Heard in the Cheap Seats

Right about the time I post this, NBA free agency will be underway.  Usually that brings about a lot of excitement.  Last year at this time, the Sixers made a huge splash by signing Elton Brand.  Everyone knew that with a new GM and a lot of money to spend under the salary cap, the Sixers were going to try and make a big score.  They got their man, but the acquisition of Brand has yet to pay dividends.  Boy, how times have changed!

This season, the Sixers are over the salary cap.  It appears that the first order of business for Ed Stefanski is to start the conversations regarding the return of Andre Miller.  The Sixers can pay Miller as much as they want, regardless of the cap situation.  It remains to be seen what kind of market will be out there for Miller.  It looks as though the strategy will be to talk with Miller and his agent and make their play to resign him.  Whether they do or not will determine the other pieces the Sixers go after.

The options are pretty simple for the Sixers this summer.  In regards to Miller, they can sign him, not sign him, or work a sign and trade.  Currently, the Sixers have 10 players under contract, if you include Jrue Holiday.  So, regardless of what happens with Miller, the Sixers have spaces to fill.  They can use the mid level exception and veteran minimum as far as salary for free agents.  The mid level exception is between 5 and 6 million dollars per year.  I have scoured the list of free agents, both restricted and unrestricted and I came away unimpressed.  This summer is one of those scenarios where Stefanski and the Sixers are going to need to be creative.  They surely have a plan, and that plan will begin to unfold in the coming weeks. 

Normally, I might lay out what I would like to see the Sixers do in free agency.  But, since I am not a fan of about 90% of the available players, I will keep my opinion simple.  I am now convinced that signing Miller is a good move, but only if he will sign for 2 years.  If Miller wants a much longer contract for too much money, I don’t think it’s worth it.  I don’t want to see Stefanski signing players just to try and gain a few more wins this season.  The Sixers can’t end up in the same situation Billy King stuck them with again.  The Sixers will make a few moves this summer, and starting in about a half hours, news will be trickling out about what those moves might be.  If Stefanski gets creative and pulls a few rabbits out of his hat, I will be pleasantly surprised.  Stay tuned.

The fine folks in the PR department over at the Philadelphia 76ers were kind enough to arrange a call for some of the Philadelphia sports bloggers to speak with new Sixers head coach Eddie Jordan.  So first off, thanks to both the Sixers and Coach Jordan for taking the time to chat with us today—much appreciated. 

Able to jump on the line for the call was Brian from Depressed Fan, Derek from RealGM and Philly Arena, Dannie from ReclinerGM, Ricky from Sixers 4 Guidos, Jeff from Philadunkia and my brother and I. 

As you can imagine, the line of questioning ran the gamut from the Princeton offense, to defensive philosophy, to what to do with Samuel Dalembert.  I will do my best to summarize here Coach Jordan’s answers in all departments and my take on those answers. 

On what to do with Samuel Dalembert:

It is clear to most observers that Samuel Dalembert is a colossal mismatch for the Princeton offense due to his limited offensive skill set in a scheme that demands versatility.  Though, it could be easily argued that Dalembert is ill suited for most any NBA offense other than one intent on throwing lob passes his way all game long.

Of course, Coach Jordan took a diplomatic approach when asked how Dalembert fits into the Princeton offense.  Jordan highlighted that Dalembert is an elite shotblocker that rebounds the ball well and can run the floor.  No arguments from me on that point.  But what was probably most telling was Coach Jordan’s take on Dalembert’s commitment to his teammates and his work ethic.  Jordan said: “He has to buy into being an unselfish player who cares about his teammates. That’’s always been the knock on him. If he can play unselfish basketball, and stop all the up and down stuff, the offense can either run through him, or around him, but he has to buy in.”

In my opinion, that is about as close to a public tongue lashing as you will see a coach give one of his players.  And personally, I like the approach.  Jordan is sending a clear message to Dalembert and any other player paying attention—the Sixers will play a team brand of basketball and if you can’t buy into the philosophy you will find yourself sitting at the end of the bench.

