Will Philly trade AI?

[Randy]

I read all the discussions about Philly trading AI and it's just too hard to believe that Philly will do that.  Sure, the Sixers are playing horrible ball (and as time will tell, Randy Ayers wasn't the problem) but trading AI?  To what end?  Getting what you can for him because he is getting close to 30?  Okay, I could buy that if you could get quality for him -- but does anyone think that Philly is going to get a superstar in return for AI?  And if Philly doesn't get a superstar, they can kiss all their fans goodbye (and they may do that even if they DON'T get a superstar).  Philly is an interesting basketball town -- the town actually WANTS a player with "street cred" -- I think they like that better than a fine upstanding citizen.  But outside of getting a player like LeBron or Carmello, who would Philly want?  AI is a VERY tough individual to build a team around -- he likes the rock in his hand -- A LOT!  He wants to run and gun but needs to have team defense built around him because he lacks one-on-one defensive skills and is too short for a SG in todays NBA.  I just don't think that Philly is going to get back what they are going to give up -- esp. in attendance.  If you are desparate for a trade, GM's will take advantage of it and most GM's look at you skeptically when you want to trade a superstar.  The only answer (sorry for the pun) I could see would be AI for TMac -- but would Orlando pull the trigger and would Philly be willing to take the hit with their fans?  Orlando wants to do something different and TMac isn't happy -- and TMac would be a LOT easier to build around that AI.  Still, not sure I see anything happening.

[Derek Bodner]

at this point, here's what i'd do to rebuild.

trade snow + kt (long term contracts) for contracts that end after next year.

trade ai for something like maggette + the clips first rounder this year.

with no ai, we'd have 2 top ten picks (with one of them potentially being top 3).  take okafor and jameer nelson.

keep grob.  let his contract expire.  with that contract gone + the ending contract you traded snow + kt for, you'd essentially just have maggette, salmons, dalembert, nelson and okafor (everyone but maggette on rookie contracts after next year) and at least enough cap room to sign a max free agent.

nelson, maggette, signed free agent, okafor, dalembert with marc jackson and salmons off the bench.  You'd be taking the chance that you could get a good free agent (haven't looked at who's available), and that nelson and okafor would develop into studs.  but at least it's something.

[spursfan101]

I heard through the grapevine that it's going to be a straightup trade with the Spurs.  AI for Rasho.    

[kenneth]

I heard through the grapevine that it's going to be a straightup trade with the Spurs.  AI for Rasho.  

I heard through the grapevine that it's going to be a straightup trade with the Spurs.  AI for Rasho.

I would say there is no chance of that happening for two reasons.

First the Sixers place way too high a value on AI to trade him for Rasho. Second Billy enjoys living and would be attacked  in mass by hordes of sixer fans if he did that deal.  

[SPURSX3]

wonder if the spurs could do a multiteam trade with malik to philly somehow....

[Rickortreat]

I can't see a trade for A.I. because they can't get equal value.  McGrady? I'd do it, but I doubt Orlando would go for it.

In spite of the record I wouldn't be in a rush to overhaul the team anyway.  I do think that Snow, while a solid guard, isn't offensively strong enough to make the team run the way it should.  With Iverson running and Big Dog posting, the Sixers should be scoring lots of points.  Mckie has been a major dissapoinment this year and looks about done.  I think these guys, who were the heart of the team's defense, just aren't doing it anymore.  Unless Ford can light a fire under these guys, they should be traded.

Thomas would benefit from a better point guard, and so woudl Robinson.  Even so, I thought Kenny would be more of a force than he has been.  I don't know if it's because he doesn't get the ball, but he should be working harder.  Dalembert has huge upside.  I think he could be a starting center but he still needs support.  Coleman or Jackson would do, but we really need those guys.  Until they went down, I thought the team had a chance every night.  

They've been so overmatched inside, they haven't had a chance.  As soon as they'd take Dalembert out, the other team would take it inside and the Sixers would fall apart.  That's really the bottom line, they need more inside strength.  Both Robnson and Thomas are on the small side and it's just not getting done.  A trade for a power forward is what they need.