BREAKING: Sixers Trade Willie Green and Jason Smith to Hornets
by Michael Levin on Sep 23, 2010 7:52 AM PDT
in Philadelphia 76ers News
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PrintAccording to Adrian Wojnarowski's twitter, the Sixers have dealt Willie Green and Jason Smith to the Hornets for Craig Brackins and Darius Songaila.
Obviously this is huge news for everyone who finally got around to buying their Willie Green jersey, but aside from that contingent, I can't express how thrilled I am. Brackins is a high upside prospect recently drafted out of Iowa State. Songaila is a $4.8 million expiring contract. This is awesome.
From Tanner:
You have no idea how much this excites me to A) get rid of Willie Green once and for all and, B) get Craig Brackins, the player I was advocating the Sixers take a shot at in the late first round or early second. He ended up going in the middle of the first round to the Hornets but he's ours now. At 6'10" and 229 pounds, he provides some much needed size for the interior.
The Sixers also get an expiring, serviceable inside role player in Songalia instead of having a slow, soft, expiring Jason Smith. I'd say this is a win on all accounts for the Sixers.
From Jordan:
I love this trade on so many levels. Getting rid of Willie Green is obviously incredible, but receiving a player (Brackins) drafted in the first round last year in return is even more incredible. Brackins may never amount to much, but trading Willie Green and Jason Smith for any prospect is a steal. And all we have to take back was Darius Songalia's expiring 4.6 million dollar deal. Give Thorn props on this deal. He made something out of nothing.
From Derek:
I can't say I'm nearly as in love with Brackins as some of my cohorts. I'm not sure what he projects to as doing well on the NBA level. He played a lot of mid-post in college, but he's not great at establishing position, and it led to a lot of contested jumpers that he didn't shoot a great percentage on. He's not great as holding defensive position in the post, he's not a great athlete to be a shotblocker, he's not strong enough or consistent enough to be a great rebounder, and his range, while he shows flashes, isn't consistent and he's fairly inefficient from midrange.
Perhaps his post game translates, I'm just not sure. He certainly didn't get much help from his guards, so maybe he's got some untapped potential. I thought he was a late first/early second guy, not mid-first. I definitely liked him more on a non-guaranteed second round deal.
That being said, even though the Sixers are adding salary on this deal, just not having Bill is reason enough to celebrate.
On whether Brackins has more upside than Smith ...
Yeah, he definitely has more potential than Smith. If he adds some lower body strength he has the chance to be an average defender and rebounder, something I don’t think Smith ever had.
Somebody pat Rod Thorn on the back. More to come later.
HERCULES! HERCULES!
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Big steal for the Sixers
Get rid of two of your worst players for an expiring and a 1st round draft pick from this year. No idea what the Hornets are doing though.
Author of the Pick and Scroll. Follow me on Twitter here.
What the hell is going on here??
There is no way Stefanski would’ve been able to pull off this trade. I love you, Rod Thorn, and your wig is fantastic!
"I admire his competitiveness. As much as I admire it, I thought that he was trying too hard."- Eddie Jordan
http://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/25315481579
It looks like this deal wouldn’t have happened without Brackins in it because Thorn loves him.
Thorn and me both. I really love Brackins’ potential.
"I'm a beast ready to be unleashed." -- Paul George
by Tanner Steidel on Sep 23, 2010 8:18 AM PDT up reply actions
I don’t know anything about him. What do you see in him?
"I admire his competitiveness. As much as I admire it, I thought that he was trying too hard."- Eddie Jordan
he’s got a nice little 15 footer that he can knock down relatively consistently and plays pretty nice in the post (post moves. he’s gotta get tougher in attacking the basket though (like speights, he settles for jumpers too much). with his size he should be working the inside at all costs. pretty good rebounder (averaged 8.5 per game last season and 9.5 the year before, 25% of team defensive rebounds last year, 29% the year before) which should be able to translate because of his work ethic and size. I’m very excited to this kid play.
"I'm a beast ready to be unleashed." -- Paul George
by Tanner Steidel on Sep 23, 2010 8:31 AM PDT up reply actions
So you think he has potential to be the future starting PF? At least, give some competition to Speights, which he needs.
"I admire his competitiveness. As much as I admire it, I thought that he was trying too hard."- Eddie Jordan
If he can get tougher on the inside and rebound on the offensive side a little better I definitely think he could be a starter. On another positive note, this should push Speights to get even better.
"I'm a beast ready to be unleashed." -- Paul George
by Tanner Steidel on Sep 23, 2010 8:40 AM PDT up reply actions
I agree with all you said but I am a little worried about his defense (which you kind of touched on). He often look uninterested on the defensive end last season, so hopefully he has a change of heart.
yea he’s a little slow down low but with doug collins at the helm, I see Brackins’ defense improving – I think the lack of interest has partly to do with him bein,g by far, the best talent on a pretty miserable Iowa State team
"I'm a beast ready to be unleashed." -- Paul George
by Tanner Steidel on Sep 23, 2010 8:49 AM PDT up reply actions
NAUGHICE!
