Each time I find myself thinking this team couldn't possibly look worse, they surpass their previous low point with a performance like Saturday night's vs. the Bulls. Maybe at some point I'll learn my lesson.
Let's start with the meager good news.
- Jrue Holiday notched his first career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
- Indiana won two games over the weekend.
- Sacramento won one game
- The Sixers are currently tied with the two teams above for the 6th-worst record in the league
- The upcoming schedule looks like five straight losses, possibly more
- We got to see Jodie Meeks play with a couple of different lineups.
And now the bad.
- Andre Iguodala continues to take too many jumpers, and miss way too many. His form is completely out of whack, and contrary to the way he's played his entire career to this point, he seems to be trying to do it all on his own. It's a complete 180 for Iguodala, who at his heart is a selfless player who maybe didn't shoot enough, and I seriously hope he'll be able to bounce back to his previous form when this abortion of a season finally comes to an end.
- Elton Brand's defensive rebounding appears to be getting worse, if that's possible. He also can't find a whole lot of minutes.
- Since this stretch of meaningless games is sort of an evaluation period, let's take a look at what we've learned so far:
- Jason Smith is useless as an NBA player. He goes out there, runs around like a chicken with its head cut off, can't grab a rebound to save his life, and hits an occasional jumper. His time with the Sixers should be up when he hits restricted free agency. Let him walk.
- Jodie Meeks certainly doesn't look like he was worth this year's second-round pick. Not even close.
- Marreese Speights needs a personal trainer
- Jrue Holiday is the real deal.
Here's your rotation chart:
Player of The Game: Let's go with Speights, for putting up his first double-double since December 18th.
Team Record: 24-46
Up Next: vs. Orlando, later tonight.
Brian,
As I look at the season coming to an end (thankfully) I see this team having the 5th - 8th pick this year in the draft. Everyone thinks the top three picks (Wall, Turner, & Favors) are going to be All-Star players one day. People have put Cousins in this category but he looks slow to me and really doesn't fit the sixers style of play (plus his work ethic/attitude problems).
If we land in this mid lottery group then how likely could the sixers be able to make a trade to get into the top 3 picks? I think that these teams would consider trading to the 6th pick if we include either Thad or Iggy in return for a higher pick and some role players.
Thad's contract would be easy to unload and given his performance in his first 2 seasons he could still develop into a real player. Minnisota might do it. Golden State wouldn't care about his poor defense. I'm going to leave New Jersey out of it because I think their pick will be John Wall because he will sell tickets.
I think the sixers need to move either Thad or Iggy because they've shown that they are both natural SF's. We would be better with a surefire top 3 pick and loose one of these guys (kind of how the Phillies subtracted Bobby Abreau) and move forward from there.
Your thoughts?
I hope they target Favors and do what it takes to get him, at all costs. An athletic big that runs the floor and is willing to defend to go with Jrue. I believe Iggy becomes a target of one of the cap friendly teams this summer after the big targets dry up. Target a young player [E. Gordon ?] and a number #1 and start the rebuilding, its time.
Gordon's contract is worse than Iggys. Lets get Amir Johnson or something if it's Detroits number 1.
He said E. Gordon (Eric Gordon).
chad ford is the only person that has Favors as #3 overall. so he is far from a top3 lock. given the lack of shooting guards in this draft, I agree that we should target a big man. but, i dont care about favors enough to trade up. Do you really think its worth trading Iguodala to move up a few spots? im not the biggest iguodala fan, but it would be nice to see him in a situation where he isnt our best scoring option.
I can't read. I just saw Gordon and my brain went "STOP"
I'd like Eric Gordon. He is round like a bowling ball.
I think they would not have the cap space to make that deal until after the draft. Also the Clippers will want to make their (failed) run at the big name FA's first, before going to the Sixers. So we would have to want whichever player the Clippers chose with their pick. And the Clippers don't always chose wisely, my friend.
how can we rebuild with elton brands albatross? it just cant be done.
