The Sixers Do Nothing at the Trade Deadline
by Michael Levin on Feb 24, 2011 4:05 PM PST
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PrintThe title may be misleading.
I'm sure Rod Thorn, Ed Stefanski, and the other nameless talent evaluators in the front office were not watching YouTube videos of cats farting while the clock ticked unknowingly to the 3:00 deadline. They probably made their share of phone calls and even received a few -- they almost traded Marreese Speights and Jason Kapono to Houston for Shane Battier (he ended up going to Memphis for Thabeet and a 1st). Although according to Chris Mannix: "The Sixers never seriously considered any trade offers. Teams recent winning ways made them inclined to stand pat."
The key here is that while teams like the Thunder and the Jazz and the Blazers and the Nets -- teams varying from contending to rebuilding or both -- were making gigantic or small changes because they weren't completely satisfied with the way their roster was constructed, the Sixers did...nothing. You'll have to go back to before the season started when they traded Willie Green and Jason Smith to the Hornets for never-used Craig Brackins and Darius Songaila, one of two movable expiring contracts that stayed put as 3:00 came and went.
While Jordan went on record today commending the Sixers for not trading Andre Iguodala, I am more reluctant to start handing back pats out to everyone.
There could be an excuse as easy as there were no good deals out there for them to make. There may not even have been a mediocre trade a la the Jodie Meeks one of yesteryear.
But by not making a move and standing pat, the Sixers are saying they are content with the team they have right now. And that, to me, is terrible for the future of this franchise.
They're putting all their eggs in this basket that, by the time Andre and Elton Brand expire, this team will be contending for a championship. The team that relies on a backup guard to initiate the offense, that plays the 6'8 Brand at center for most of the game, that watches the talented Marreese Speights play out of his mind one game and sit on the bench for the next two weeks...is going to be contending with the likes of the Lakers? The Thunder? The Bulls? The Knicks, even?
For me, the answer to that question is no. The way this team is currently constructed, they cannot sniff a series win in the playoffs. Doug Collins, for as good of a job as he has done, will be leading this scrappy team to playoff loss after playoff loss after playoff loss. And the front office will cry "improvement!" to the fans who want more, while the team continues to rack up 42-win seasons until we get wrinkly and die.
Because the clearest picture of this franchise is this: They Have No Plan.
Since Allen Iverson brought them to the precipice of basketball royalty in 2001, ten years ago, this organization has been floundering. A fish that keeps jumping from puddle to puddle without ever seeing the ocean. The people want a title and all they get are puddles of mediocrity.
Look at a team like Houston. Daryl Morey saw the team he had, assessed that it wasn't good enough to compete for a championship, and got rid of key contributors like Battier and Aaron Brooks, while picking up high upside players in Hasheem Thabeet and Goran Dragic, along with two first-round picks. And they're tied in the win column with the Sixers. As Tanner pointed out to me, the Sixers would never do that.
Without a full turnover of the team into the hands of Jrue Holiday, Evan Turner, and Marreese Speights, this team will not succeed at the highest level. And it's because they've been content to take pride in immediate successes like a few wins in a row in January and February that they're reluctant to make a move one way or the other. This isn't to say that Brand and Iguodala aren't good players -- I completely appreciate them for everything they can do on a basketball court. History proves that teams need at least two bonafide studs to win a championship (Detroit '04 excluded) and as a pair, they simply aren't up to that level.
If Thorn and Stefanski seriously think the core of this team is there and all they are is one piece away from becoming a perennial contender (something I wholeheartedly disagree with), then go get that player. Go get Anderson Varejao if he's the missing piece. Trade Turner, Speights, and whoever for Kirk Hinrich or Jeff Green or Al Jefferson if you think they're the ones that will get the team to the next level.
But to keep the team as is when they had pieces to move is another poor move in the decade-long chess game being lost by Sixers management. While most of the NBA gets better or re-stocks for a run in a few years, the Sixers continue to wander around blindly without a fan base that trusts them to make the right decisions -- even if the decision to rebuild is the hardest one to come to.
Because there is no plan.
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Because the clearest picture of this franchise is this: They Have No Plan.
This is the biggest problem. No plan at all. I know it’s been mentioned countless times and its damn obvious, but the problem is management. Roster moves mean nothing if there isn’t an overall goal in mind. Unfortunately, it seems like more of a “close your eyes and throw at a dart board” approach. Wherever the “dart” sticks or however the team does during any particular season is the basis for whatever move they make in the next immediate off season or year. I don’t mind that they didn’t make a move this particular trade deadline but I’d like to know that there is some idea what they want to do in the next few years.
In other news…
I hear a certain someone made an appearance on the trade deadline thread?!?
"They say that nobody is perfect. Then they tell you practice makes perfect. I wish they'd make up their minds." - Wilt Chamberlain
Bash Bash Bash...
…or not.
I don’t think anyone disagrees with you at the macro level. No one thinks this team, as constructed, is going to win. I just want them to spend their trade resources wisely, rather than making a deal that makes things worse without also adding some sort of future benefit, like draft picks and interesting young players.
