Two big storylines over the past several days: The Knicks claimed on
washed up PG off waivers and the Thunder
signed another. Excellent.
If Kevin Ollie was atop your wish list for the Sixers' third-string point, time to go back to the drawing board. The Thunder snagged Ollie. The Knicks claimed Jason Williams (Not the one that shot his driver, nor the one that crashed his motorcycle), meaning they have a window to sign him before he becomes an unrestricted free agent. This J. Williams has some experience running the Princeton Offense, although I'm not entirely sure he ever ran it particularly well. His highest shooting percentage in Sacramento was 40.7%. Personally, I think the Knicks can have him.
As I'm sure you all heard, the Sixers offered more money to Hakim Warrick than the Bucks, but he chose Milwaukee. Not much you can do about that, although as Rob said to me via Twitter, it's becoming tiresome seeing the Sixers lose out on all these FAs who they were rumored to be interested in.
One other mildly interesting item: The Bucks jettisoned Bruce Bowen (his contract was only partially guaranteed, so this move was expected). The Sixers are looking for a backup wing, among other things, would you throw a one-year offer at Bowen for the bi-annual ($1.9M)? I think I would. He isn't the defender he once was, not even close, but he's still as dirty as they come. He could come in for brief stretches and frustrate the hell out of guys like Paul Pierce and Dwyane Wade, maybe rough them up a little bit. Plus, even in his advanced years he did shoot nearly 43% from three last season. I think it's worth a shot.
Bowen goes on my "wings" list, right beside Ime Udoka and I guess Rodney Carney.
Well. Ivey looks to be coming back. I guess we have our backup guard. At least he's not a washed up guard. I hope he can hit that 3 pt shot for the entire season. I'm glad he's getting another shot with us.
I wouldn't mind having Bowen either, but I would assume our chances are just right above 0 at actually getting him. Why on earth would he come here? He can hop on w/ a contender and make at least 1/2 of that.
I do like Royal Ivey as a defender. I guess he will fit in the PO because he is really not a true point guard although he will get some 3's in this offense. The Sixers need a backup center or a Joe Smith type. I would like Carney to be the other wing option. I think he fits with this team.
Not even the best available veteran to sign on a one year deal - but ROyal Ivey.
Oh boy
i'd be fine with this royal ivey signing (if royal starts shooting 38-39% from three all of a sudden)
I don't want Ivey to take minutes from Jrue. Ivey is probably the better defender at this point, but Jrue needs the minutes.
Coaches have a tendency to go with low upside vets who can give you a better shot at winning- at the expense of minutes for young players more likely to make a mental mistake. Signing Ivey, who physically is very similar to Jrue, makes me concerned, but I guess we will see.
Instead of Ivey, I would have preferred more of a bench scorer like maybe Luther Head. That way Jrue can get the minutes as the 6'3" defensive guard, and have someone replace Lou as an offensive spark off the bench.
My guess is that Ed would have liked this too, but can't find a bench scorer for the min (or Ivey has no other options.)
Ans on a side note, I think I view Sessions like Brian does Gortat. I just think someone is going to get a steal with Sessions. He would fit well in a rotation with the current Sixers, and can give you scoring and assists from both guard positions.
I think Ivey is being brought in as a s.g. as much as a p.g. .My issue with him is his finishing ability around the basket. With all the cutting in the new offense you have to be able to finish well at the rim. He seemed okay at the corner 3 though so we will see. If L.Will. at the p.g. doesn!t work than we will have a very good defensive tandem in Jrue and Royal at the p.g., something that should improve our defense greatly.
Mighty somber 'round these parts today. A Royal Ivey re-signing can do just that.
Can we officially secure possession of the moniker 'Worst backcourt in the NBA' by now? Guess I now don't sound so illogical and nonsensical with my Willie G getting around 20-25 min. a night, huh?
There was much debate over Eddie Jordan being an offensive-minded coach, but having a team full of supposed 'defenders' does no good if you don't have anyone to sufficiently shoot the perimeter shot. I mean, EJ can't shoot it for them.