“Baby Face” Brackins!
Hopefully Jason Smith was the type of roster upgrade CP3 was looking for when he decided to stay put.
I actually thought Brackins was a perfect fit for them and CP3. He would have been great running the floor with CP3.
Yeah it’s a shame for the Hornets. But on the other hand it’s nice to see the Sixers wearing the daddy pants in a trade like this. Usually we are the ones getting stripped of our resources by a better team.
by Naismithball on Sep 23, 2010 8:52 AM PDT up reply actions
Best Part?
We don’t need to read a Willie Green preview …
Oh, and WG not being on the team is a plus, too.
Willie never bothered me, but I never thought he’d be an ALL-STAR guard. Smith I felt we never got a chance to see him develop with the bad coaching and injuries. Don’t know anything about the new guys, but this was definitely a move in the right direction. Thorn is already helping the team. Not sure if this is it or not, still too many small forwards on the roster.
This is possibly the least relevant trade in the history of the NBA, for all parties involved
"I’m tired of hearing about money, money, money, money, money. I just want to play the game, drink Pepsi, wear Reebok." ~Shaq
by Max_in_Missouri on Sep 23, 2010 8:49 AM PDT reply actions
yes, getting a first round pick for willie green is extremely irrelevant for the sixers
"I'm a beast ready to be unleashed." -- Paul George
by Tanner Steidel on Sep 23, 2010 8:52 AM PDT up reply actions
NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
How dare they trade Willie Green, the Greatest of All Sixers!!! I will never watch another game!
I have a big stupid smile on my face right now :D <————-
What I can’t believe is that they actually got something potentially useful for Willie Green. Pretty scary. It’s like a whole new day, Pappy…
I can’t say I’m nearly as in love with Brackins as some of my cohorts. I’m not sure what he projects to as doing well on the NBA level. He played a lot of mid-post in college, but he’s not great at establishing position, and it led to a lot of contested jumpers that he didn’t shoot a great percentage on. He’s not great as holding defensive position in the post, he’s not a great athlete to be a shotblocker, he’s not strong enough or consistent enough to be a great rebounder, and his range, while he shows flashes, isn’t consistent and he’s fairly inefficient from midrange.
Perhaps his post game translates, I’m just not sure. He certainly didn’t get much help from his guards, so maybe he’s got some untapped potential. I thought he was a late first/early second guy, not mid-first. I definitely liked him more on a non-guaranteed second round deal.
That being said, even though the Sixers are adding salary on this deal, just not having Bill is reason enough to celebrate.
Derek Bodner
LibertyBallers || @derekbodner || derek.bodner@draftexpress.com
Brackins and Songalia could turn out to be horrible, useless disasters, and it’s still a win, because at least they’ll be horrible, useless disasters who aren’t Willie Green and Jason Smith.
Let’s not kid ourselves. This isn’t about getting a first-rounder. This isn’t about getting a solid role player with an expiring contract. It’s about saying adios to Willie Green. Anything else is just a nice little aftereffect at this point.
The more I think about this trade...
..the tougher it gets to understand why the HORNETS did it…
Bill Green, you were the least favorite good guy ever: on the court, you surely won’t be missed.
http://www.sixers4guidos.com
by Ricky - Sixers4guidos on Sep 23, 2010 9:57 AM PDT reply actions
Wait a minute, ITS NOT APRIL 1st GUYS
Stop with the jokes, there’s no way the Sixers made a saavy move, dumped Willie Green and picked up a versatile forward who can score from the inside and outside and goes hard and dropped 42 and 14 on Kansas last year. That would never happen.
Also having Songaila and Nocioni on the same team is pretty amusing.
I like Songaila he can move without the ball, he can be aggressive offensively when he wants to, and he’s a big. He’s like Jason Smith in 5 years if New Orleans is LUCKY! Bwahahaha we fleeced you New Orleans, we fleeced you!
I’m going to love the look of disdain on CP3’s face as Willie Green takes ill advised bad shots that interrupt the flow of their offense!
Nocioni and Songaila played together with the Bulls, I think. 2005 or 2006, if I'm not mistaken.
There can only be one Noce!
I really like that Jordan called him Darius Dongaila
Pretty sure its a typo but man that sounds so right.
Liberty Ballers / Ridiculous Upside / SBN Philly / Twitter
The Artist Formerly Known As The Artist Formerly Known As Michael Bourn
haha I didn’t even notice that but now that it’s out there, we have a new nickname
"I'm a beast ready to be unleashed." -- Paul George
by Tanner Steidel on Sep 23, 2010 11:40 AM PDT up reply actions
Now starring in...
“Hoops of Lust,” with Tiffany Hooters and Lusty Boinkette
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