Messages

1006

Philadelphia 76ers / Re: Tracking Free Agency

« on: July 07, 2008, 10:13:52 PM »

It's almost a shame that we can't do the Jordan/Knight thing if we do land Smith. To me, landing all three would be an extremely successful summer.

QFT

More reasons to love Calvin Booth's player option and WG's contract in general.  If Smith does not work out, of if he signs an offer somewhere else, I would make the Knight/Jordan trade and offer the rest of our cap space to Biedrins, he is certainly worth a contract $2 million less per year than Smith.  We could also obtain Josh Smith and dump a contract like Jason Smith of you really like Jordan.  It would essentially be us dumping JAson and Calvin on someone like Memphis and getting Knight and Jordan from LAC.  That is kind of a sideways move though.

1007

Philadelphia 76ers / Re: Tracking Free Agency

« on: July 07, 2008, 08:56:45 PM »

The Knight/Jordan move makes a ton of sense.  Earlie today the thought occurred to me that while we are trying to dump WG and/or Evans to free up cap space, maybe we could do the reverse for LAC as a way of getting Jordan, but I never got around to looking at their roster and contract.  A back-up PG with an expiring contract at only a couple of million is nearly too perfect to garner us Jordan.  

I am so-so on the Kristic move. I do prefer to take a chance on an injury risk over a character risk, but he better be healthy for a 3 year deal.  I smell Cristian Welp here, hopefully I'm just being paranoid, he was a good player before the injury.  Not enough minutes to go around for our bigs if we get Jordan and  Kristic and lose no one.  

Adding Childress and Kristic seem like moves made for other moves to be made later, we will have a lot of bigs and wings in the inventory to package with Miller at the deadline.  Until then the impact would seem negligible.  Can't say that group of deals, after geting past Jordan and Knight, does much for me as a packaged set.

1008

Philadelphia 76ers / Re: Board Guidelines/conduct

« on: July 07, 2008, 03:50:06 PM »

The Sixers side of PhilaPhans has gone the opposite way, it is now a ghost town with most of the better posters moving over here.  The only posts there yesterday were goofy threads started on the Phillies Board that were dumped into a Calvin Booth thread on the Sixers side.  Perhaps a none to subtle comment on the uselessness of those threads.

1009

Philadelphia 76ers / Re: Tracking Free Agency

« on: July 07, 2008, 03:41:40 PM »

Didn't Diogu already get moved?

He went to Portland in the Rush-Westbrook draft night deal, IIRC.  Good news, it means Channing "Charmin" Frye may be even more available (if that's possible).

1010

Philadelphia 76ers / Re: Thorpe: Top 20 Rookies of 2008

« on: July 07, 2008, 03:38:37 PM »

Actually in a chat wrap I read Thorpe said he thought Speights could be an all-star or out of the league in three years.  Perhaps a bit extreme, but essentially an extremist version of the general view of Speights held by most people.  For his rookie picks he leaned heavily on guys he expects to gte a lot of minutes early, which is not the case with Speights according to Ed S.

1011

Philadelphia 76ers / Re: 09/10 Free Agents

« on: July 07, 2008, 02:00:24 PM »

Agreed. The good thing is our biggest concern is a glut of talent at the 3 spot.....we haven't had a glut of talent anywhere in quite a while.

With our glut of swingmen, plus possibly Josh Smith/Marion/Childress added to the mix, mayby we can find a new team slogan?

Your Philadelphia Sixers... Come Swing with us!

I can think of some great associated promotions.  Swingers night, freebies, a new mascot to replace Big shot who sports a handlebar mustache and shoots into the crowd prophylactics instead of t-shirts, replace club boxes with private boxes...

Any other ideas?

Yeah, "Swinger's night" doesn't have quite the big band, swing dancing connections it once did.   

