This team has me completely tied in knots. When I read
, I just don't know how to feel about the situation. Earlier in the week, I posited a couple of trades (one involving Brand) which could clear significant cap space this summer, and the logic for making the moves. The logic still holds, but it still just doesn't sit well.
I don't know what Eddie Jordan has against Elton Brand, but it has to be something personal. Jordan has made several thinly-veiled comments slamming Brand, early in the season he benched him for key minutes in a series of games, only extending him after Speights went down to injury. Brand's tweaked hamstring was an opportunity for Jordan to remove Brand from the starting lineup and cut his minutes drastically again. I could maybe understand this if Brand wasn't performing, or if he didn't fit a team need, but neither is the case.
The simple fact is the Sixers are just terrible defensively and their defensive rebounding is beyond atrocious. Why Eddie Jordan can't connect the dots that Elton Brand helps tremendously in both of these areas is beyond me. I'm not just talking about the Elton Brand from three years ago in Los Angeles, either, I'm talking about the EB we've seen since Speights went down and Jordan was forced to play him big minutes. Check out Brand's stat line from the past six games:
- 32 minutes per game
- 47% from the floor (a 1/9 dropped this significantly in the game when he injured his hammy.
- 86% from the line
- 5.4 free throw attempts/36 minutes
- 9.84 rebounds/36 minutes
- 1.67 steals/36 minutes
- 2.6 blocks/36 minutes
- 18 points/36 minutes
By every measure, Brand has been more than a passable rotation player. In fact, he's been much closer to the superstar he was for the Clippers than an over-the-hill PF deserving of a demotion to the bench. Yet on the bench he sits. I'm not even sure what Jordan's problem with Brand could possibly be. He's scoring efficiently, the team is hardly running the PO, and even when they are, Brand is getting a good deal of his points hitting jumpers from the elbow and crashing the boards for easy put-backs. I don't know if it's an alpha dog thing for Jordan, maybe he doesn't want any veterans taking control, or maybe he isn't the ideal player in Jordan's mind for his system (which makes you wonder how well he's going to handle Iverson), whatever the reason, he seems to hate the guy.
This puts the organization in a sticky situation, especially Ed Stefanski. If Stefanski's tenure with the Sixers came to an end today, he'd be judged basically on two moves: Clearing the cap space to sign Elton Brand and choosing Eddie Jordan from a pretty sizable group of available coaches. Trading Elton Brand is essentially admitting one of those moves was a big, big mistake. If you move him, while he's producing like this, you're admitting one of two things (a) You wish you had never signed him, even when he's producing, he doesn't fit this roster or (b) The coach you hand-picked, presumably because he was the man who could integrate Brand with the rest of the roster simply cannot do what he promised in that infamous chalk talk session. Or maybe there's a C, maybe Stefanski believes both decisions were mistakes at this point and he's making the one move he can to maybe make a bad situation a little better while still holding onto his job.
If you're the GM in this situation, you don't have a ton of options. If it was me, and I couldn't fire Jordan without losing my own job, I'd basically cut his nuts off. I'd tell him Brand is your starting power forward, you're going to drop this ridiculous system, on both ends of the floor, and that's that. If Stefanski doesn't have the intestinal fortitude to take a stand like that, then I guess you kind of have to shop Brand at this point. This is part of the larger problem, and really another reason why the Iverson trade makes no sense.
If you don't believe you can compete this season (you can't) or next (you can't if Jordan is your coach), then you really have to try to get Brand off the books. The odds of him being worth $18M+ in 2011-2012 are virtually nil. It just really bothers me that he's finally rounding into form and we aren't even getting a glimpse of what the team at full strength can do because of Eddie Jordan, and we most likely never will.
The Yahoo report says the Sixers were interested in Monta Ellis, but he appears to be off the table now. I still like the Bulls trade I thought up earlier in the week (Brad Miller and Tyrus Thomas), though I find that an extremely unlikely fit. Maybe there's something you can work out with Houston for Tracy McGrady's expiring contract, again, doubtful.
If trading Brand is the path you want to take, it can't help his value that he can't even crack the starting lineup on a 5-14 team that plays no defense, though. Bottom line, Stefanski needs to decide on a direction for this franchise while he still has a job, and he needs to crack the whip to get Jordan in line. Right now, they're like a rudderless ship being captained by an imbecile and they're suffering in every imaginable way.
While probably higher than in the off season Brands trade value is probably still one of the lower trade values for a guy like hi min the league, the article goes on to say that no one would really want Brand...and what the sixers would get in return would be worse than what they traded away.
Bringing him off the bench really won't increase his trade value either
Nope, his value continues to sink, said that above. Jordan is hurting this team in so many ways it's unbelievable. Willie back in the starting lineup tomorrow night.
You know, Eddie needs to get fired yesterday. This is madness. EB is a defensive anchor that is working his way back into being an offensive threat. If you have a better def coach, a lineup of AI, AI, Thad Brand Sam or Jrue, AI, AI, Brand Sam with Thad as 6th man can work. Let them improv on offense, some basic sets. Worry about the D.
