 The Open Spots On Friday, we talked about the Sixers assumed plan to play Iguodala, Thad and Brand at the three, four and five, respectively. That leaves two open slots. Coach Jordan made it clear there need not be a point and a shooting guard, the Princeton offense runs with just a pair of guards, regardless of designation. After the jump, we'll take a look at the situation, and possible solutions. Again, we're basing the conversation on the Sixer plan as it's been laid out over the past week. The front court seems to be set, I'm against this particular lineup, but we're going to have to run with it anyway. The big problem we're left to solve is who are the two guards in the offense. Right now, here are the options the Sixers currently have under contract:
That's all, folks. They have bird rights on Andre Miller, but he's an unrestricted free agent, he can walk on July 1st and never look back, if someone's willing to meet his asking price. So what are the options? Let's try to figure it out:
Of the options listed above, I think I'd probably prefer #8 the most. You add two shooters to spread the floor, and Parker can defend. I'm assuming you'd have to trade Speights to move up, so this would be the lineup/rotation: PG: Curry, Ivey SG: Parker, Lou, Willie SF: Iguodala PF: Thad, Evans C: Brand, Dalembert, Smith When we start talking about trades, things get complicated. You could probably package Sammy with Thad and get a guy like Jason Richardson, possibly Joe Johnson, but then you're down a PF and Speights moves into the starting lineup. If they go that route, and trade for a veteran two, I think it's a no-brainer that Miller comes back and this team's window shrinks considerably. Does a rotation like this excite you? PG: Miller, Lawson, Ivey SG: Richardson, Lou, Willie SF: Iguodala PF: Brand, Evans C: Speights, Smith Another possibility if you were willing to move Thad in a deal might make more sense. Dalembert, Thad and #17 to Minnesota for Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal and the #6 pick. Minnesota gets a defensive presence on their front line in Dalembert, and a legit scorer on the wing, something they don't have in any way shape or form right now. The Sixers get their shooter, the #6 pick to use on either Curry or Holiday, whichever is left, and they get $15M off their books next Summer. The added benefit of this deal is that the Sixers could still use the MLE, preferably on a guy like Gortat, a sign-and-trade of Miller would also still be on the table. PG: Curry/Holiday, Ivey SG: Miller, Lou, Willie SF: Iguodala PF: Brand, Evans C: Speights, Smith Honestly, I'm still partial to my idea from a few weeks ago, which would've netted us this rotation: PG: Curry, Maynor, Ivey SG: Iguodala, Lou, Willie SF: Thad, Udoka PF: Brand, Smith, Evans C: Gortat, Sammy Here's what the harsh reality of where we stand today is: PG: Lou, Ivey SG: Willie, Ivey SF: Iguodala PF: Thad, Evans C: Brand, Speights, Smith Leave your ideal solution to this flawed problem in the comments, and feel free to tear mine apart while you're at it. 
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It's a nice idea if you believe in Curry, which I don't.
What has you down on Curry? Also, anyone you like in the draft?
He's not, actually, that great a shooter. He's not a proven point guard. He's never played real teams. He's small. 50/50 chance, I say, that he's a bench player for most his career, and maybe a one in four chance he's a total bust. I like Maynor, Lawson, and Marcus Thornton. But not very much.
I assume you're talking about his three-point percentage this season when you say he isn't that great of a shooter. You're right, 38.7% isn't great, in a vacuum. When you take into account the volume of threes he had to shoot for that team, the limited number of open looks he had, and the fact that every team he played keyed on him exclusively, I think 38.7% is outstanding.
Here's a cool stat for you, Curry took 11.6 pull-up jumpers per game. Lawson took 9.8 shots per game, period. Curry attempted more threes per game (9.9) than Lawson attempted field goals. The percentages don't tell the whole story, Curry is the best shooter in this draft.
Your other points are valid, although I'd skew the percentages much differently.
I mean, Lawson's not a shooter, of course. With time he might be able to make open NBA threes at a passable rate. That's it though. But Lawson is, I think, a good point guard.
I am going to be positive today.We get Lawson at #17 and acquire an early 2nd rounder and get either J.Taylor or D.Green.With Lawson and L.Will. we need a guard that can shoot and is at least 6!4".I think Gortat gets more than the M.L.E. and ends up on Det. or Sac..Houston likes him also but are over the cap, I believe.I also think A.Parker resigns with Toronto.Now here is where I differ with our organization; I use the M.L.E. on a shooter that can spread the court[Korver?] and go into camp with [Lawson/L.Will.] battling for the starting p.g. position and [Willie/2nd rounder/Ivey] battling for the starting s.g. position.If we are starting Brand at the 5 we HAVE to improve our perimeter defense and A.Miller, to me, can!t be part of this team.E.Jordan keeps saying we don!t need a traditional p.g. to run this team so add another shooter.My starting lineup: Brand/Young/Iggy/W.Green/Lawson; Our best lineup down the road; Speights/J.Smith: Brand: Young: Iguadala: Lawson
By the way,if Ellington or Thornton slide to round #2 and we don!t get them, I will be as pissed as when we didn!t get Chalmers last year!!
