 Looking At The Bigs The Sixers' backcourt has garnered the lion's share of attention so far this summer, and rightly so, but there are issues up front as well. After the jump I'll lay out what I think the rotations at the four and the five should look like.
I'll start with my summation, then give my logic below. Doling out the 96 minutes at the PF and C was easier to do before I actually looked at the numbers, and even when I worked the math out, there was still a key decision to be made, which we'll talk a little about later on. Here's the first distribution I came up with:
The list above would probably be my, "You're coaching for your job," rotation. With no mandate to get the young guys extra minutes, and my only concern being winning as many games as possible this season, this is the rotation I'd use. I don't want to mess around with Thad at the four for more than a brief stretch to mix things up, ditto Brand at the five. I believe Speights' natural position is the four, so I'm utilizing his abilities at the four, and trying to keep the offense running efficiently through the four when Brand is out of the game. There aren't a ton of minutes for Jason Smith, so he's going to have to earn them in the center rotation. Dalembert will play 28 minutes per game. I know people will laugh and say he'll never last for 28 minutes, but that's not accurate. If you look at Sammy's game logs from last season, he only fouled out twice, both times in November. He totaled five fouls eight different times. In those games, only twice did he commit five fouls in less than 25 minutes of action. 22 times he committed four fouls, in those games he averaged 22 minutes. 50 times he committed three or fewer fouls, in those games he only averaged 24.4 minutes. My point is that yes, at times Sammy's minutes were cut because of fouls, but it wasn't necessarily his fault, at least not entirely. As the season wore on, Coach DiLeo followed a disturbing pattern. He'd leave Sammy in at the beginning of the game until he picked up his second foul, then sit him for the remainder of the half. Then he'd play him at the beginning of the third quarter either until he picked up his fourth foul or it was time to go small toward the end of the quarter. Once he picked up that fourth foul, he was done for the game quite often. This just doesn't make sense, on any level. Typically, players are pulled if they accumulate two fouls in the first, three in the second or four in the third simply so they don't foul out before the fourth quarter. Usually, the player goes back in the second until he picks up his third, goes back in fourth until he fouls out or picks up his fifth if it's early in the quarter. The Sixers never did this Dalembert. Essentially, he played most of the season with only 4 fouls at his disposal, two per half. Had normal rotations been used to protect Sammy, instead of punishing him, he easily could've averaged 28 minutes last season. It's never acceptable to go to the press with your gripes, at least not in my eyes, but when you think about it, maybe Sammy had a legitimate reason to be upset. Yes, I realize Sammy can frustrate the hell out of you, and I realize he's shown almost no emotional, or basketball growth over the past several seasons, but the fact remains, he's a dominant force on the glass, and he is one of the best rim protectors in the game. The anti-Sam argument on defense is mainly his pick-and-roll defense and switching, both mental aspects of the game, and he both things he needs to tighten up. But he's one of the few guys who really makes up for those gaffs with serious production on defense. Goaltends happen, and honestly, I'd rather live with one every other game, than have a tentative shot blocker. When in doubt, clear it out. On offense, we all know Sammy wants to be more than he is and do more than he should. Fine, he wants to shoot 15 footers from time to time, he has no low-post moves. It really doesn't matter. The guy puts in his work on the offensive end as well. Here's a fun stat for you, in 82 games Dalembert had more offensive rebounds than missed field goal attempts 45 times. He only attempted more that 10 shots nine times. The boneheaded plays are unbelievably frustrating, but when you look at the numbers, Sammy has accepted his role, and he's even thrived in it on the floor. I'm not inside his head, but if his complaint last year was how his minutes were doled out, he can definitely make the case. He produced when he was on the floor, and if he saw more action this team wouldn't have gotten killed on the boards so often, especially the defensive glass. Okay, that's enough of a rant for this morning, let's continue with the topic at hand. If my concern isn't squeezing every last win out of this roster, my rotations at the four and five would vary as such:
If the front office tells me this season is a free pass. It's a year to figure out exactly what you have on the roster, so they can assess where the true weaknesses lie as they tool up for a title run a year or two down the road, then I'm going to get Smith and Speights extra minutes at both the four and the five. Sam's clock in Philly is ticking down to zero and the team needs to know if Speights is strong enough, physically and mentally, to man the five spot when it's time for Sam to leave. They have to know if Smith is more than a finesse big, can he clean the glass and protect the rim? Rumor has it the Sixers will try to bring in a Speaking of Jordan, anyone care to guess at what his minute distribution for the bigs will look like? Let me know in the comments. 