Jordan is ruining the team. I wish we had Mo back, honestly. Mo got fired for being 9-14 with EB. How is Jordan being 4 games worse not a problem?
Stefanski better handle his boy
This is why the Eddie Jordan signing has screwed the whole system up. Stefanski could tell Cheeks to play the young kids and get up and down the floor, because he didn't pick Mo as the coach. He could fire Cheeks last year when the offense was at a snails pace and basically coach the team with DiLeo. Now that his hands are tied with the Jordan selection because of "chalk talk," he can't do anything right. I have a feeling that he's going to have to issue a private decree that EB must start and play heavy minutes. Why? Because he's being paid heavy money and is our best front-court player when rebounding is our biggest problem. This is even dumber than Mo not running and playing the kids. Repeat brace-face: He is our BEST big man and is starting to play like the beast we were expecting. I bet Jordan wishes Brand could take contested threes and long twos like Antawn Jamison.
There has to be a point where Stefanski steps in and starts making rotation decisions, has to. He's probably going to lose his job over the Jordan signing, I don't see how he doesn't at least go down swinging.
I keep hearing from media types that Jordan needs "longer rope" because he's a "good coach."
I keep responding that if he sucked on D in Washington, and now the Sixers, an above average defensive team before he arrived, are now at the bottom of the league, how is that NOT his fault?
This team is barely above winless, crippled Jersey while losing only 1 starter and a key reserve. How is that not his FAULT?
I'd love to see some sort of TMac/Brand trade, but I can't imagine Houston would be interested (at all.)
My guess is any Brand trade would be like when CWebb was traded to the Sixers. It would involve a collection of overpaid role players with equally long contracts. Not sure that gets us anywhere.
I guess Monta would be a good fit with EJ, but don't think he works with the current collection of Sixer backcourt players. Although Monta-Green sounds like a bastardized version of Arenas-Stevenson.
If you're going to trade Brand I want (a) cap relief, (b) a legitimate player, (c) draft pick(s).
The absolute worst thing this franchise can do is start signing and/or drafting players who fit into Jordan's system. The system, and the coach, will not be here if/when the team is a legit contender. Moves need to be long term, this coach is anything but.
Oh man, same starters again tomorrow night? He honestly is playing Willie Green over Elton Brand for long stretches of time. I have no words.
Kate Fagan tweeted that Brand is not happy about not starting again. I'm not a big fan of players voicing their displeasure to the media, but maybe Brand (who is as classy as they come) needs to do just that in this case.
Eddie Jordan watch: he's 6-24 in his last 30 NBA games. By comparison, Lawrence Frank was 5-25 in his last 30. Hypothetical question: if the Sixers' losing streak hits 16 as well, do you think Eddie gets canned then?
We can only wish. If O-for-Dec gets him canned, then that's my Xmas wish
Frank is a better coach and has less talent to work with.
Poor EB is in a no win situation as long as Jordan is around. He plays great for 4 games as a starter, then gets hurt and sits out a couple. When he comes back he picks up where he left off coming off the bench and of course Brace Face says he really played well off the bench.
No shit moron he played great starting too. Once in a while look at the other end of the court not just the offensive end.
And it is probably not helping right now that the REAL team of Snider's affection is probably sucking up most of his bandwidth with their less-than-stellar play.
If it were me, I would fire EJ today and see if ESnow wanted to throw a whistle on.
There are so many people I'd hire yesterday. This should be the last straw. Brand is producing and getting jerked around like he's on a 10-day
It would probably be very hard to bring in a guy who is coaching for somebody else mid-season...and of the guys that are currently on the staff, the only guy who fits the bill might be McKie...but I think I would rather have somebody like Snow - a PG who knows how to run an offense (there is a reason why so many NBA HC's were former PG's)...a guy who played and appreciates in-your-jock D...a guy who played for LB for years...
Aaahhh...I know it won't happen, but a guy can dream...
Snow would require more money. I seriously doubt they fire Jordan, but if they did, I think you've got McKie, Lynam then DiLeo as the possible successors for the remainder of the season.
I think you have the list. One thing in McKie's favor is that he actually has been working as an assistant for the last couple years. He could bring Snow in with him, as a matter of fact.
Actually McKie fits your description too. McKie ran the team when Snow went down and posted back to back triple-doubles. Known as a smart player, played for multiple hall-of-famers.
According to his Wiki, Snow effectively was an assistant coach for Mike Brown in Cleveland in 2007-08, even though he was still listed as a player (he had torn knee ligaments during the season and could not play).
I think that Snow is better HC material than McKie.
Maybe, it is fairly close. Snow has said that he considers himself a Sixer first and foremost. It is not outside the realm of possibility.
Especially because with AI here, Snow and McKie might have the best shot of harnessing what he has got left with what is already on the roster.
I'd love to see Snow install the Cleveland/SA defensive philosophy here, as well.
As the sixer's world turns. What an intriguing season.
Elton must have undermined coach's authority. Probably went right to Stefanski. I guess it wasn't appreciated. Since Elton's strengths don't exactly fit coach's style Coach wants him outtahere! Can't wait until AI questions Coach's decisions. More soap opera than basketball team. Should bring Victor in to clean house.