So we now have Royal Ivey and the much ballyhooed Ivey-lite (Jrue). Two guys who are questionably known for defense but whose offensive shortcomings can best be labeled as lengthy. And this goes without saying the train-wreck that Lou can be with turnovers (while mostly playing off the ball - someone please help us with him on the ball) and trigger happy jumpers. I won't even venture into his penchant for jump-passes. And we can't leave out the beloved Willie Green. This may be a year of firsts for me on this front - I foresee myself wanting to see Willie get in the game when provided with the alternatives.
I know, how sad.
And can we please stop with the 'don't want player X to take minutes from Jrue' and 'Jrue needs minutes' nonsense?
Jrue Holiday better earn his keep on the PCOM practice courts in 5 on 5 settings and the offseason. 82 games on NBA courts during live game action is nowhere for a prospect to try his hand. That is what the NBDL was created for.
Even though we may not be considered contenders, that is no excuse to not put your best lineups on the floor at all times in order to be competitive. This project needs to show he even remotely belongs; behind closed doors against his teammates before he even sniffs the bright lights. If there are those that want him to 'get' time that bad, then send him down where he can get all the minutes he needs and it won't be at the expense of my League Pass dollar.
The organization took a hard-line with Lou early on, and Speights last year, with minutes. So let this kid earn his keep instead of minutes coming by way of default, which is very likely at this point considering the limited options.
You are absolutely right. He'll earn his minutes on the practice court. Hopefully, he progresses like Thad. The minutes will be there. He should be able to play with Lou, Royal, Willie, Iggy and the shooter.
I agree. If management is going to go this route with these 4 guards then he (Jrue) will have to play, almost by default. I am just on hands and knees nightly that if he gets those minutes, he will be able to knock down perimeter jumpers b/c opposing teams will surely play off of him.
I'm just curious if Ivey is the 'wing' that Ed wanted to sign or the 'vet PG'? My guess is the wing since he can play some 3 like he did last year but it is also my hope when taking point guard into account. (Please get a point Ed)
This kind of tells me that they are not planning to play that much 'small-ball' this year, if you operate on the premise that Dala would get around 40 minutes a night at the 2 because Willie or Royal are your only other alternatives with neither being known as the fanciest of shooters. And you can't reasonably expect Lou to get that much time at the 2, with Jrue just not being able to readily adjust to the huge step-up in competition running the point.
But the flip-side of this is what I mentioned earlier - Willie getting meaningful minutes at the 2-guard with Dala moving over to the 3 position, which really isn't small-ball considering Willie's height, but that would mean someone besides Thad would have to be at the 4.
Hypotheses to ponder...
My main point still is they have a need at scoring guard who can shoot. A defensive guard with poor pg and shooting skills like Ivey does not fill a need unless you plan on having Jrue on the bench or in the d league for the year.
This type of move will lead to more WG and less Jrue this year.
All true. Which is why I said above that I will be on the Willie bandwagon if it comes to a choice between him or Jrue getting minutes. This widespread anointing of Jrue being this defensive whiz is truly overstated. And I said it on here several weeks back but was ridiculed, about the lack of signings on Anthony Parker and Jannero Pargo - both capable shooters.
Now things may change, but the lack of direction this franchise was taking around the time those signings (Parker and Pargo) took place was foreshadowing to a degree. And that isn't even taking into account the inexpensive signings by other teams that have taken place since those two.
I have no clue as to why they are installing an offense that is so dependent on outside shooting but don't ink any guys who can stay on the court long enoung AND respectably shoot, with the key word being respectably. (Here's looking at you Kapono as for being on the court extended minutes)
But this all goes back to draft night and that pick. They had to fill a PG and shooting guard hole but took a kid that is not ready to even man the point. This pick created all these other needs that have to be and were never filled. They had the choice to take a more NBA ready point now or get a sure-fire shooter and they drooled over the dreaded 'upside', with at best a project.
And they did this while knowing that they weren't going to spend any reasonable money on available free agents? And to boot, they did this while surely knowing they didn't want Miller to be a part of the team going forward - arguably your best player and the straw that stirred the drink?
Although I'm hopeful Jrue will turn out to be a good PG... I share the majority of your frustration.