On the defensive philosophy:

Eddie Jordan is widely considered to be an offensive-minded coach.  Because of that, I was keen to hear what his philosophy was on the defensive end of the floor.  Essentially, Coach Jordan emphasized that a championship-quality team starts at the defensive end of the floor and must have a frontcourt capable of defending the basket.  When pressed on the weak perimeter defense of last year, Jordan stressed that the Sixers need to do a better job of containing the dribble penetration and rotate to the basketball better.

There is no doubt that the Sixers have the athletes needed to be a quality defensive team.  The question is: can coach Jordan motivate them to up their level of play?

On offensive philosophy:

There were no huge surprises on the offensive philosophy.  Coach Jordan said he firmly believes that any good coach adapts his system to the skill set of his players.  For this team, he acknowledged that meant a handful of players that essentially have the same skill set and lack a true outside threat.  Because of that, Coach Jordan said that each one of the players will be asked to be a chameleon and occupy different spots on the floor.  Andre Iguodala and Lou Williams will both be used as combo guards and Elton Brand will be moved around the floor in a variety of ways.

Most interestingly, Coach Jordan indicated that the Princeton offense thrives off of combo guards.  Does that mean a pure point guard like Andre Miller has no use for this team?  I think so.  Even more telling on this front is Jordan’s candid acknowledgement that players that can knock down the three are a huge priority.  It seems likely that Sixers will be shopping for a long-range threat at the expense of bringing back Andre Miller.   

My overall first impression of Coach Jordan was positive.  He did not shy away from questions and answered them candidly and in a matter of fact manner.  It is clear that he has a system in place and a plan in mind for this roster.  He is painfully aware of this roster has holes and admits it is a work in progress.

Will his plan work?  That remains to be seen.

“This is a game we won’t forget about and also will forget about.”  Uhhhh…What?!  That is what Tony DiLeo was quoted as saying following Sunday night’s awful loss to the New Jerset Nets.  Now, I know what DiLeo meant, but that doesn’t make it any less funny to read.  That is one of those quotes that can make your head spin, very similar to the way the Sixers play can do the same.  I chose not to write a single word after the loss to the Nets, because it really didn’t deserve any space on this website.  Plus, I probably would have been arrested for vulgarity had I written anything at all.  Instead I want to simply look at the remaining six games, and the Sixers chances of snagging the 5^th seed in the Eastern Conference.

There are a few factors that play into the remaining games as I see it.  I am basing all my predictions on possibilities.  Three of the final 6 games will be against Boston and Cleveland and there is a chance that the Sixers may not be facing their best squad, but it remains to be seen.  Here’s how I think it will play out between the Sixers and Heat in the battle for the 5^th seed…

Tuesday, April 7th

Sixers @Charlotte- Tonight’s game is huge.  While it is not a must win for the season, I believe it is if the Sixers want any chance of beating out Miami.  The Bobcats are going to fight tooth and nail, as they cannot afford any more losses if they want to sneak into the 8^th seed.  I think/hope that the Sixers come out with aggression and play from in front and win a close game.

New Orleans @ Miami

Obviously Miami has the same motivation in their final 5 games as the Sixers do.  But, tonight I think a good New Orleans team will win in Miami.  New Orleans is fighting for playoff seeding as well.  They currently sit in 6^th in the West, but can as high up as 3^rd if they play well down the stretch.

Sixers- 41-36     Heat- 41-37

Thursday, April 9^th

Sixers @ Chicago

It is looking like the Bulls have secured either the 7^th or 8^th seed in the Eastern Conference, but they aren’t going to be assured anything at this point.  It will be a tough road game, but I am going to go with the Sixers in this one.  Andre Miller is going to put up big numbers against the Bulls.

Sixers- 42-36     Heat- 41-37

Friday, April 10^th

Cleveland @ Sixers

The Sixers have no shot in this game.  Not only is it a road/home back to back, but it is against the best team in the conference.  The Cavs are fighting to beat out the Lakers for best overall record in the NBA.  They have only lost one game (albeit to the Lakers) at home, and have their sights set on the NBA Finals.  You better believe they want home court advantage.  Sixers will be beaten handily in this one.