Latest Posts• Twelve is Looming • More Distractions • Moving Day • There Is a Precedent • First-Person Report: Sixers vs. Pistons • At Least It Wasn't the Threes • Our Weakness is Weaker Than Yours • Thriving At the Two? • Eddie Jordan Confidence Meter (1/4 Seaso • The Day After • Sixers All Over NBA.com Video • First-Person Report: Sixers vs. NuggetsSearchBlogs in The NetworkSixers BlogsPassion and Pride Sixers 4 Guidos Liberty Ballers Recliner GM PhillyArena Heard In The Cheap SeatsSilver Dollar Slots | ||||||||||||||||
I agree with everything in this post. That being said, I fear the Sixers are going to put Thad at the 4 and Brand at the 5, which is something I really don't want to happen. I'm hoping your 'free pass' scenario comes true. I kind of hoped they'd have done it last year while Brand was laid up but I guess Ed S. didn't see it that way.
I'm not sure I could do the free pass scenario. As much negativity as there is out there, the Sixers have really overachiever recently and I'm a big winning begets winning proponent. If I'm coaching, I put the best possible team on the floor and work the younger guys into situations where their strengths help the team win and the team's strengths help minimize their flaws. their roles increase as they earn the minutes.
Experience is more valuable if the minutes matter (playoffs especially) and the minutes are earned.
At least that's what you'd get from me as a coach. I hope Jordan operates that way as well.
I'd prefer they did the free pass last year while Brand was hurt. Specifically, I'd like to have seen Iggy at the 2 and Thad at the 3 plus Lou trying the point more with the starters.
This year, if they can get the youngsters meaningful minutes and not do the free pass I'd be fine. I just don't want the vets getting all the minutes and not playing the youngsters or seeing who can play what positions. It is important seeing Iggy/Thad on the wings, Lou and Jrue at the point and Speights/Smith splitting between the 4/5.
I'm trying not to be negative; just (hopefully) realistic. Developing the youngsters is the most important task as no matter what they do they won't be a contender this year. If they can develop the young talent and make the playoffs great. But I'd rather them miss the playoffs and develop the youngsters than make the playoffs by sitting the youngsters.
I hope Jrue gets decent floor time as I think he's going to need it. Not only is he young but he didn't get to play point (other than a few minutes) last year.
Sammy having had had 9 games of 10 shots or more is way too much. Unless he is getting a lob to dunk, it would be best if he never shot the ball. The problem with Sammy besides being 4th grade dumb on the basketball court is that he is a sissy. Dwight Howard throws an elbow at him that almost takes his head off and then last week when Dumbo saw him at the orlando league he went over to give Dwight a big hug. What a soft, mentally weak, diva without talent, and a thief of millions player this guy is.
Likin your analysis of Sammy's real situation. It's not all good, but it's not all bad. Overall, he's useful. We're stuck with him for at least another year (miracle mid-season trade notwithstanding), might as well see what we can wring out of him.
I'd run the big minutes like this...
Power Forward: Elton Brand (31 minutes), Marreese Speights (17 minutes), Jason Smith (emergency only)
Center: Sam Dalembert (28 minutes), Jason Smith (12 minutes), Marreese Speights (8 minutes), Elton Brand (emergency/match-to-exploit only)
The big question is re how badly Sam might screw up the PO. If he's not inflicting too much damage, roll with him.
No idea how Jordan's gonna play it. Can't wait for the first preseason games.
p.s. I should say that's my see who's got what lineup. If I'm more interested in winning now as much as possible, it'd be more like..
Power Forward: Elton Brand (28 minutes), Marreese Speights (20 minutes), Jason Smith (emergency only)
Center: Sam Dalembert (28 minutes), Elton Brand (10 minutes), Marreese Speights (5 minutes), Jason Smith (5 minutes)
Yes, it's a cut in Elton's PF mins, but the drop off between he and M16 isn't nearly as much as the gap between Elton and any backup center. Speights can handle a few mins more than he got last season at his prime role. I may be biased ;-)
Brian, I hope you are right about Sam!s minutes, a coach who knows what he is doing, playing for his last contract, and having Elton out there next to him are 3 good things to look forward to with him.That being said, I expect Elton, Thad and Iggy to all get 10 minutes ,at least, a night at the 5,4, and 3 respectively. And wwhatever big that works the best in a high post passing fashion WILL be hard to get off the court.
I have to agree with Real and ...
I think the key to his minutes is going to be how he fits into the PO. As a Georgetown grad, I've watched them run the PO for a few years. We've been fortunate to have Hibbert and now Greg Monroe as centers. In the PO, you need your center to be a good passer; to be able to step up and execute the back-door pass. Hibbert learned and became excellent at this. Monroe has stepped in right away. For some reason, I just can't see Sammy doing this for the Sixers. If that's the case, I think you're going to see very limited minutes.
I didn't realize Georgetown was running the PO these days. Pretty ironic.
In the PO, you need your center to be a good passer
Yeah, I was afraid of that :)
I don't recall much offense running through Haywood in Washington. There are definitely ways to minimize a guy's role in the offense, but he's going to have to be able to do something (move w/out the ball, screen for someone on the weak side, etc).
Yeah, and which one of those has Sam shown any skill at so far in his career?