I agree that Favors should be our target. If somehow we could get Iggy to be traded with the 6th or 7th pick to Golden State to get Favors or Turner and Ellis then we should make that move. Iggy needs a fresh start somewhere. Eddie Jordan has ruined philly's love for Iggy. Iggy is 27 and we should focus on having all of our players coming into their prime at the same time (3/4 years). Most of our lineup is around 22 years old so we should bring in young players accordingly. Elton/Sam/Iggy are not going to be around when this team becomes a real contender. We are far from it and we should take OKC's blue print.
OKC's entire plan is getting Kevin Durant and finding a way to play insane team defense around him. If you think Ellis is the type of scorer you can do that around, I think you're mistaken.
I like Favors, but Ellis just doesn't interest me at all. Trading Iguodala's contract for Ellis' doesn't do anything for us against the cap, either. Same length, maybe save a couple million/year at the tail end.
Iguodala for Ellis is worth more than moving up a couple spots in the draft to me. Much more.
Someone needs to entertain the idea of Iggy welcoming tanking and that is the reason he is jacking up such crazy shots recently.
Next year he needs to go Josh Smith and drive as much as possible. He is just not a jump shooter. Drive to the rim and get those FTs man.
I still think Stefanski needs to be fired for giving up our second round pick this year alone. You give up our second rounder when a lot of guys are coming out early because of the CBA? What the hell?!
Someone needs to entertain the idea of Iggy welcoming tanking and that is the reason he is jacking up such crazy shots recently. Next year he needs to go Josh Smith and drive as much as possible. He is just not a jump shooter. Drive to the rim and get those FTs man.
I watch Iguodala closely every game, and unfortunately I'd have to say that he's trying on the offensive end but is simply in a terrible shooting slump (even for him). Even in the NJ game when he went 7-for-14, it was 2-for-8 on jumpers. Over the weekend, it got worse as he might have hit one jumper the entire weekend. Against the Bulls, he didn't take any 3's but still couldn't hit anything beyond 2 feet. Even free throws were an adventure at 8 for 16.
I totally agree with the need to adopt the Josh Smith mentality (said so last week). The best thing for Iguodala from an offensive standpoint would be to go back to what he was in 06-07, when he actually had more FTs made than FGs and averaged half as many 3-pointers attempted per minute as this year. Driving more leads to more turnovers, and his career high turnovers was in 06-07, but he's gotten better at passing over his career (career high assist-to-turnover ratio this year).
If he's tanking intentionally, it's probably on the defensive end, though I didn't notice much of a difference. On the other hand, in a meaningful game when his jumper isn't falling, he's more likely to stop shooting altogether and set up others. That part of his game (setting up others) has fallen off during the tanking phase, as Brian noted.
We just need a full on scoring 2 so Iggy can sit back and be the non shooting swiss army knife he's meant to be.
I'd prefer to tweek this roster rather than tear it down; however, this has become a disasterous situation(thanks in large part to the coach). I fear the only viable approach to win back the fan base will be to make major personnel changes. Iggy & Lou have to and probably want to go at this point. I'd prefer to give up Thad to move up in the draft or to acquire a legitimate shooting guard or big man but he seems to be popular among the fans(maybe because he doesn't have the big contract, yet.).
If we end up around 5, I'd love Wes Johnson. He's got a great stroke from deep and he rebounds very well. He's also extremely athletic. Along with trading Iguodala and Lou for Golden State's pick and Ellis or Morrow...if they'd bite on a trade like that...could give us a lineup of Jrue, Ellis/Morrow, Johnson, Brand/Favors, Sammy, and we could keep Thad coming off the bench. I'd be down for rebuilding that way.
"If we end up around 5, I'd love Wes Johnson"
I have Johnson ranked #4 on my wishlist of Sixers targets. Take away the top 3 (Wall, Turner, Favors) and he's the most realistic, IMO. If we're not in top 5 (I think Cousins goes before Johnson, pushing Johnson to 5), I think we have to do anything we can to move up (although I'm willing to give up less for Johnson than I am Turner/Favors).