1012

Philadelphia 76ers / Re: Point Guard options

« on: July 07, 2008, 01:57:48 PM »

Getting back on topic, if we keep Miller... can anyone see us doing anything other than re-signing Kevin Ollie? I can't. I don't think Ed wants to bring in another young PG to compete against LouWill and that's a shame.

This is the one area where Stefanski befuddles me.  Ed says he sees Williams as more of a SG, he knows Miller is near the end of his contract and not exactly on the young side, yet no attempt is made to bring in a young PG (although they supposedly had some interest in Chalmers in round 2).  This leads me to believe that he still hopes to re-sign Miller next year and feels that bringing in a young PG project will grease the skids even more on Miller's likely exit next year.

1013

Philadelphia 76ers / Re: Tracking Free Agency

« on: July 07, 2008, 01:54:04 PM »

Childress and Gordon have to be looked at and priced as super-subs or role playing starters.  Childress could more easily be a starter at SF on a team with a great shooter at SG and other good scorers, sort of a better all-around Bruce Bowen, similar to Battier perhaps.  Gordon as a starter presents the same problems as Iverson did, only worse.  He does not have Iverson's PG skills, although he is actually a decent passer, and is not as good at team D.  Overall, with Iggy I think Gordon is a better fit as our designated scorer off the bench.  If we lost Iggy, Childress would make more sense.  Neither makes sense as a starter for this team.

Ricky Davis, mmmmm, NO!!!!  

Diaw, nope.  If we need a designated shooter, Barbosa makes more sense in a trade. Diaw is duplicative and sucks since he got his guaranteed contract.

If we decided to go after a back-up swingman to replace WG and Carney, plus add some shooting, Pietrus from GS would be a better target, although I am not sure he is a big improvement on what we already have.

1014

Philadelphia 76ers / Re: Point Guard options

« on: July 07, 2008, 01:17:06 PM »

Also... does anyone here think Miller re-signs in Philly? I personally think there's NO chance of that happening.

No.  He's a "West Coast" guy, ya da ya da...

However, where on the West Coast will he go?  Seattle just drafted Westbrook (and will be in Oklahoma), Portland has Blake and Bayless and the Suns have Nash.  The Clippers just signed Davis and the Kings just signed Udrih.   He doesn't fit with what Nelly wants to do in GS (admittedly, he may opt out). 

Maybe the Lakers (to replace Fisher) or the Nuggets (even though he doesn't fit well with Nelly's long-ball approach)?

Not a fit for the Lakers, their system requires PGs who can shoot generally and shoot the three specifically.  Miller would be a good fit in Denver, but they won't have cap room to sign him unless they renounce Iverson and they are a poor match-up with us in a direct trade.  Miller played pretty well here last year in an up-tempo system, while admittedly he is not the pure scorer that Baron Davis was for them, I am not so sure I would rule out GS as a possibility.  Miller may be more of a fit in GS than some people think.

1015

Philadelphia 76ers / Re: Tracking Free Agency

« on: July 07, 2008, 11:13:05 AM »

You aren't kidding when you said it is melting down over there.  At one point yetserday the number of locked threads (most being whining to DBods about other posters) almost outnumbered the open threads.  I think too many people are expecting this summer for us to be like the Celtics' summer last year where we suddenly become instant contenders.  Absent getting Josh Smith or Brand there are numerous trade and FA proposals that are so bad you would think Billy King was reduced to posting on RealGM as a hobby. 

1016

Philadelphia 76ers / Re: Tracking Free Agency

« on: July 07, 2008, 10:27:12 AM »

Yeha that all sounds about right. As always it boils down to having a creative, proactive front office who can manipulate the situation.

Many say Josh Smith is the perfect fit. While I agree, I would like to assemble as many assets as possible to be a player if the right big man becomes available via trade. Detroit was able to get Rasheed when he was available, Boston got Garnett, etc., and we should be ready to do the same.

In a year or two, Amare, Bosh, or another player whose team decided to rebuild could become available and we may have the players to make a deal. So if I could get Josh Smith at 11 million, then I do it and worry about the fit later. Getting a player with that upside has to be considered a success in this current market without having 14 or 15 million available.