This roster has limited trade value. It’s really important to maximize the return on the few truly valuable resources available. If that means waiting until the offseason, or even next season (assuming there is a season next season), so be it. As much as I would like to see a championship contender, I can wait.
The only way they get there is to make the right moves, not just moves for the sake of making moves. This year, with all the uncertainty surrounding the CBA, our stockpiled expirings (or expiriongs) weren’t as valuable as they would normally have been.
This team has zero margin for error if they want to contend any time soon. Every move pretty much has to be OKC-level perfect (and they haven’t beaten the Lakers/Spurs/Mavs yet) to get to the top. I can understand not wanting to go all in with your best trade chip right away for 25 cents on the dollar in terms of future value (1 mid-round pick, no young players).
Everyone, including Thorn, I’m sure, sees the problem. It’s just that (I hope) they want to nail the solution. Because if they miss, we’re the Wolves for the next three years.
(I wouldn’t exactly call that “bashing,” would you?) :)
However...
…I would have been open to that “Tha BOSS to Vladivostok for three cases of vodka” trade. :D
I’m still a fan of getting some shoelaces and some practice equipment. Can’t get enough shoelaces!
"They say that nobody is perfect. Then they tell you practice makes perfect. I wish they'd make up their minds." - Wilt Chamberlain
You really can't.
"I make love to pressure." - Stephen Jackson
"My passion is more passionate than ever." - Greg Paulus
by joe_digiacomo on Feb 24, 2011 6:36 PM PST up reply actions
I agree with you 100%. I still trust thorn knows more of what he’s doing than stefanski. Patience is a good thing. Trade value will go up if the sixers will have a good season and maximize their tradable players.
"I admire his competitiveness. As much as I admire it, I thought that he was trying too hard."- Eddie Jordan
by jefu on Feb 24, 2011 5:26 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
Everything you said and the specter of a new CBA made doing nothing the smart thing.
They do have a plan- which is to grow organically, developing their young talent. Throw out the early season 3-11 and this is more like a 50 game team.
I think if Speights ever gets fully integrated into the line-up the team is close to elite. They could use another ball handler, outside shooter type and a banging big man and they could be right there.
Adding those pieces to the roster won’t be easy- it’s hard to construct a team able to win the championship unless you get lucky like Boston or LA did. Miami doesn’t appear to be a playoff threat, they’re too weak inside.
The Sixers need to figure out how to get past Boston, Orlando, Miami and Chicago, to be elite. The CBA and old age will hurt these teams as the Sixers continue to improve. I applaud their decision to not trade Speights, it shows that they still value him. I don’t think anyone was willing to give up enough to incentivise the team.
Boston dropped Perkins, because they didn’t want to pay him and didn’t think they needed him, but I think they will miss his size if they face LA in the finals. If Perk stays healthy watch out for Oklahoma City, they just added size to some very talented players.
Boom
I agree, to an extent. They probably could’ve stolen someone like Thabeet, or traded Kapono and/or Songailia for something – even if it was just a second rounder.
Thabeet
Yeah, isn’t this the real question—could the Sixers have traded Speights and Kapono for Thabeet and a 1st? That would have been absolutely brilliant.
by Desert_Eagle on Feb 25, 2011 9:36 AM PST up reply actions
while picking up high upside players in Hasheem Thabeet and Goran Dragic, along with two first-round picks. And they’re tied in the win column with the Sixers. As Tanner pointed out to me, the Sixers would never do that.
yep that’s pretty much how I feel. While I’m glad they didn’t do a trade just for the purpose of making a trade, I would have liked for them to be pursuing something to help out in the future. With what Thorn has been saying, it doesn’t sound like they had any interest in improving long term
"I'm a beast ready to be unleashed." -- Paul George
With Kapono & Dongaila most likely being bought out I wonder if they’ll be adding somebody to the roster since the roster will be down to 12 guys. The good news about those guys being bought out is that we won’t have to see Dong go into the game ahead of Speezy & if there’s a blowout Brackins can play.
What do you want them to do?
Of the 7 trades suggested, 2 involved getting Dominique Jones, who was said not to be moving, 1 involved Gortat (same), 1 was stated as a big joke-like trade, 1 involved just clearing cap space (no guarantee of anything moving forward, especially with this FA class), 1 got us an injury-prone Center with a big contract (Kaman), and the last got us a moderate upgrade at C this year with the only future consideration being a 2nd round pick. So…none of the suggested trades would’ve happened or made the type of difference you seem to be looking for. We didn’t really have veterans that would’ve made the impact in a trade, and trading youth for youth doesn’t really help us, especially in a very weak draft this year. Maybe we could have traded Lou for Dragic and a mid-1st. How does that help us? Does it maximize Lou? No. Does a backup PG and a mid-1st help us into the future? No. Did we have a guy like Battier to trade? Also no. Were there any pure expiring dumps? Not that I’m aware of.