IMO,
I would draft Lawson, sign Anthony Parker and Sheldon Williams in free agency. Pursue S&T with Miller & shop Sam hard for more assets.
Starters -
G - Winner of Williams/Lawson/Ivey
G - Iguodala/Parker/Green
F - Thad/Iguodala/Parker
F/C - Brand/Speights/Smith/Evans
C/F - Winner of S.Williams/Smith/Speights (or Sam if he gets on board).
But, as I've said, I think they are hoping that saying that starting isn't guaranteed for either Smith or Speights even if Sam is gone might inspire them to elevate their games. EJ has spent too much time since he got here talking about them as assets to make me believe that he does not prefer them to actually earn the spot. IMO, I don't think he wants a starting front court of Dala, Thad and Brand. But that is what I interpreted.
My end of the year depth chart from previous post; Speights,Dalembert,Smith
Brand,Marshall,Evans
Young,Korver,Cummard[u.f.a.]
Iggy,D.Green,W.Green
Lawson,L.Will.,Ivey
If I see Willie Green in the starting lineup, I will strongly consider selling my Season Ticket and rooting for the Wizards or some other team. I cannot stand Willie Green starting in any fashion. Can deal with Lou starting (assuming this past year was a mulligan and he gets his act together over the summer).
Promise?
would that make you happy??
DeanH., I agree totally with you but if it comes to him or a rookie 2nd rounder who do you think they start.Best case we get a late 1st and get Ellington but I don!t know if that allows them to use the m.l.e. or resign A.Miller.
Honestly, I feel that I would rather K. Rush start rather that Willie. If all else failed, I would rather see Lou and Ivy start.
Now, obviously, if Willie worked on his shot this summer and came in shooting well, ok. But, assuming he is the same as the past years, ABW is my position!
What are your thoughts?
You have to figure that Brand/Young/Iguodala at C/PF/SF is just a temporary stopgap to start the season. Eventually those 3 will be shifted to PF/SF/SG most of the time.
So I think any SG they add should be a versatile bench player who can give you 20 min/game at SG/SF (Parker ideal.)
That leaves C and PG. There are 3 candidates for C already on the team. PG is the real glaring hole on the current roster.
That being said, in the Princeton offense it seems that Lou, Green, Ivey and Iguodala have the handle to play the 'combo-guard' position. They need to upgrade talent at that position, but don't necessarily need a pure PG.
The affordable guards I'd like to see:
Vets:
Parker
Jack
Hinrich
Gordon
Pargo
Draft:
Curry
Evans
Elington
Buddinger
These are names for the Princeton offense (needs versatile players more than pure PG's.) If we had a different system I'd go in another direction.
Dean H.,It is funny you say that, me and a friend were discussing how Rush is an ideal spread the floor guy for this offense.Tk76, question, if they buy a late 1st rounder for 3 thousand does that go against the cap or the value of the draft slot when the guy signs? Getting 2 first rounders would be my best case scenerio if it allows you to do the m.l.e. still.Add Lawson,Thornton and [Korver,Parker] and I am a happy camper.Guys in the late 2nd [M.Downs,The other Pargo,and Cummard] to name a few would all be a good fit.
I did not think Rush performed last year but Willie Green had too many chances and did not do the job. Anyone else is fine with me, anyone. I know, maybe I am throwing away the baby w/ the bath water but if Green had shown me he could play point and get assists, I would not be at this point w/ him. But, with him, been there, done that and move on.
Sorry if I am being irrational (I know I maybe), but I am sick of Green. I guess you cannot tell that!
The salary of a late 1st rounder counts against the cap (about 1.3M I think.) And it is a guaranteed 3 year deal- which I think can be great value.
Some GM's would rather get vet minimum guys in that price range because they do not count against the tax and are more reliable. I'd rather get the 1st rounder. Drafting a guy like De'andre Jordan as a late 1st would have netted them a cheap back-up 7 footer. You can't always find a guy like Ratliff for the minimum.
Just to clarify, I am not convinced Lou is a starter in the NBA but I think he deserves a chance if there is not another person other than Green. I stated before, I think it is an insult to be a back up to Green in the NBA.