With Brand staying on the West Coast, there are no perfect answers in FA this year.  Given the Atlanta ownership situation and his skill set which fits our plans, I like that we are being aggressive and taking a run at Josh Smith.  As long as we take care of our own FA's, the worst thing that can happen is Atlanta matches.  If someone wants to bitch because we offered all we could under the rules to get the best, reasonably available player and it fails under the CBA structure in the NBA, let them.  Any failure won't be for a lack of trying and planning.  I am much more worried about us having a crappy back-up plan since I have no real idea what it is.

1017

Philadelphia 76ers / Re: Point Guard options

« on: July 07, 2008, 09:51:37 AM »

Miller will have minimal value next summer.  As far as cap space goes, his expiring contract probably won't provide us all that much cap space, depending on how things work out his summer.  Let's assume at a minimum a conservative summer where we re-sign Iggy and Lou to market level contracts.  Both will eat into our available cap space for next year because their actual contracts will be significantly higher than their current cap holds and add in typical contract increases for our other players.  Our only expiring contract other than Miller next year is Calvin Booth.  Depending on who we sign/acquire this summer, the Miller expiring could have little value for us.  If we sign players to multi-year deals that use up all or most of our current cap space, then Miller's expiring will give us less than the full amount of cap space next summer because of Iggy and Lou W's contracts.  

For example, his $10 million dollar expiring contract might only garner us a few million in cap space if we pay Josh Smith, Iggy and Lou W. this summer.  For 2009-2010 we are already committed to around $26 million in salaries.  Add in about $29 million for Smith ($12 million), Iggy ($11 million) and Williams ($6 million) and we are up to $55 million.  assume the cap rises to $61 million and we have around $6 million in cap space from the $11 million in expirings (Miller and Booth).  

If we keep a significant chunk of our current cap space in our pocket them Miller's deal might give us full value when it expires, but our overall cap space will be decreased by contracts for Iggy and Williams.  For this reason I think Miller has the most value this summer or in season when a team either deparately needs a PG and/or expects to have cap space next summer and wants to add to it by trading for Miller's expiring contract.  Ironically, the team with cap space and a need for a PG right now is GS, but others may arise during the year.  Miami needs a PG and has Marion expiring and looks like our only other current match-up in a straight or three way deal (perhaps with the Bulls?).

1018

Philadelphia 76ers / Re: Tracking Free Agency

« on: July 07, 2008, 08:15:43 AM »

Sixers related items via HoopsHype today:

S.F. Chronicle -

If nothing happens between Elton Brand and the Warriors, which is still the likeliest scenario, don't expect Golden State to turn around and hand out another huge offer to an outside free agent. As one team source told me, the plan is to "take our time" sorting through the rest of the market.

Josh Smith? Sources inside and outside the organization say he's not on the Warriors' radar.

Corey Maggette? The Warriors like him, but not at much more than the mid-level exception.

Andre Iguodala? Even if the Warriors went after him, (which I'm not sure they will), his restricted status is a big hurdle.

That's going to be the common problem this summer, in fact, as the best of the remaining free agents (aside from Maggette) are all restricted. Luol Deng, Emeka Okafor, Iguodala, Smith -- any actual offer the Warriors make can be matched the players' original teams. And almost all those teams have vowed to do so, just like Warriors have vowed to keep Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins at whatever cost.

I'm just not getting the sense that the Warriors are keen on giving serious chase and having their money tied up for the seven days that teams have to match offers.

(In a roundabout way, that's also why their overtures to Brand are likely to come with an expiration date, regardless of when Brand makes his decision official. It's too much money to leave blocked out).

My best guess is that the contract situations of Ellis and Biedrins will be resolved before the Warriors make any big splashes.