Miami @ Boston

The Celtics are tough at home, and they definitely want to ensure having the home court advantage in a possible 2^nd round match up with the Magic.  I think Miami is going to play tough in this one, but the Celtics prevail.

Sixers- 42-37     Heat- 41-38

Sunday, April 12^th

Sixers @ Toronto

The Sixers have a lot to play for, and Toronto has absolutely nothing to play for.  That should be a recipe for a win, although you never know with this Sixers team.  I will give them the benefit of the doubt and put this one in the win column.

New York @ Miami

Dwayne Wade will make sure that Miami takes care of the Knicks in front of the home crowd in a big game. 

Sixers- 43-37    Heat- 42-38

Tuesday, April 14^th

Boston @ Sixers

There is a pretty good chance that this game will mean something in the playoff seeding for the Celtics.  I will base my prediction on that premise and say that the Celtics take down the Sixers in order to secure the 2^nd seed in the Eastern Conference.

Miami @ Atlanta

This game could very well be a first round playoff series match up.  Depending on where the Hawks stand at this point, this game could be to lock up home court for the first round.  I think the Hawks will want to make sure the Heat don’t feel good on Atlanta’s home court.  Atlanta wins a close game.

Sixers- 43-38     Heat- 42-39

Wednesday, April 15^th

Sixers @ Cleveland

The more I looked at the schedules for each team, I decided that the race between the Lakers and Cavs for best record in the NBA could very well come down to the final regular season game.  With that theory in mind, the Sixers will not win in Cleveland.  If they have already clicned by this point and decide to rest some players, the Sixers may have chance.  I am not sure that will be the case.

Detroit @ Miami

If everything breaks down the way I have laid it out, then this would be a huge game for Miami.  At this point, Detroit will likely already know it can do no better than the 8^th seed, and will pack it in like the Pistons tend to do.  Miami wins their final regular season game.

Sixers- 43-39     Heat- 43-39

So, that would mean the Sixers and Heat end their battle tied.  The two teams split their season series, so the next tiebreaker would be conference record.  If we use my scenario, the Heat would finish with a conference record of 28-24, and the Sixers would sit at 27-25.  Obviously, this would mean that the Sixers would finish 6^th in the East and face either the Magic or Celtics.

I am hoping that it plays out differently, of course.  I am simply laying out what my prediction would be if you put a gun to my head (please don’t, I don’t want to have to get physical).  I know I am making a big deal out of this whole thing, but it’s because I truly believe that if the Sixers can somehow get the 5^th seed, they will win their first round series.  I believe just winning a series and getting to face Cleveland in the 2^nd round will benefit all the young Sixers heading into next season.  This team needs to grow and learn what it feels like to win a playoff series, and getting the 5^th seed is the only way for the Sixers to do that.

The Sixers clinched a playoff spot today by beating the Detroit Pistons 95-90.  It was their second straight win since Thaddeus Young went down with an injury.  The Sixers look like a team that really wants to secure at least the 5^th seed in the playoffs to avoid playing facing the Cavs, Celtics, or Magic in the first round.  Playing behind for most of the game, the Sixers used a 27-16 4^th quarter to secure the win.  Let’s take a look at some things on both the positive and negative side that stood out to me.

POSITIVES

-          Andre Iguodala was excellent. Due to the fact that the Sixers are short handed and fighting for playoff positioning, Iguodala played 45 minutes and had a season high 31 points on 13 of 19 from the floor.  He had a tough match up against Tayshaun Prince and clearly came out on top.  His night included some nice outside shooting as well as a barrage of dunks and alley-oops.  Iggy also had 9 boards, including a few crucial ones late in the 4^th quarter.

-          Andre Miller was as solid as usual.  Man, I hope the Sixers can keep him around.  Miller literally just gets the job done, especially when the Sixers need it.  He has an uncanny ability to make a big play when the Sixers are struggling, and there really is no better floor leader in the NBA.  Oh, did I mention that Miller had a triple double today, to the tune of 21 points, 12 assists, and 10 boards?

