-homer kiddo sitting on my right shoudler says it's not. Has a team of 20 year olds ever made the playoffs?

Will Andre Iguodala continue to shine and play at the pace he played to end last season? Will Samuel Dalembert learn consistency? Will Andre Miller show signs of age? Can Reggie Evans really rebound the ball? Is Carney a starter in this league or is he more of a track star in the wrong sport? Can Korver improve on his defense?

Everything is being judged on paper right now. On paper the Sixers are one of the worst if not the worst in the conference. I really like our team, just not for this season. Next year or the year after that we'll really see what this team is made out of. BK is doing things the right way. Build around defense, rebounding, passing and players who hustle every game. Will our draft picks turn out to be players in that mold? It's all on paper, we don't know.

The bottomline is BK is solely depending on the development of four rookies to take this team into the playoffs. The Sixers lacked depth last year to the point where it cost them game after game. BK is bringing in big men for a reason. When Shav got injured last season, BK really had no plan for the PF position. He lucked out by Steven Hunter doing an admirable job filling in. Joe Smith was a god send. He single handedly won the Sixers several games late last year by his leadership, presence and jump shot. BK traded for a rebounder in Evans that seems to be a good fit but what can we really expect from a guy that's never averaged more than half a game's minutes in any season.

Sixers fans look to last season as a sign of hope. Objective fans look at last season as a debacle, one that turned from obtaining a superstar in the draft to something meaningless. I'm somewhere right in between. Last year they found a niche that has not been seen in a long long time. We obtained a point guard with a winners mentality that got everyone involved. On one hand it was Andre Miller that cost us a draft pick, but on the other hand it showed us exactly what a solid point guard can do alongside team first players.

While I believe the Sixers will have a horrendous season (33 to 36 wins), I really believe this team will show signs of life. While some fans will be displeased with the win total, true Sixers fans will really enjoy this season. Fans such as myself have been dying to see their team reach back to respectability. Lets face it, we lost that when AI was here. Not that it was solely his fault, but our team was undisciplined, a mess, and even a joke. Speaking frankly, we (Sixer fans) cannot be quick to evaluate this team in October and November. This season is for two things only: to build chemistry and gain experience for the future.

What's different about this season? We have a direction. With such a young team the only way to go is up. Sure there will be fumbles and growing pains along the way, but it's completely natural. This roster will show glimpses of what is to become, but consistency will be the nail in the coffen, especially in the fourth quarter.

BK has a plan, I can feel it. I predict the Sixers will be right in the high lottery this season, but will I be mad to see them make the playoffs as an 8th seed? Never. I'm just ready to get back to watching 'smart' basketball. A team that plays with discipline, fundamentals, hustles and shows heart, which is exactly THE component to any successful franchise. It may not be this season for our Sixers, but it's coming along from the players BK is building around. The team is being rebuilt around defense and passing, which brings a smile to my face. How many times the past 4 seasons did we wonder what our identity was? We had none.

There is light at the end of the tunnel. It's there. Unfortunitely this is a slow moving train that won't see the prize for a little while longer.

Bring on the season baby. This Sixer fan is ready. Are you?

LETS GO SIXERS!

Monday, September 10, 2007

Get Rid of Willie Green and the Sixers are Set

Sixers trade Steven Hunter and Bobby Jones for Reggie Evans

Decent trade. Fills needs for the Sixers and the Nuggets.

Why the trade is good for the Sixers:

Hunter simply had no space on this roster when the Sixers drafted PF/C Jason Smith. Sure he had a reasonable contract for what he brought, but the Sixers DO NOT need the type of player he is. Lets face it, Steven Hunter is no complement to Samuel Dalembert. The Sixers do not need another guy who does nothing but block shots and take up a roster spot. The Sixers need a bruising power forward who can rebound, rebound and rebound. Jason Smith and Steven Hunter are practically mirror images. Although they both block shots and can run the floor, Jason Smith is much much more polished and has a better touch on offense. Steven Hunter provided excellent defense while he was here, make no mistake. He filled in admirably as a interim starter for our beloved Sixers and I hope he has a great future, he just doesn't have a spot given the emergence of Amundson and Herbert Hill. Where does the trade leave Shav? Shav may be on the way out based on his injury history and I feel the coaches favor Amundson over Randolph. My one fear going into the regular season was Bobby Jones making the team over Derrick Byars. There is no way a team can cut an SEC player of the year over a guy like Bobby Jones. With Jones gone, the 2/3 position just got a whole lot better IMO. Reggie Evans is a heck of a rebounder, exactly what we lack. I'm not quite sure the whole future Evans obtains with the Sixers, but he is the bruiser they really need. I can easily see Reggie Evans being trade bait along Andre Miller at the trade deadline. Evans will start from the first day guranteed. Either way, I don't see this trade having any effect on this upcoming season because it doesn't fix our woes on offense, but the team should be much better defensively. I absolutely LOVE what Billy King is doing to this team. He's filling a roster built on defense and rebounding, the best way to go. The way I see it, Evans will be an overpaid energy guy coming off the bench in a year or two but will not get many minutes. He'll be traded or cut in a year or two and won't have an impact with the future of this roster. He will not be starting mid season. Ricky Sanchez will never put on a Sixer uniform.

Sixers Current Starting Lineup

Andre Miller, Louis Williams
Rodney Carney, Willie Green
Andre Iguodala, Kyle Korver, Thaddeus Young, Derrick Byars
Reggie Evans, Herbert Hill, Louis Amundson
Samuel Dalembert, Jason Smith

Why the trade is good for the Nuggets:

The Nuggets got exactly what they needed, which was pretty much the opposite of what the Sixers needed. Whereas the Sixers needed rebounding and a physical presence in the paint, the Nuggets needed a guy like Hunter who can block shots and run the floor. The Nuggets run a super uptempo style of offense and Hunter should fit right into the Nugget's offensive scheme. They needed a guy who can alter shots on defense, exactly what Steven Hunter can bring. Bobby Jones is defender which is what the Nuggets lack. He won't get playing time on the Nuggets, but he's worth a look on a team that struggled to find role players in the post season.

Overall:

I give the better grade to the Nuggets for this trade. They get a valuable player, a role player for a team that just cannot seem to find any. Hunter will jump right in and block shots, exactly what they need. The Nuggets also save some cash, Evans will battle to start for the Sixers, and will probably win the job, displaying how poor the position really is in Philadelphia. I think him and Andre Miller could develop some good chemistry together. The Sixers lack a veteren and a bruiser, and they get that with Evans. Evans is now the only rebounder on the Sixers roster and could average over 10 per game this season, no joke. More importantly the Sixers get roster space and can add one of their promising young players like Herbert Hill or Derrick Byars. Good addition by subtraction for the Sixers.

Now all that is left is for the Sixers to get rid of Willie Green, which will allow future all star Thaddeus Young and Derrick Byars to get some playing time this season. Get it done BK!

Grade for the Sixers: C plus
Grade for the Nuggets: B minus

I think fans of both teams should be pretty content about this trade.