Newark Star Ledger -

Notes: Nenad Krstic has wandered onto Philly's radar. Sixers president Ed Stefanski has more than $12 million in cap space burning a hole in his pocket, and he will consider putting Krstic on his shopping list if Elton Brand and Josh Smith prove elusive. ... Krstic gave an interview to a Serbian sports periodical this week, and while his clear preference is to stay in New Jersey, he added, "Maybe it's time to change everything." Translations are often tricky, however, and his agent was not available to elucidate....

ESPN -

Maggette knows his career with the Clippers is over unless Brand stuns the league and goes to Golden State. The high-scoring swingman has no shortage of suitors offering him a multi-year deal starting at the midlevel exception, which is expected to approach $6 million for next season, but Maggette hasn't abandoned hope that a team with salary-cap space (Philadelphia or Golden State) will come after him.

The obstacles?

No. 1: Maggette and Sixers restricted free agent Andre Iguodala share the same representative, which could make negotiating deals for two players who play essentially the same position with one team rather complicated for agent Rob Pelinka.

No. 2: There's a strong sense that the Warriors would prefer to chase restricted free agents Josh Smith (Atlanta) and Luol Deng (Chicago) with the money they threw at Brand, although Maggette's status as an unrestricted free agent -- who thus doesn't have to sign an offer sheet that could tie up a team's money for seven days -- makes him easier to pursue.

Philadelphia is still waiting to find out whether it might even have more than its estimated $11 million in salary-cap space once the league officially announces next season's cap ceiling for all teams. All signs continue to point to the Sixers signing Smith to a lucrative offer sheet as early as Wednesday. The Atlanta Hawks would then have seven days to match and continue to insist privately that they'll match any offer Smith gets.

It is widely presumed that Chicago will soon trade guard Kirk Hinrich now that the Bulls have drafted Derrick Rose with the No. 1 overall pick, with Golden State likewise assumed to be atop the list of Hinrich suitors given the void created in the Warriors' backcourt by Davis' departure. But NBA front-office sources insist that there is some sentiment in the Bulls' organization to keep Hinrich -- a favorite of Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf -- and play him at shooting guard alongside Rose while trying to move restricted free agent Ben Gordon in a sign-and-trade to fill another Chicago need.

1019

Philadelphia 76ers / Re: 09/10 Free Agents

« on: July 06, 2008, 11:41:12 PM »

Actually... here's a weird thought... because there are so many big names available the summer of '10, having cap space next summer could be extremely valuable. I imagine you will see a decent number of teams holding firesales next summer up through the trade deadline. The Nets and Knicks appear to already be doing so but I believe there will be some decent players and draft picks acquired for nothing more than cap space.

Exactly.  At the deadline next year and next summer bargain shopping for pricey veterans (yeah, I realize I said pricey bargains, that's the NBA for you) asset wise should be in vogue for teams that can absorb salary or trade expiring contracts.  Having a good, rising team at that point with cap space/expirings will be the best way to take advantage of that market, hopefully that will include us in some way.

1020

Philadelphia 76ers / Re: Playoffs, we're talking Playoffs?!?!?

« on: July 06, 2008, 04:12:08 PM »

NJ looks like they are trying to get into the lottery again.  Milwaukee does have Skiles who is usually good for a little bump the first year, but their players just don't impress me, especially of RJ stays in a funk because he hates being in Milwaukee.

Our short term success probably is more closely tied into Miller than anyone else.  If we get Smith and keep Miller for the year, plus re-sign our own RFA's, we should be a lock for the playoffs barring major injury.  We can reasonably look forward to Williams and Jason Smith being a notch better and Thad may really start taking off.  Plus we have Speights to further bolster our bigs.  Add Josh Smith and our defense could be suffocating, we can run with anybody, our post game should see some improvement from the young guys and our shooting should see at least an incremental imrpovement internally.

If we don't get Smith and have to move Miller to acquire someone this summer, our chances of visiting lottery land increase greatly, even though the team may be better in the long term.