What do you see as Johnson's ceiling for the Sixers? When I look at him (very optimistically), I see a shorter, less aggressive Kevin Durant. He has the same body type. Possibly a better overall athlete. Not the angry scorer Durant was in college, but a similar offensive game. Good defender (lot's of blocked shots), and he's a really good rebounder like Durant was in college. I am NOT saying he has a chance to be Durant, I just see a lot of similarities.
I think that would fit alongside Jrue and another more aggressive offensive player.
It is unlikely the Sixers end up with 5th pick.
Odds are the Sixers end up with a top 3 pick (by winning the lottery) or a 6th-9th pick. Even if they finish with the 5th worst record and do not win the lottery, more likely they drop back to 6th pick by someone behind them moving up.
So the 5th worst record only has a 25% chance of having the 5th pick. They have a 45% chance of dropping to 6th(or 7th) and a 30% chance of winning a top 3 pick.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBA_Draft_Lottery
So the 5th worst record only has a 25% chance of having the 5th pick. They have a 45% chance of dropping to 6th(or 7th) and a 30% chance of winning a top 3 pick.
I appreciate the 'motivation' of the lottery that the NBA has - but seriously - it still needs tweaking.
the 5th worst record should have the best chance to get the 5th pick.
Everything seems to be going along as planned.
Cut Iguodala, Sammy, Brand, and Lou's minutes and start playing the crappier players more. (and let Jrue get some experience)
Kapono and Smith are working really hard to get us into the 5 spot. More minutes to the men please, Meeks too.
Lou is one of the crappier players...
Nah
Defense counts
Agree with the Jason Smith's comments.
I am not so sure about Meeks yet. I am not saying you are wrong but just way too early to criticize the move. Remember, we are talking about 2nd round players. Basically we traded this year for last year's choice. And given all that I read this year's draft is very weak, don't really see what is the big deal!
Explain please.....
Last years draft was supposed to be weak.
Now all those draft analysts feel stupid.
It wasn't supposed to have any superstars after griffin
And so far it hasn't.
I doubt any of them 'feel stupid'
Memphis does. So does Minnesota.
As do all the teams that passed on Darren Collison and Jrue Holiday.
Tyreke Evans is going to be great. Jennings has taken Mil to the playoffs. Curry is playing very very well too.
Also all the teams that passed on Blair.
One year doesn't a career make
Like many - you ignore the season andrew bogut (all star type) is having and give jenning all the credit...look closer.
"Draft Analysts" do not work for teams.
There are 30 teams in the league, you mentioned a couple.
And projected a lot on players after one season.
Concerns with blair weren't ability - it was long term ability of his knees to stay in the NBA - one year doesn't prove his knees are going to pan out.
One year is a small sample size in a REAL NBA career.
Andrew Bogut is indeed having an amazing season, but him teamed with Jennings has made the Bucks into a sleek new team. And their GM has done a very good job.
At Blair's cost and production he should have been taken at the very end of the 1st or the beginning of the second.
Memphis and Minnesota both have to feel "stupid" after botching the draft so badly.
Don't sell Meeks short. I think he has an excellent shot at becoming our next Willie Green. An undersized SG who is scorer as opposed to a pure shooter.
And what team doesn't need two Willie Greens?
I'd have used this years pick to draft the best raw 7ft athlete available, but that is just me. Maybe Ed plans on resigning Sam and figures Smith will suddenly learn how to rebound (or grow longer arms.)
And what team doesn't need two Willie Greens?
This is a truly disturbing image. Please don't bring it up again ;-)
I heard Jodie Meeks and Jason Smith are both going to have their arms lengthened this offseason, so don't worry about it.
Yep, Smith and Meeks have T-Rex syndrome.
Rod Beaubois is about 6'1", with about a 6'10" wingspan.
Meeks is 6'3", with about a 6'4.5" wingspan.
Jrue: about 6'3"/6'7"
Tyreke: about 6'4"/6'11"
Sadly Jason Smith: is about 6'11/6'11
For comparison Durant: 6'9/7'5 (so 2" shorter but 6" longer wingspan.)
So Jason Smith is 10" taller than Beaubois but has the identical wingspan.
LOL . our next Willie Green !!! is that a threat ?
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