Theo's back!

[Pure Hatred]

http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/54054/20080819/source_says_ratliff_sixers_agree_to_1_year_deal/

Unspectacular but solid, welcome back Theo.

[carolina blue]

Theo!

I like it.

[TheGuiltyParty]

When the draft rolled around, I wanted a young PF with Arthur with 1 and Speights being number 2 so I was happy then. When free agency rolled around, I had Elton Brand as my perfect signing and thought it was a pipe dream. Well, Ed made that happen hence putting a big smile on my face. I wanted Ed to re-sign both Iguodala and Williams to reasonable deals. While Iguodala's deal is a bit higher than I hoped, it's not as bad as some rumors had it being (5 years/$70MIL) and Williams was signed to a great deal. Now that Jason Smith has gone down with an injury, I had Ratliff at the top of my list for veteran centers to bring in as a back-up and now that has happened.

I think Ed has done an awesome job this summer but he's going to need to continue this great work for another 12 months if he wants to turn this team into a title contender.

[tk76-]

I think Ed has done an awesome job this summer but he's going to need to continue this great work for another 12 months if he wants to turn this team into a title contender.

Ed this summer:

[Skates]

An excellent job by the FO throughout the entire offseason, doing well with the big things in Speights, Brand, Williams and Iguodala and the little things in Ivey, Rush and Ratliff.  Add another big young practice body and maybe Jamont Gordon and let's play some basketball.  Kudos all around to Ed, DiLeo, Cheeks and ownership.  Of course, this s Philly so no resting on your incomplete laurels.  I expect Cheeks' extension to be the next order of business once Ratliff is signed.  Big picture wise, time to start planning for filling the PG spot the next few years.

[tk76-]

Time to see how the pieces fit together.  Can't wait until the season.

[TheGuiltyParty]

Think about this for just a moment. The Sixers finished 40-42 last season after having an amazing second half and taking the Pistons to 6 games. This off-season, the Sixers have lost the production of...

Kevin Ollie, Rodney Carney, Calvin Booth, Shavlik Randolph, and Lou Amundson

.... and replaced them with......

Elton Brand, Marreese Speights, Theo Ratliff, Kareem Rush, and Royal Ivey.

I don't think it's wrong to expect this team to win 50 games this upcoming season especially when you factor in that many of the team's players will improve because  of how young they were last season.

[Skates]

Think about this for just a moment. The Sixers finished 40-42 last season after having an amazing second half and taking the Pistons to 6 games. This off-season, the Sixers have lost the production of...

Kevin Ollie, Rodney Carney, Calvin Booth, Shavlik Randolph, and Lou Amundson

.... and replaced them with......

Elton Brand, Marreese Speights, Theo Ratliff, Kareem Rush, and Royal Ivey.

I don't think it's wrong to expect this team to win 50 games this upcoming season especially when you factor in that many of the team's players will improve because  of how young they were last season.

On the negative side we have also lost Jason Smith, on the positive side the 2008-2009 versions of Lou Williams, Andre Iguodala and Thadeus Young are likely to be improvements on their 2007-2008 versions.  Reggie Evans and Willie Green should be playing roles more suited to their abilities and there should be similar levels of production from Miller and Sammy from last year.  50+ wins should be the regular season target.

[carolina blue]

Ivey = Ollie

Ivey will give more athleticism, but less steady play. When you put Ollie in, you knew what you were going to get - it wasn't great but it was consistent

Carney > Rush

I wasn't a Carney fan, but Rush isn't anything special.

Ratliff > Booth

Cal was a dud, Theo will outperform him if used appropriately.

Speights > Amundson/Randolph

Amundson is a D-Leaguer, Randolph showed flashes of being an acceptable end-of-the-bench guy at his best.

[shadowTerp]

Carney > Rush
Speights >>> Amundson/Randolph

Fixed. 

Carney, especially defensively, is much better than Rush.  And people forget how well he was shooting at the end of the season.  Although I don't expect to see him get lots of minutes this year, Speights will contribute much more than Amundson and Randolph would have.

I think Ed has done an awesome job this summer but he's going to need to continue this great work for another 12 months if he wants to turn this team into a title contender.

QFT.

[tk76-]

Around the end of the season I asked how many wins that team should win this coming year without any serious upgrade.  the consemnsus was near 50 wins given the team won 2/3rds of its last 30+ games.

If the chemistry remains intact, and you add Brand I would think 50 games would be on the low end of expectations.  55+ wins is definitely within reach if Young can adapt quickly to being the starting SF.  If Young is a stud by 2009-10 then 60 wins is possible.  Given the attention Brand, Iguodala and Lou draw, Young should be able to really light it up.

[shadowTerp]

And, BTW, I love the fact that this is a one-year deal.  If he ends up not being effective, it's not a loss.  And, hopefully, Smith returns in a year.

Miller/Williams/Ivey
Igoudala/Green/Rush
Young
Brand/Evans/Speights
Dalembert/Ratliff/Smith

I take it with the Ivey/Rush signings that Gordon is out of the picture for us?

[DuckyNinja]

I'm calling 55 wins this year.  This is a REALLY good team.  We went from Miller-GREEN-Iggy-EVANS-Dalembert to Miller-Iggy-THAD-BRAND-Dalembert and upgraded our bench.

[Sub]

Can't say I'm as excited as some others. He's played a total of 28 games the past two years. I still definitely think they need another big man on this roster.

[sixerscan]

And, BTW, I love the fact that this is a one-year deal.  If he ends up not being effective, it's not a loss.  And, hopefully, Smith returns in a year.

Miller/Williams/Ivey
Igoudala/Green/Rush
Young
Brand/Evans/Speights
Dalembert/Ratliff/Smith

I take it with the Ivey/Rush signings that Gordon is out of the picture for us?

Do you mean Jamont Gordon? I think there's still a very good chance we sign him.