Player Movement Thread (Was Free Agency Thread)

[sixersftw]

   I think alot of people over at realgm legitimately thought we had brand in the bag.  I think its really funny that Sendem is teaching team construction to people now.  Fransisco Garcia is the new Roger Mason Jr.

[bebopdeluxe]

Skates:

If Iggy was gone, I would definitely consider JChill - I like his all-around game...actually...kind of a poor-man's...

Andre Iguodala?

 

[Skates]

From what I have seen of Childress, which is a fair amount, he is a better, more versatile defender than Iggy, a very good passer and a low volume, high percentage scorer.  He is an improving shooter with one of the ugliest shots around and will never be a great shooter.  Not as strong or explosive as Iggy.  He would fit better with us if we had better shooters, kind of an ultimate glue guy.  Agreed, Iggy is the starter's version of Childress.  Childress is a top notch sixth man with a major 'fro on a skinny body, I always love that look. 

[Derek Bodner]

Sounds like Maggette's going to end up taking the MLE (Spurs, Celtics or Magic seem to be the front runners).  Hm...maybe now I see why Ed was pursing him.  Is Maggette at 5 million worth more than Iguodala at 10?  If you sign Maggette, renounce Iguodala, you could have 3.5 more million to play with to go after Brand or Smith. 

Maggette, at 28, at the MLE is a great signing IMO. 

[jemagee]

Arenas is getting 6 years about 127 milllion?  that's just insane

[jemagee]

Washington Post

By the way, I heard today that Philly came harder than anyone really thought. They really made a push for Antawn which was wise because Elton Brand can sign for more with the Clipps and the Hawks plan on doing whatever it takes to keep RFA Josh Smith in Atlanta. Jamison was Philly's best bet for adding a real player at the forward spot. Washington Post

[Skates]

While I have pretty good long-term patience with the franchise, the waiting to hear something today about Smith's visit is pretty freaking nerve-wracking.

[anklebreaker]

Nobody has any idea what time the meeting is taking place, right? 

[TheGuiltyParty]

Seriously... since when did we EVER have a legit shot at Brand?? Hadn't those of us with a half a brain been saying for 5 months that Brand was not coming here?

I'm completely perplexed at the reaction some folks are having when they come to the realization that Brand is not really an option (or at least a realistic option). As for Westbrook and his Childress story... I totally forgot about it but he did tell that back when it happened. Based on some of the threads he's started, I have no doubts in my mind that Childress was in the right and I'm not even a Childress fan.

Yesterday we saw Davis commit to LA, Beno to SAC, Calderon to TOR... who's committing today? I suppose we could hear about Smith and Philly along with Arenas and either WAS or GSW. Oh... and I'm sure Brand will finalize his deal to stay in LA today as well.

[jemagee]

With out max cap room there were never really any legit options, not really, not top tier guys.  And Beno got way too much money, for too long, don't feel bad about missing out on beno.

THIS is when we find out what kind of GM Stefanski really is.  Those guys the sixers had no real shot at (and i'm lumping smith into that group cause atlanta probably will match whatever the sixers offer cause it's less than max)...those were the easy targets, you throw money at them and hope you persuade them, without really believing it'll work.  I am not sure how much i even wanted brand and his questionable knee for 5 years on the sixers.

After the dust shakes out from the 'first wave' of the big names, that's when the landscape will be more settled and Stefanski will REALLY have to get to work...sure the irrational fans who think the sixers have the assets to obtain every available trade option or free agent will howl and moan and morons like eskin will lament that the sixers didn't sign A or B, but realistically they didn't have a better than even shot at any of them for a variety of reasons.

I'm fine with nothing happening yet, because sadly it's what was expected, plus i have too much work and two VERY intensive summer college courses (it was three, but had to drop one, stupid time constraings) to focus on...plus a very boring photoshop client who wants this damn thing in black and white and basic and it's boring to work on

So if anyone has any graphic or design challenging work this summer, let me know, realizing i'm a beginner at photoshop but having a lot of fun learning it.

[TheGuiltyParty]

I'm fine with nothing happening yet, because sadly it's what was expected, plus i have too much work and two VERY intensive summer college courses (it was three, but had to drop one, stupid time constraings) to focus on...plus a very boring photoshop client who wants this damn thing in black and white and basic and it's boring to work on

I'm fine with nothing happening as well because I didn't expect us to land anyone via free agency. What I've been asking for is to find out what Plan B is.... is it a trade for Marion? A trade for Wallace? A trade for Villanueva, Wilcox, or Gooden? Right now, Ed can play it cool since he's wining and dining Smith but the odds are that Smith will be eating his dinners in Atlanta come November. Who's gonna eat in Philly??

[jemagee]

TGP - you know better than that - it's not your right to know what Plan B - Plan B is whatever actually happens - all that happens if you inform of plan B and C and D publicly is you set yourself up for a fall and notify teams who might not be aware of your interest and the level of your interest (more importantly).

If ed DOES go publicly saying who they are targeting in trades, I'll be more irritated than if he doesn't because I think it's stupid and pandering to the fans but all it does is set you up to fall on your face more.

If you had faith in Stefanski a week ago, there's no reason for you not to have faith at this point as he hasn't done anything in the past week to destroy that faith.

A trade would be nice but I'm still realistic about the sixers assets and what a real trade would cost them - for instance, let's say you trade with the heat for shawn marion - you'd probably have to give them andre miller (they want a point guard)_ and then you have a gaping hole at point guard you have to fill and if you do a one for one swap you probably have eaten half of your available cap room - plus probably had to give up a future pick, sixers wise, with some lottery protections or something...and then you have the same issue next summer you have this summer, find yourself a a power forward unless speights matures over night in ways above Young, and probably a point guard as well.

It's not checkers, it's not othello, it's chess, the sixers need to be smart, judicious and plan long term to build a long term contender...and that takes time and not over reacting.

And you really don't tell the fans what your list of options are unless you wanna get flambayed

[Skates]

I'm not sure, but I don't think we ever gave Brett Barry his props for also opting out of his contract:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3469902   

[jemagee]

Career A:TO of 3:1 and a 42% 3 point shooter...wouldn't be a bad bench player on a contending team

[tk76-]

I would have been excited at the possibility to get Brand- his age and Achilles injury does not scare me.  Brand was the one potentially available player that could have made this team a player in the East while Miller is still here- but I agree getting Brand was unlikely and it was not in Philly's hands.

If the Clips had failed to get a pg like Brand publicly said he wanted added, then I think there was a decent chance he could have forced a sign and trade- possibly to the Sixers.  I don't think Ed really had cards to play, and am disappointed but not frustrated that it was not to be.

That leaves us with a young decent core(but not star laden like Portland) and an older vet PG.  The young guys probably won't be all ready for at least 2-3 years, so we need to turn Miller and our cap space into pieces to add, while being sure we will have flexibilty to add the final peice (a vet star like a Brand) in 2-3 years.

We won't be players for Lebron or Wade in 2010, but there will be a lot of moveent that summer.  Maybe we can be in position to pick up a discarded vet star that summer heading into Dalembert's expiring year.  By ten Iguodala, Young, Lou and Speights should all be more seasoned, and the bench guys more ready.

At this point I would like us to sign Smith, but don't feel an urgency to see a big splash.  As long as we don't scew ourselves with a 4 yr bad contract to an aging player like Jamison, I'm still optomistic long term.