-          Lou Williams- Lou played 29 minutes and continues to be aggressive with the ball in his hands.  He really can be an “X” factor for this team.  It says something that every time Williams is on the floor, the Sixers look to get the ball in his hands as much as possible.  He was able to pitch in 15 points off the bench, and again played most of the crucial minutes as the Sixers made their run in the 4^th.

-          Marreese Speights had another solid effort off the bench offensively.  Speights chipped in 10 points.  More importantly, even though he missed a few open looks in the 4^th, he showed confidence in taking big shots.

-          Tony DiLeo- I thought DiLeo did a nice job in feeling out the game.  He went with a lineup of Miller, Williams, Iguodala, Speights, and Ratliff for most of the 4^th quarter.  When the Sixers were struggling to control the defensive glass, DiLeo subbed in Evans to help on the boards.

-          Speaking of Reggie Evans, he did a nice job of helping out on the glass when the Sixers needed it late in the game, including a rebound he fought for and got fouled on with about 40 seconds to go.  Evans subsequently stepped up and knocked down both free throws to make it a two possession game.  This is the 2^nd time in a row I’m praising Evans.  I think it’s a record.

NEGATIVES

-          Samuel Dalembert got into early foul trouble and only played a total of 10 minutes.  He didn’t grab a single rebound and lost his battle with Kwame Brown of all people.  At least, DiLeo was smart enough to sit Sammy down.

-          Lou Williams played very well offensively and they needed his spark.  He is one of the few Sixers who can get to the rim consistently.  Unfortunately, he was overmatched on the defensive end.  Both Bynum and Stuckey were able to consistently penetrate past Williams or post him up, leading to quite a few buckets and open threes for the Pistons.

-          Speaking of weak on the defensive end, Speights really needs to get better there.  But, there was no excuse for his terrible defensive rebounding, particularly in the 4^th quarter.  The Pistons continued to get second chances and almost all of them were a direct result of Speights doing a poor job of blocking out.  It led to Speights being taken out in favor of Evans because it was so obvious that he was getting killed down low.

-          Giving up 17 offensive rebounds is unacceptable.  Luckily, the Pistons shot poorly from the field, and much of that had nothing to do with the Sixers defense.  It was just a case of the Pistons missing open looks.

All in all, it was a huge win for the Sixers.  They are holding on to the 5^th spot in the East and need to continue to play every game like it’s a playoff contest.  Like I have said, I think Lou Williams can be the “X” factor for the Sixers down the stretch.  Seven games remain, including the next three on the road.  Every game is a big game from here on out.

Now that was a weird road trip.  The season is winding down for the Sixers and they couldn’t afford to go out to the west coast and lose 4 of 5 games or even worse all 5.  When the trip started, I was hoping for a 3 – 2 record, and that’s exactly what they are coming back with, after last night’s big overtime victory over the Portland Trailblazers.  The weird part was how they got to that record.  The trip started off with an unlikely buzzer beater by Andre Iguodala to beat the best team in the West, followed by an ugly loss to the Suns the next night, then a bad loss to a Warriors team that looked like they were doing lay up drills, a blow out of the Sacramento Kings (worst team in the NBA), and then last night’s win against the team with the 5^th best home record in the NBA.  So, they lose to a bad Warriors team and a struggling Suns team, but beat the teams with the 2^nd and 5^th best home records in the NBA?  That’s not how I envisioned the trip playing itself out, but I will certainly take it.

The Sixers were led last night by the trio of Andre Miller, Andre Iguodala, and Thaddeus Young.  The Sixers played front runners for most of the game, but in the second half Portland was able to knock down their perimeter shots and fight back to take the lead late in the 4^th quarter.  The Sixers fought hard in a game that for awhile seemed to be going against them late.  I rarely criticize officiating, but there was a 5 minute stretch in the 4^th quarter where literally every call went against the Sixers, and they were not all good calls at all.  But, to their credit, the Sixers were able to stay focused on the task at hand.  That is when it is great to have a guy like Andre Miller leading your team.  Miller seemed to take control of the game in the waning minutes and ensure that the Sixers would be flying home with a winning road trip. 

