Sixers' Off-season Outlook

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127

2009-07-01T12:15:00-04:00

Playerpress

530 3696 What can the Sixers' do in their free agent hunt? <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> <meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"> <meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"> <meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"> <link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CWILLPR%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" /><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><style type="text/css">  </style> </meta> </meta> </meta> </meta>   Good Morning, PlayerPress. In the territory of the tumultuous, greed blinds one another. Last season’s mistakes have become more transparent and lessons have been learned (hopefully). The <st1:city><st1:place>Philadelphia</st1:place></st1:city> 76ers enter free agency in a much different position than they did last off-season. In trying to figure out what direction the Sixers are going in, a comprehensive look at the team’s payroll is imperative.<o:p> </o:p>   There are four players on the Sixers roster that make over 5 million dollars this season: Brand, Sammy-D, Iguodala, and newcomer, Jason Kapono. Their salaries combined make up 45.4 million dollars. There are five players who make below 5 million this season: Lou Williams, Willie Green (who for future reference I will refer to as “he who must not be named”), Thaddeus Young, Speights, and Jason Smith. They take up 14.05 million dollars of the Sixers payroll. Together that adds up to 59.45 million.<o:p> </o:p>   But that is only nine players. Add Jrue Holiday (1.26 million) and there are three more spots, likely to be filled by rookies or old veterans (three veteran minimum contracts add up to 2.5 million dollars). So now the Sixers are up to 63.19 million, if my math is right.<o:p> </o:p>   The NBA salary cap is about 57 million, so the 76ers are already over the cap by 6 million(ish). The NBA luxury tax starts punishing teams when a team’s payroll is above 69.4 million, so the Sixers are 6 million below the luxury tax. It gives the Sixers GM, Ed Stefanski wiggle room, but not much.<o:p> </o:p>   So now that we understand what the Sixers are capable of doing in the off-season, we can begin to set our expectations at a reasonable level. The Sixers need to address two main areas of concern, Andre Miller, and the center position. The SG, SF, PF, (for the time being) positions are set. But, even with the drafting of Jrue Holiday and having Lou Williams on the roster, the Sixers have not solidified the point guard position. And let’s face it, the Samuel Dalembert project has reached its peak and we’re witnessing the falling action in the Sammy-D tragedy.<o:p> </o:p>   All that being said, what can the Sixers do? Trade Sammy, hope to re-sign Andre Miller with the 6 million they have left before the luxury tax, or sign-and-trade Miller. On ESPN, they have a good list of free agents in 2009 and 2010. I took a look at the list, and these are the names and options that caught my attention. The restricted free agents in this off-season are Josh Childress (ATL), Ray Felton (CHA), Juan Carlos Navarro (MEM), and Carlos Delfino (TOR). These are the only other point guards that seem even remotely capable of running Eddie Jordan’s’ <st1:place>Princeton</st1:place> offense. Whether or not the teams are willing to trade one of these guys for Miller is hazy and muddy at best. The unrestricted free agent list is a little more promising. Players like Mike Bibby (ATL), Rasheed Wallace (DET), Steve Blake (POR) [’10 unrestricted free agent], Juan Dixon (WASH), Channing Frye (POR), Antonio McDyess (DET), and Zaza Pachulia (ATL), could be key contributors to the 76ers success.<o:p> </o:p>   Wallace, Frye, or Pachulia would fit well with the Sixers and keep the payroll under the luxury tax if Stefanski could move Dalembert. I really like Wallace for the fact that I do not believe he will be a team cancer, and he is a low post player that stretch the floor with his 3-point shooting. My surprise pick for the Sixers to pursue is Zaza Pachulia. In 06-07, he started 78 games for <st1:city><st1:place>Atlanta</st1:place></st1:city>. In 31 minutes per game, he averaged 7 rebounds (7.9 in 05-06), and 12.2 points per game. Sammy’s best year (07-08) he averaged 10 rebounds and 10 points. Now I know Pachulia is not the blocking presence Dalembert is, but if you want equal production, and can pay a player less, why not try to make this work?   Pachulia is only 25 and provides a bigger body in the lane. After 06-07, Pachulia was benched because of the drafting of Sheldon Williams and then Al Hortford. Another player, not as flashy as Bibby or Childress, to look out for should be Steve Blake. In the Philadelphia Inquirer today, there was an article that mention the possibility of the Sixers trading for Steve Blake. Blake would part of a sign and trade that would send Andre Miller to <st1:city><st1:place>Portland</st1:place></st1:city> (who, according to this article, have shown interest in Miller). At first, I thought that having Steve Blake as the Sixers starting point guard sounds horrible. But if you consider Blake’s familiarity with <st1:country-region><st1:place>Jordan</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s system (Blake played for <st1:country-region><st1:place>Jordan</st1:place></st1:country-region> when they were both on the Wizards), and he averaged 11 points and 5 assists last season, it does not seem so inconceivable, maybe even intriguing. Also keeping in mind, Lou Williams and Jrue Holiday are going to get time at the point guard spot, which alleviates some responsibility from Blake.<o:p> </o:p>   In closing, unless the Stefanski trades Dalembert and/or Miller this summer, do not expect the same splash the Sixers made last off-season. But it does not hurt to keep your fingers crossed…   0.0.0.0

2009-07-01T12:15:00-04:00

sixers-off-season-outlook

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Sixers' Off-season Outlook

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Sixers' Off-season Outlook

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