| 15 February 2010
Trade deadline is approaching and the rumors are getting crazy.
How do you like Barbosa and Stoudamire, for instance?
If there’s one trade offer that would be likeliest to usurp the Cavs’ proposal it would be the Philadelphia 76ers softening on their stance that they won’t include Andre Iguodala with Sam Dalembert in a package for Stoudemire and Leandro Barbosa. The Suns had been receptive to that deal, despite the belief of some in the league that Phoenix owner Robert Sarver doesn’t want to take on future contracts, just shed them.
Sixers general manager Ed “Stefanski doesn’t want Stoudemire and [Elton] Brand together,” one source said.
The Sixers also haven’t been pro-active about trying to get a three-team deal going.
Micheal Beasley anyone? From ESPN Insider:
While other pieces would've had to be included, the trade essentially would've sent Beasley to Philadelphia, Iguodala to Phoenix and Stoudemire to Miami. The deal broke down, sources say, because Philadelphia wasn't overwhelmed by the prospect of rebuilding around Beasley.
I really don't want to follow all the rumors, and can't do it, also. But I'd like to make my evaluations of parts of the current Sixers roster and make few observations about some players that can be involved in a trade.
So here are Sixers4guidos' untradeables.
1) THADDEUS YOUNG. "He's only a scorer". "He regressed". "He doesn't play defense". "Tim Thomas part II". How many times did you hear, or say yourself, these sentences? As if scoring doesn't matter in basketball, or a -0.7 PPG decrease - to go along with a -2 MPG difference - is a big deal etc etc.
It always amazes me how guys are so quick in labeling as a borderline bust a player that will turn twenty-two in June (that's 22 !!) and in two and 1/2 seasons has already been coached by three different coaches (= Cheeks, Di Leo, Eddie Jordan, none of them exactly Springfield bound...), switching two positions (SF and PF) and jumping from the bench to the starting line up, and viceversa, so many times that I lost the count (more + the other 'untradeables' after the jump).So yes, let's get rid of Young "package him" (another BS I'm reading often): surely he doesn't have time to learn playing defense, rebound more, pass better, right? Surely our defensive-minded genius coach could have taught him a lot of nice things about what to do in our half court, but Young wasn't willing, or capable, to understand them... after all you can't expect a 21 y/o player to improve in the next decade...
Also, he is on our books at 2.1 mill this year and 2.9 next season (= less than 36 y/o bum Kevin Ollie made): giving up on a player like him in his r-o-o-k-i-e c-o-n-t-r-a-c-t is another brilliant idea, that many GM wannabees around are proposing. Trade him now, great move also financially, lot of "cap relief" there...
In my humble opinion Thaddeus Young is a very nice player that WILL improve and can/should be our STARTING, SMALL FORWARD for many years to come. To the very least, I'd like to see him playing under a half-decent coach for a full year before "packaging" him.
2) MARREESE SPEIGHTS. For the financial + "properly coached" part, see Thaddeus Young, add a year (will turn 23 in August), subtract an NBA season and 500k....
To me, Speights is another player with a lot of potential that can't be fairly judged, because of the rollercoaster way he has been managed. Not only this year. His minutes, role in the team, position have been far from consistent and he's been, uh, inconsistent... how shocking !
A poor man's Amar'e Stoudamire? Or the new Stromile Swift? How about we wait a little bit, let him play in a real "system", and then express an opinion based on something more solid? Nearly 9 PPG in 16 minutes with 50% FG (and many clutch baskets in close games), are you kidding me ???? Yes, defense is still below decency, rebounding needs improvement, bulk has to be added but... I'd just keep Speights.
3) JRUE HOLIDAY. Do I really need to elaborate? But remember many negadelphians were ready to put him down even before he had played a minute in the NBA, saying that Sixers "should have drafted Lawson" etc etc (and jumping at management after the Nugget had his first good games)... enough said.
4) LOU WILLIAMS. Now this is more debateable, I know. I put him in this group purposedly. He's still young but not a kid: will turn 24 only in October and this is his fifth NBA season (!!). Also, he signed a pretty big contract last summer, earning 5+ mill per year until 2013.
But guess what, Lou, despite the unlucky jaw injury - happened while he was playing perhaps the best basketball of his career - , despite all of his flaws (playing zero defense is the most annoying one) is having a CAREER YEAR, with all the numbers way up from last season (check also the assist/turnover ratio).
Surely, he's another case of horrible coaching (why can't he start NOW, beside Holiday, to name one?) and even worse management: the useless signing of Iverson hurted him more than anybody. But overall his production has been good, and worth those $. At least to me.
Think about the absurdity of the situation: this summer, he was a sure starter and Sixers invested a fair amount of money on him, then 23 y/o, to be the playmaker of the future, letting the previous starter, Andre Miller, walk. Now, at every tip off Williams is sitting, because Jrue Holiday - projected to get only sporadic minutes this year - took his spot and Iverson - signed at mid season for... uhm, I have no idea, maybe sell the Nuggets game out - "must" start, for obvious reasons.
Ouh, and when Iverson is not there, like now, Willie effin' Green is the other back court starter. How would you feel if you were in Williams' place ????
Anyway I'd keep Sweet Lou. Five mill per year aren't much, even for a good sixth man off the bench. Even if you are not a great LW fan, you probably wouldn't mind having him as a spark for instant offense after the game has started, right?
How about the rest of the bunch? I wouldn't have any problem in trading any of the other guys (yes, including Iguodala, or Jason Smith - a player I like, still in his rookie contract, but that I see as more easy to replace), if there was a real chance to make the team better.
But if by giving Iguodala the best we can get back is the ghost of Tracy Mc Grady and his expiring contract, I'd say "no thanks" and start over, by simply hiring an actual coach.
The summer of 2011, and its 23 mill off the books, is closer than you might think.
