Joe Smith, Darko Milicic and Mikki Moore were the free agent power forwards the Sixers set their sights on this off season. Darko went to Memphis (3 years, $21M), Mikki Moore to Sacramento (no terms), and now the Sixers’ number one priority, Joe Smith, is going to Chicago (2 years, $10M).
According to David Aldridge, the Sixers had offered Smith $10 million for 3 years. I really wanted Smith back to bring some experience to the PF rotation, but that price was probably too steep. He’s going to help the Bulls.
Now that the three best free agent options at PF have found homes, the Sixers should plan to go with who they’ve got: Jason Smith, Herbert Hill, Stephen Hunter, Louis Amundson and Shavlik Randolph. They should be able to fashion 48 minutes of passable power forward play out of that group. Smith has the outside game, Hill has the back-to-the-basket moves, Amundson brings unparalleled energy and Randolph and Hunter are warm bodies. It’s doubtful that they’ll all make the team. If it were up to me, Shav would be the odd man out. Maybe the Sixers can find a taker for Hunter.
OK Sixers fans, let’s assume these are the PFs going into the season, who’s your starter? I’m saying Smith, and I’m not sure that’s a good thing. Another possiblity is a small lineup with Thad at the 4. I’m definitely not in favor of that.
Aldridge was busy this weekend, he has another piece blasting the Rashard Lewis signing. I agree with his take. Orlando overpaid for Lewis. The column centers around a very important question for the Sixers, if Lewis is worth $119M, how much will Iguodala be worth when he hits the open market? If you ask me, Iguodala is on par with Lewis right now, give him two years and he’ll be better.
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Now Brian here is my comment after a sunny Sunday spent watching Six-LAL of the SL (yes, I don't have a life...)
10 mill for Joe Smith is way too much, good for him. now does this mean that Chi with Tyus Thomas, Ben Wallace, Noah and Smith will trade one of them?
to me, the guy who will not make the team is Amnudson, I don't get where all this love for him comes from, honestly.
H Hill seems better to me, Amnudson simply doens't have the size and the bulk to play in this league. But maybe it's only me
Amundson is big enough, and he's a huge energy guy. He's basically Renaldo Balkman, only the Sixers didn't use a first-round draft pick to get him.
totally disagree with you this time
he's not that big, he seems to me actually smaller than Jason Smith
and Balkman plays SF.
You probably meant the comparison referring to him being the "energy guy" but then we could say that he's our Nate Robinson, or Earl Boykins, lol
ok I think I'll make a post about Amundson on my blog, jeez... :-)
He's 6'9", 225, same size as David Lee, bigger than Balkman and just a little bit smaller than Anderson Varajeo. Those are the players he's most similar to. He crashes the boards, blocks shots and gives hard fouls, that's what I meant by energy guy.
Amundson will definitely make the team. You probably haven't seen him play but he is exactly what the team needs. He is a great shot blocker, takes charges, and punishes defenders who try and go to the hoop. Is he undersized? Yes, but he definitely can play. Needs to improve foul shooting. Shav should not make the team but he prolly will seeing how he is from Duke.
I'm hoping they deal Hunter maybe for the likes of Juan Carlos Navarro. That helps get rid of the log jam we have at PF and gives an actual shooting guard.
Thoughts?
I'd love to see a euro shooting guard come in here, I was hoping for Belinelli or Fernandez in the draft. I don't know if the Wizards would be interested in Hunter, and I'm not sure the Sixers would trade him. He's really the only experienced guy in that rotation.
Shav should be the odd man out, but I agree with Mix, he probably won't be. My best bet right now is Herbert Hill to the NBADL, although I think he'd contribute more than Shav.
It looks like the 76ers really are lacking a big front. Joe Smith was okay to let go, as he's turning 75 (I think) quite soon. The only problem is they didn't tie down Darko or Moore. Moore would have been their best bet, and he would have given them a solid presence up front. Check me at www.clutch3.com