Yeah, it went to overtime, but the Sixers were able to make plays down the stretch to win a big game.  They did the same thing against the Lakers.  Could we be seeing this team starting to understand how to win close games?  It’s possible.  I definitely see a difference in one player in particular: Thaddeus Young.  Thaddeus Young has now scored over 20 points in four straight games for the first time in his career.  It is blatantly obvious that he is more aggressive and confident.  Instead of deferring to his teammates all the time, Young is looking to score.  This can only help the Sixers.  It gives them another reliable option in their offense that they can utilize in their half court sets.  In the previous 4 months of this season, Young took 15 or more shots a total of 13 times.  Already, in the month of March, he has done so 8 times.  He knows he can score, and he is being aggressive with his touches. 

On the negative side, the Sixers gave up 100 or more points in 4 of the 5 games on this road trip.  I know that the Suns and Warriors are high scoring teams, but the Sixers didn’t put up a fight.  They need to tighten up their defense.  You can’t head into the playoffs with bad habits on defense.

So, the Sixers have 13 games remaining in the regular season.  Seven are at home, and 6 on the road.  The goal should be the 5 spot in the Conference.  They are currently 1 ½ games behind the Heat for that spot.  I know the Sixers aren’t winning a title this year, but wouldn’t it be nice to at least have a chance of winning the first round series?  If they don’t catch the Heat, then they have zero chance of advancing past the first round.  I think the Sixers can take that 5^th spot.  They need to set it as a goal and fight for it.  The Heat have 12 games remaining, with 7 of those coming on the road.  The Sixers have the easier of the two schedules.  The battle for the 5^th spot begins tomorrow night against Minnesota.  Will the Sixers be up to the challenge?

Going into this game, the prevailing school of thought was that if the Sixers were going to make a move up the Eastern Conference standings, there was no time like the present.   The Grizzlies are a young basketball team that plays very little defense.  This was a game the Sixers had to have.  Despite their best effort to blow the game, the Sixers were able to squeak out a 110-105 win and get back to .500.

It was a game that featured very little defense by both teams but the Sixers came away with just enough stops to close out the game.  If they are going to get on a roll, they will have to play better than they did tonight.

Because this is a Philadelphia sports blog, naturally, I””ll start with the negatives from this game:

– Inability to Stop Ball on the Break: On more than one occasion, Mike Connelly waltzed down the court uncontested on the break.  I don””t know about you, but when I played basketball we used to do 3 on 2, 2 on 1 drills.  The primary goal for the defender was to stop ball, preferably before they get to the foul line.  Why is this concept lost on the Sixers?

– Help Defense Went to Sleep: Another one of those concepts you learn early on in basketball is always see your man and the ball at all times.   Tonight, the Sixers were caught too many times with their heads turned—allowing Connely and the rest of his cohorts attack the rim.  The Sixers must do a better job of protecting the hoop.

– Thad Still Mired in a Slump: Thaddeus Young is in a deep rut and he can””t seem to shoot his way out of the hole.  He has no lift on his jumpshots.  Fortunately, Thad runs the floor well and can get points from using his sheer athleticism.

– Too much going underneath the picks: I understand why the Sixers go underneath picks, especially against a player like Connelly that is not known for his outside shooting.  That is all well and good, but when Connelly has 18 points in the first half it is time to adjust.   In addition, the Sixers need to show some semblance of floor presence.  If the Grizzlies start their offense at 19 feet, you can no longer go underneath the screen.

– Three Point Shooting and Free Throws: This has been chronicled at length, so I won””t belabor the issue.  The Sixers need to knock down free throws and shoot better than 3-13 from three-point land.

For a win, there were very few positives to point out.   But a W is a W so surely the Sixers did a few things well.  Right?:

– Andre Miller”’’s Basketball IQ: Andre Miller just seems to find ways to score the basketball.  Tonight, he realized the Mike Connelly could not cover him on the block and he consistently backed him down where he knew he had the advantage.

