Thanks to Max, from the comments, we've been keeping tabs on the Sixers +/- since the beginning of the season. Here's the spreadsheet, below you'll see find a few highs and lows.
As you can see, there aren't a whole lot of highs from this data. Iguodala retains his spot with the highest net of +4.2. Sammy and Thad are also on the positive side. The worst net on the team belongs to Speights at -3.57. Maybe rebounding is more important than we thought?
You can see the
full version of the spreadsheet here, it's a little easier to navigate there. Leave your thoughts in the comments and be sure to check out the
Four Factors worksheet as well.
"The worst net on the team belongs to Speights at -3.57. Maybe rebounding is more important than we thought?"
Maybe plus-minus is pretty damn random. It's really hard to say how much stock to put into it. I tend to think very little, there are way too many variables.
I tend to agree w/ you, at least about the net numbers. I like look at numbers on a game-to-game basis, I think it gives you more of a feel for what's going on. For +/- I really prefer numbers for units, rather than players, but I can't find them for single games unless I compile them myself, or piece them together from the play by play and I just don't have the time for that.
I will say this, though. If Speights is going to rebound and defend like he has been, then he's going to have to be one hell of an offensive player to justify getting him major minutes. This is unacceptable.
Compared to what we've got, I guess he is one hell of an offensive player. Of course, this was the sort of thing you heard about him going into the draft. I've been noticing the past few years, all the guys drafted with supposedly questionable motivation or character end up displaying that, sooner or later. Villanueva, Marcus Williams, Sean Williams, arguably Rudy Gay, a ton of other guys - all began their careers with good, even great play, but have since become what the scouts said they would.
Maybe they come in with a chip on their shoulder because of dropping in the draft and they work hard. Once they've "proven" themselves, they revert back. Then it falls on the coach to find a way to motivate them. You hope that playing time is enough motivation, but you never know. A lot of these guys, if you cut their minutes it doesn't motivate them to play harder, it makes them think they're being treated unfairly.