Or the Wolf(Pulp Fiction)... lol
Brand is pissed off, and he has every right to be. Someone needs to hold Jordan accountable.
http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/deep-sixer/Brand_not_happy.html
He is fucking pissed.
I read that, was talking to Kate on her chat(she could be a good guest for you all BTW). I was pissed about it & She said I sounded like him
I saw that comment, thought it might be you. I got a couple questions in.
Yep, that be me. Unfortunately, she believes Jordan won't get pulled this year. Although she is convinced that Jordan hasn't lost the team with his Brand treatment. Can't see that. If I were on the team, that whole "EB is not a 40-min player, oh wait?" would've done it. How can you trust anything the guy's saying?
Trade machine. Brand for Maggette & speedy claxton. It works and certainly would be favored by the coach.
EJ would love that, a guy who can score and not play D....Perfect!
EJ would love that, a guy who can score and not play D....Perfect!
I like what Brand has been showing us lately. I would much rather watch EB play for us another 4 years instead of watching one more game with Iggy fart face, Lou Williams, and that Prick Sammy D. My bad I forgot to mention that pile of happy horseshit also known as Bill Greene.
Fuk Ed Stefanski, F Mr. Snider, F Eddie Jordon and the horse they rode in on. All these years of losing have been catching up to me mentally.
Fire Eddie Jordan. He wasn't that good to begin with. he sucked with the Wizards and suddenly turned a ++ defensive team into the Warriors. Honestly what has this pig-faced farce of a coach proven? Hey Stefanski, bring on Avery or Dennis Scott. Those guys are proven winners, they surely will command the respect of the young guns and utilize EB properly, a 17-10-2-1-2 guy with excellent defense at the 4-5 positions and not the fringe guy that pig-faced EJ is portraying him to be. For all of EBs injury history he's still the most skilled offensive player in this offense-challenged team.
You mean Byron Scott, right? Other than that, I agree.
Post of the day IMO.
I don't know who should be the coach, but I do know it's NOT EDDIE JORDAN. Defense is the team's #1 problem. Defense requires 3 things 1. A reasonable system; 2. Athletic players; 3. Consistent effort. Two of those things are coaching and the players have excellent athleticism. With an offensively challenged team - especially w/o Lou and Maurice, the team should be concentrating on defense. I thought they'd be a little better on defense with EB and LW in the lineup but they are much worse. EJ MUST GO!!!
lol the flyers were jealous that the sixers were stealing all their attention so they decided to fire the coach
Maybe that was bad reporting an they actually fired Jordan.
I received advice a few years back that I should never hire friends into a business. It complicates situations and makes things a lot harder when you have to step up and make changes.
If you apply this to Stefanski and Jordan...
This uncollected, no confidence having, rag tag bunch that this sum bitch has created. I truly believe that he is SATAN and his whole purpose to come here was to sabotage a decent team with at the least average talent and ruin my fall, winter and spring. This guy is a fucking ringer, off with his head. Someone please be our savior and rid us of this mercenary.
- a truly, truly depressed fan
elton has been way too classy in his stay here to deserve to wind down his career in this craphole. he needs to go to a contender. jordan needs to be fired. go with the idea of bringing in byron scott as a coach, or maybe eric snow (i liked that idea too of whoever mentioned it). i can not admit that i was 100% against the signing of ej in the summer. i was slightly dissappointed (yet somewhat intrigued), as i think a lot of fans were. but this is just a bad, bad situation.
if the team does not play the right way under scott or someone like that. then we know for sure to just start over and that this team can't work.
This is rediculous anyone who knows basketball and follows the sixers, i guess EJ is neither, see's the progression in Elton Brands game and knows that he is returning to form. I noticed all year long that he makes the stupidiest most rediculous subs and they are only offensive subs. So im glad i read a couple of your posts and realized im not alone. Lastly Willie Green is a very bad player the fact that he plays more than 7 minutes in any game for any team is beyond me. I do like the weave in the PO Lou Will has really flourished in that and i think A.I will also. This comment was random but i needed to Vent. We are a better team than most people think and with A.I here if we play D i think we can be dangerous. But we wont play d untill EJ is gone.
If stefanski doesn't realize that eddie jordan has set this team back then he doesn't deserve to keep his job. A good leader knows when to say they were wrong make a change. If he is scared to lose his job because EJ was his guy then he needs to go too. Brand shouldn't be shopped around the league from what I have seen. If they really want to trade him then they should play him 40 min. Get his stats up. This whole season makes no sense.
Hi Leute,
Rockberries sowie Jana Beller - ein Traumduo? Die Jana Beller hat ja schon bei GNTM ganz schön rumgezickt und hinterher auch den Klum als Manager geschasst. Ich denke, die weiß, was sie will und hat sich anhand Rockberries.com die richtigen Compagnon reingeholt. Bei denen geht es um Schmuck, den man sich online zurechtstellen kann. Eventuell wird das ja eine relativ große Sache und ist nicht bloß heiße Luft. Wie seht Ihr das?