– Bench Provided a Spark: Both Louis Williams and Mareese Speights were able to come into the game and contribute a spark off the bench tonight.  Even Theo Ratliff got into the action and

– Starting the Offense Deeper: It”’’s not exactly a secret that the Sixers lack an outside threat.   Instead of starting the offense deep in the backcourt, the Sixers did a solid job tonight of starting the offense deeper.  The result was solid looks in the midrange jumpshot territory.  The credit here goes to Tony DiLeo for ensuring the Sixers are get looks like can capitalize on.

– Second Chance Points: The Sixers were all over the offensive glass tonight-leading to countless second chance opportunities.  At least of the Sixers aren””t going to knock down any shots we know they are going to get on the boards.

“We’re streaking!  We’re going up through the quad to the gymnasium.”  Everybody knows that came from the mouth of Frank the Tank in “Old School”.  Well, it looks like the Sixers are streaking, too.  Only, they aren’t running drunk and naked through the streets.  The Sixers lost their 3^rd game in a row today by the score of 97-91 to the Miami Heat.  I know that reference was a little out of left field, but come along with me anyway. 

Actually, now that I think about it, the Sixers could have passed for drunk today against the Heat.  Collectively, they shot 37% from the field, including two starters (Green and Iguodala) that combined to shoot 4 for 25.  So during the 3 game losing streak, the Sixers have produced field goal percentages of 38%, 32%, and today’s 37%.  That is absolutely horrible.  The starters were absolute dominated today, except for Andre Miller.  Speights and Lou Williams came off the bench and played well, but it wasn’t near enough to overcome Dwayne Wade and the Heat.  It’s hard to pinpoint exactly where the solution lies.  First of all, the Sixers just aren’t a good shooting team.  They thrive on creating easy buckets off turnovers and fast break opportunities, and recently they have not been able to do much of that.  Even when the Sixers shoot a high percentage, it isn’t from them hitting a bunch of jumpers. Either way, if you want to be a good NBA team, you have to find ways to convert in the half court.  There have been stretches under Tony DiLeo that the Sixers have played much better in their half court offense, but that is certainly not the case right now.  One of the biggest problems is that the Sixers just don’t have that reliable scorer who can get a high percentage shot whenever they want.  In reality, Lou Williams may be the closest thing they have, but his shot is not consistent enough. 

There were a lot of things that took place in today’s game that didn’t make a whole lot of sense.  I can’t figure out why Thaddeus Young sat for so much of the 4^th quarter.  I like having Lou Williams in the game down the stretch, so I would prefer seeing a lineup of Miller, Williams, Iggy, Young, and Speights.  I understand this lineup can’t be used in every game, but today the Sixers needed guys on the floor who could get themselves a shot, so I don’t understand why Young wasn’t on the floor.  There was one more thing that drove me insane!  We have already mentioned how poor of a shooting team the Sixers are, so why the hell with 24 seconds left and down by 3 do the Sixers draw up a play designed for Williams to force up a well defended three?  There was plenty of time to get a bucket and foul and then maybe if you are forced to, you go for the three.  Not to mention, the easiest way to get a 3 in that situation would be a drive and kick play.  So, why not run a play that is designed to get to the hole and then either get the easy bucket or kick for an open 3?  Granted, Lou didn’t have to shoot it, but it was obviously the designed play, and I think it was a bad call by DiLeo.  Last I checked, the Sixers traded Kyle Korver. 

So, where do the Sixers go from here?  Well, they have some winnable games coming up, and they need to seize that opportunity.  Plain and simple, the Sixers best offense is their defense.  It may be cliché, but it’s absolutely true.  That is where it needs to start for this team.  They have the ability to harass teams all over the court, and in order get out of this horrible shooting stretch, that’s what they need to do.  Let’s face it, easier looks equal better field goal percentage.  Let’s see if the Sixers can make Frank the Tank proud and go “streaking” in the other direction.

RANTS

I just wanted to mention 2 other things regarding the Sixers real quick that are really starting to piss me off.  Scratch that, I am already pissed.