He's good at diving to the hole for lobs, start there. Show him how setting a hard screen on the weak side is a simple pivot away from being a wide open dunk.
I don't know. I'm hoping this is a fresh start for Sam and not a situation where we're going into training camp with it already decided that Brand is going to be the center for 20 minutes/game.
As I understand it the princeton offense that jordan likes to use will expose sams weaknesses more, those weaknesses being court vision, ball handling, passing, the mental aspects of the game. There's a lot of motion and crisp passing involved...sam sometimes has troubles holding on to the ball.
He's not playing for his last contract this year, players don't 'turn it on' two years before...that's next season, but I don't expect he'll be any better or worse this or next season.
Yes Dileo probably yanked with his minutes too much last year, that's fine, but I'm sorry, Sam's been whining about things publicly since the O'brien years, so I am not excusing it, you don't go public about stuff like this, you don't talk about 'my minutes', that's just stuff you don't do.
The sixers are stuck with Sam cause he has a bad contract, a bad reputation and no one wants him...cause it's pretty clear the sixers have been looking to move him for over six months now and can't get more than the dregs of the NBA offered back to them. They're stuck with him and maybe he'll play well this year and they'll find a taker...my feeling is that he'll be more exposed in a real offensive set than the nonsense cheeks and dileo ran the past two years, and his trade value will actually go down.
I really think Brand is typically going to at least play double-digit minutes at center, based on what Jordan is saying and how he likes players with high basketball IQs. I also think Young will play 10 or so minutes at the four spot.
Well that just makes me want to vomit on this fine (hot) Santa Barbara morning - unless 'double digit' minutes is less than 11
May depend somewhat on matchups, but could see Brand/Speights and Brand/Young out there for more than a few minutes at a time.
Brand/Speights I can live with for stretches. Brand/Thad is not a good idea for any extended period of time against most teams.
Link to my Sixers' stories and blogs (below the Sixers' playoff photos):
http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/sports/sixers.html
I'd love to see this guy as the wing they sign.
Check this out. Sammy in the gym with coach Jordan right now.
Also, Jrue working out with McKie.
Thad and Iguodala are headed to Vegas for Team USA, I believe.
Did Cheeks work w/ his players over the summer last couple years?
Not that I recall.
I hate the idea, but I think EJ starts Thad and Elton at the four and the five.
hmm...i might have to rethink my league pass purchase this year
I agree with Chris about last year. If you remember, I nearly blew a gasket when the team shifted Thad to full time PF after Brand went down. At the time Speights looked ready to step in and start at PF (even if they only played him 25 min) and he promptly faded.
Like Bebop likes to bring up, the team needed to use last year for extended looks at Iguodala/Thad at 2/3, Lou at PG and Speights at PF and C. Then there would be less doubt about this year.
I guess I'd like to see Speights/Brand/Thad/Iguodala/PG. Whether that happens to start the season is less important than finishing the year that way.
If Sammy can control his fouls I wouldn't mind him playing In those rotations. He is a strong force on D and gets about 8-10 boards a game.
According to Missanelli!s sources, whoever they may be, the trade the Sixers turned down was Ridnour [6.5 mill.] and a protected 2nd rounder for A.Miller. I would of turned that down also.
Absolutely. That's a garbage offer.
Donyell is looking better and better as the summer goes on, and so is Royal, I hate to say.
I haven't seen anything about Donyell, oddly. I'd probably prefer him to anyone else they could get to warm the pine in the front court. Udoka, Marshall and B. Knight...I could live with that for the three acquisitions to fill out the roster.
I hope one of the "final four" is a young guy with promise. The kid Forbes played well over the summer and shot the 3 better but Christmas disappeared in the 2nd summer league.
Also heard the Sixers weren't interested in Ridnour and not too excited about Duhon.
Am told there's nothing to rumored Sixers-Blazers sign-and-trade and Sixers are not talking to Portland about it. Blazers could be talking to Andy Miller about possibly signing Andre Miller.
If Sammy can control his fouls I wouldn't mind him playing In those rotations. He is a strong force on D and gets about 8-10 boards a game.
Not really worried about his gross rebound count as opposed to keeping the other team off the boards...which requires intelligent (BBall IQ) and positioning which he'll hae to work on.
As long as he doesn't totally destry the offense and knows his place in it (don't shoot unless it's a dunk) - i'm fine with him playing - but dude has never known what his role is nor has he accepted it and until today i've never hear one peep or seen one video of him working in the offseason since he went to newells big man camp years ago (and really didn't learn anything)
He's turned over a new leaf! Working out w/ the coaching, talking about offensive systems...get excited, man. :)
Maybe all Sammy really wants is to feel involved. He'll get that opportunity with this offense, which is all about finding the easiest basket. Bonus for us if it turns out he's not wholly unfamiliar with it. Has Jordan unlocked the key? Stay tuned enquiring minds...