If CJ Watson is gettable, it'd be worthwhile focussing on him. Really strong year last year, could be on the rise and would fit this system well.
Real and Speightacular, I like him also but can him and L.Will. play together? Dammit, they better be right about L.Will. because he makes it tough to put the pieces together in the backcourt!!!
Lou Will makes my head hurt. Don't know what to make of him exactly but inclined to think he's a career bench guy. Often tantalizing but mostly frustrating. This'd be his absolute last year to show and prove.
Brian, what is the most they can do on draft night with resigning Miller in mind? Will acquiring another 1st rounder hamstring them in that respect because if him coming back stops us from getting a shooter and p.g. of starter quality than I want him even less.They have about 8 mill., correct.
tk76, thanks!! A good mix of 2 first rounders and a couple vet minumums would be nice.
I just read on hoopshype rumors that the Clippers will definitely be looking ot move Randolph/Camby or Kaman. Would any deal make sense w/ them to get us closer and get rid of Green, Evans or Dalembert?
Maynor can be drafted right now, ad fit in perfectly with the team
since we are just throwing out ideas. hornets are in financial trouble so we buy the 21st pick from them and get maynor (if that is too expensive we buy the 27th pick from the grizz and get collison). we trade willie green and our first round pick for kelenna azubuike. we trade dalembert and evans (whos not going to see playing time in the po anyway) for erick dampier and matt caroll. we sign a guy like carney for the minimum (or biannual exception). we let miller walk. and we still have the mle to get a quality point guard.
unlikely to happen but cool though. the lineup
pg: proven vet, maynor/collison, williams, ivey,
sg: iggy, carney, caroll
sf: thad, azuibuke
pf: brand, speights
center: dampier, smith
in the iggy/young/brand frouncourt lineup it would be
brand
thad
iggy
azuibuike
vet
we still have the mle to get a quality point guard.
Which quality point guard in free agency is going to take th MLE on a team with a new coach still trying to work in elton brand?
well bottom line was we still have the mle.
also not necessarily a quality point guard (if you mean someone like jason kidd or something like that) but at least someone who is a veteran that can play defense like a jarrett jack or a raymond felton so we don't have to rely on a rookie (in case the rookie ends up being a bust).
Assuming it doesn't take the sixers over the luxury tax (which I still believe comcast won't allow stefanski to cross)
John, I agree; Miller only comes back here if he has no other options.Our new coach says we can!t replace Miller with a rookie and a minute later says we don!t need a pure p.g.; which is it? A lot of these rookies may be coming from a more structured system in college and actually be ahead of A.Miller in familiarity with it.I trade Miller!s experience for a guy that can pressure the ball and just be a factor defensively,would you?
Well, that's just coach-speak, but it is not double-talk. If they did go with a rookie, given the offensive system, I think Iguodala would shoulder more of the load as far as facilitating. So Dala would be the "floor captain" so to speak, replacing Miller in that role. IMO, the same is true if Lou is the starter as well. Bottom line, I want the guard opposite Dala to be able to hit shots and defend, period.
My preferred scenario is the "miracle" S&T that gets us Hinrich...although I do not find it to be a "miracle" scenario - it is the same as #8 (the move up to get Curry)...both #16 and #8 require us to trade Speights - in #16 we move Speights along with a S&T'd Miller to Portland in a 3-way to get Hinrich from Chicago...in #8 we move Speights to the Wiz to get Curry.
I like #16 a lot more than #8...but I do either trade.
Standing pat and taking BPA at 17 and signing some 2nd-tier FA PG is the absolute WORST scenario, IMO...and it is also the most likely scenarion.
Big freaking yawn.
Actually, the WORST-CASE scenario is to re-sign Miller.
By FAR.
starting lou williams - much worse than re-signing Miller
What about both? That's definitely on the table right now.
Starting Lou Williams WITH Andre Miller?
well, starting willie green with andre miller might be worse
Brian:
A starting backcourt of Miller and Williams?
Seriously?
I don't know what would be funnier to watch - watching those guys trying to bust a zone by shooting from distance or watching them try to defend the perimeter and stop dribble penetration.
Well, if watching these playoffs has taught me anything, it's that no team and no defender in the league can really stop dribble penetration. The only defense is to have a shot blocker in there to stop the drive without having to get into all kinds of funky rotations that leave shooters wide open.
Brian:
My post was a bit tongue-in-cheek...but I am serious that - if we want to improve our outside shooting and perimeter defense, a backcourt of Williams and Miller is a freaking disaster.
If Stefanski has any thought of re-signing Miller and pairing him with LWill, it will make his decision to hire Jordan look like he hired John Wooden.