1)       Willie Green- Willie Green has no business starting in the NBDL, let alone the NBA.  I honestly don’t get it.  He never plays in the 4^th quarter, so that shows how much they think of him.  If you won’t play him in the 4^th, why the hell is he starting?  Why not start Speights at the four, Young at the 3?  Or, insert Williams into the starting lineup at the 2.  Anything would be better than having to watch Willie Green pretend to be an NBA player.

2)       Sammy- He needs to shut his mouth!  I am tired of hearing him complain to reporters every time his name is mentioned for a trade or someone says he needs to play better.  Uh, hey Sam, you stink.  You are making millions of dollars and have absolutely zero ability on the offensive end!  He has some crazy idea that if he played 40 minutes a game, he’d be a 20/10 guy.  I’m sorry, I just can’t stand listening to him complain every time something doesn’t go his way.  Ok, I’m done.

If my informal Twitter poll is any indication, many Sixers fans want the team to make a deal as the deadline nears but few have confidence that one will get done.  What can you expect?  We are impatient Philly fans that constantly crave a championship but never believe one will come.  Even though the Phillies broke that mold, the general sentiment still lingers.

After last night’s 101-89 loss at the hands of the Denver Nuggets, it is likely that cries for a trade will escalate to deafening levels.  If there is one thing Philadelphia fans have down pat it is the “sky is falling syndrome.”  Two straight ugly losses are enough to kick that into high gear.

But not everyone is calling for a trade.  John Smallwood over at the Daily News thinks the team should stand pat.  His primary argument is that no move at the deadline could possibly pull this team to elite status and therefore it is not worth the risk.  He is right that a deadline deal is not suddenly going to make this team a contender.  But as I have said time and time again, this team is not a contender next year either with its current group of players plus Elton Brand.  In fact, if the Sixers were to essentially trot out the same group of players next season they would have a ceiling of a #4 seed in the Eastern Conference.  So if making a move now doesn’t get the team to title contender status but sitting tight doesn’t either, should fans be content to wallow in mediocrity?

I don’t want to continue to beat a dead horse but it is my opinion that the Sixers need to seriously test the market for Andre Miller.  It’s not that I dislike Miller or think he should be traded just for the sake of moving him.  If they can’t get something close to equal value I will take my chances in free agency.  However, Miller is a valuable commodity on the trade market.  Several teams would love to have a veteran point guard for a playoff push.

Yes, in the short term, the Sixers will suffer.  And yes, there is a strong case to be made that moving Miller takes away the one veteran presence that can help this young team mature.  Shipping Miller could leave a bad taste in the collective mouths of these young players.  That is a valid point but a risk I would be willing to take if I were sitting in the GM’s office today.

Look no further than the last two games for the reason the Sixers CANNOT win with this personnel.  63-177 from the field for 35% and 6-28 from three-point range for 21%.  Those are not the numbers of a winning team and certainly not the numbers of a contender.  The clear and obvious need is a shooter.  Problem is: the Sixers have little money to spend this offseason and there are few options available on the trade market.  It’s not an easy predicament that Ed Stefanski faces today but he needs to try and find a new home for Andre Miller.

As my brother has kindly reminded us on numerous occasions, this homestand was an opportunity for the Sixers to put some padding between themselves and that pesky .500 mark.  Anything short of 5-2 would not suffice. 

Despite a brutal loss to the Nets and a heartbreaker to the Celtics, the Sixers managed to come out of this homestand with a 5-2 record in tow and three games above .500 heading into the all-star break.  Perhaps more importantly, the Sixers win last night paired with the Pistons loss puts the team in the 5^th spot in the Eastern conference—also known as the seed that does not have to play the Celtics, Cavs or Magic in the first round.  In some ways, this break could not come at a more inopportune time.  The team has seemed to find its rhythm and is playing all-around good basketball.  Offensively, when I watch this team the biggest difference is the flow and spacing on offense.  In the early part of the year, the Sixers were prone to periods of stagnation with the primary culprit being an offense that was content to watch one player attempt to score.  That has disipated with time and the team is showing good court awareness and much better flow.  So what does this all mean? 