I do think this team has a plan. It involves playing small, fast, intense, defensive basketball using their youth, while waiting for some of the younger guys to develop. Over their past 41, the Sixers have been a 25-16 team. Double that, and it’s 50-32 over a full season. Not too shabby for that long a period of time. The players bought in to Collins, and he turned this team around once they found a groove. I don’t think there was a big man out there available better than what we could get from Mo Speights, if Doug wanted to play him. I think holding the expirings going into the new CBA could be huge, as there’s at least a chance that teams will be looking to dump salary then, and the Sixers could be in a very good position. I’m fine with them having done nothing.
by duckyninja on Feb 24, 2011 5:24 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
In the immortal words of David Byrne...
…Stop Making Sense.
Sixers trade: Songaila, and Speights
Sixers get: Peace of mind
Success will be the best revenge
by secondroundpick on Feb 24, 2011 5:31 PM PST reply actions
I don’t get why they didn’t even move expiring contracts for other expiring contracts, like for Nazr for example. They must really like Brackins (I’m half kidding) because Kapono & Brackins or Mo Pet & DJ White are they really that different? I’m asking I really don’t know.
Would you have done Brackins & Kapono for probably 1/2 season of Nazr?
Question….the Sixers have what 17 mil in expiring contracts this coming off season? Obviously they are going to have to replace some of those guys, so assuming they do, at relatively cheap levels, will they still be over the cap next year? If there is a next year?
BOILER UP!! 2010-2011
"You can commit no mistake and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life." - Jean-Luc Picard
Don’t you just hate it when every other GM in the division is better, save Bryan Colangelo and we all saw that coming a mile away. Steve Nash inflated a lot of careers. Nash is definately a HOF.
by LeQuan Glover on Feb 24, 2011 6:22 PM PST up reply actions
big city like philly and no one cares , the sixers are really a small time team with a small fan base , they are not on public t.v. so only cable people can watch them , the sixers are loosing fans all the time , if the owners want a fan base put them on channel 17 or channel 57 , so people can become more interested in them , look at boxing , out of sight out of mind , almost all people don’t even know who the heavyweight champ is
by hello, hello , hello on Feb 24, 2011 6:35 PM PST reply actions
They’re also in the cup hunt nearly every year, and MAKE F#%$ING TRADES to improve their team.
by The Crooked Man on Feb 24, 2011 7:24 PM PST up reply actions
Agreed. I hate the NBAs soft salary cap, its soooo friggin confusing. Not that the NHLs isnt, but at least your able to see about how much money your team has to spend, whereas you cant do that in the NBA.
by philiafan14364 on Feb 24, 2011 8:37 PM PST up reply actions
There is more than one heavyweight champ.
"I admire his competitiveness. As much as I admire it, I thought that he was trying too hard."- Eddie Jordan
by jefu on Feb 24, 2011 8:04 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
Tom Moore giving a nice interview on Sixers Beat with Derek if you can listen.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/sixersbeat/2011/02/25/sixersbeat-radio-show
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The Artist Formerly Known As The Artist Formerly Known As Michael Bourn
How soon is Kapono getting a buyout?
Probably a number of teams interested in his services.
To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.
I know we all have thoughts on the non-trades--to lighten things up...
I was watching Doug Collins’ comment about the non-action, and he was propagandizing for the Sixers depth, saying something to the effect that Thad and Lou could be starters on other teams. It kind of made me disgusted with Lou Williams through no real fault of his own.
My question is this: can the Lou Williams BOSS hate color-coding be changed even when Lou doesn’t do anything? Does just thinking about Lou qualify as reason enough?
For me at least, Lou is always Lemon. But I am certainly not hiding the fact that I’m biased.
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The Artist Formerly Known As The Artist Formerly Known As Michael Bourn
by Michael Levin on Feb 25, 2011 8:06 AM PST up reply actions
In my mind, Tha BOSS is ISO’ing right now five feet past the top of the key, and Turner is standing in the corner wide open, waving for the ball :D
Yeah, but Lou is a better shooter and a better passer holding the ball is more likely the best play. Turner isn’t an outside shooter or a good passer.
Now if you said Brand was open in the box or something like that, I’d agree with you. But don’t give the rock to a player who shoots 40% from the floor!
Man, I love this blog
If I were a betting man, I’d put down some money on a BOSSCON 2 tonight.
But hey, the BOSS is a premiere shot-blocker, so it seems. Who knew!
Speights?
It’s hard to take this posting seriously after this line “Without a full turnover of the team into the hands of Jrue Holiday, Evan Turner, and Marreese Speights”. Please don’t tell me that Speights is going to be a vital part of a championship team. He’s not. He has proved it.
The fact that they did not trade him, tells me that they think he has potential. Doug talked about the reasons for the teams success, which is team-work on both ends of the floor. Speights isn’t good at that stuff, which is why Doug doesn’t play him. It’s probably a good idea since if you make an exception for one player, where do you stop?
Speights is an offensive dynamo, the stats show he’s a double-double waiting for minutes. He still needs to play within the framework of a team concept.
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