Not to sound like an alarmist, but this renewed sense of optimism has only served to temporarily mask the state of this team.  Currently, the Sixers look capable of making it into the playoffs and potentially even winning a series.  “And that is without our prime offseason acquisition,” is the common refrain from the fan base.  “Imagine where we will be next year once Elton is back and healthy,” they say.  But even a healthy Elton Brand added to this team does not get it past the plateau of a second-round playoff exit.  In fact, a healthy Elton Brand does not get the Sixers even in the same hemisphere as the Cavs and Celtics.  So while this 5-2 homestand is important in so much that it shows the growing maturity of a young team and the ability to gel as a team—don’t let it fool you entirely. 

I know what you are thinking.  Why is this jerk trying to point out every negative of this basketball team when they are coming off a very good stretch of basketball?  That is a fair point, but my intent is not to pile on a Sixer team that is playing a solid brand of basketball.  My intent is to question the long-term prognosis for this team.  They have a very solid and young core in place—the type of core that you can build around.  But to think that as presently constructed this team can make noise in the playoffs is foolish.  As I have said on many occasions, this team is severly deficient in a few phases of the game.  Unfortunately, those phases of the game are the exact areas that became more crucial come playoff time.  Halfcourt offense, three point shooting, limiting turnovers—these are all things that are magnified when the game slows down.  The Sixers still struggle in these areas and will need to address them either at this deadline or in the offseason to have a shot at making a run in the playoffs next year.

I know this is not a popular opinion, but I still maintain the Sixers should move Andre Miller.  Don’t get me wrong, he is a very good player that helps this team win.  However, he is the best trade chip they have and if the organization has even an inkling that he won’t be back next year once he hits free agency they need to move now.  While the team is playing well, the front office should be building for next season.

Again, don’t misread this.  I am thrilled with the way the Sixers have been playing recently and have even allowed myself to contemplate the potential of this current roster.  But our goal never was and never should be a second round exit from the playoffs.  If it is, then Ed Stefanski may as well just put $80 million in a fire and through gasoline on it because it would amount to about the same thing in the end.

Now that the dust has settled from the shock of losing Elton Brand for the year, Philadelphia Sixers’ fans want to know what’s next.  Recliner GM has a great post up of about every conceivable trade that could take place before the deadline—check it out to get a sense of the possibilities.  Suffice it to say that Ed Stefanski has no shortage of options when it comes to constructing this team for the future.

The key part of that statement is the future.  The current team probably has enough firepower to hover around .500 all season long and make an early exit from the playoffs.  Philadelphia has mastered the art of toiling in mediocrity and this season will be no different.  But is that what we expected when we dropped $80 million on a supposed cornerstone of the franchise?

No.

In the next two to three seasons the expectation is that this team can contend for a championship.  The current nucleus is a start on that path but is not nearly enough to get it done.  Because of this, there is no time like the present to unload any of your tradable commodities in an effort to build toward next year.  The likely short-term result will be a narrow miss of the playoffs this year but that’s a small price to pay in building for the future. 

Undoubtedly, the Sixers most attractive and realistic tradable asset is Andre Miller.  At this time of the year, teams are often hunting for a veteran point guard that can stabilize an offense.  Andre Miller fits the mold perfectly and brings with him an expiring contract that increases his value on the trade market.  While getting rid of Miller hurts this team in the short term, it will bring back pieces that will help build for the future.  The Sixers need to face the realization that Miller will not be donning a Philly uniform next season and with Brand out for the year, the hopes of a deep run in the playoffs are nonexistent.  Now is the time to bring something back for Miller before you lose him to free agency for nothing.

With less than two weeks until the trade deadline, the Ed Stefanski faces some difficult choices.  However, there only seems to be two options: accept the status quo and languish through a mediocre season or make some aggressive moves with the knowledge that the ultimate goal will not be met this season.  As fans, we’ll need to summon enough patience to realize that the performance of this team will suffer if Andre Miller is moved.  But the simple fact remains this team, even with Elton Brand, cannot win a championship.  The time is now to improve the roster.  What do you think?  Will the Sixers make a move or stand pat content to make the squeak into the playoffs?