Losing in the first rd of the playoffs isn't good enough!
by cowboyny on May 20, 2011 5:34 PM PDT
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PrintI think the majority of Sixer Fans are happy with the return success the team had last season. Rebounded from a terrible campaign in 2010 that led a post season birth, but yet couldn't advance past the first round in the playoffs. We saw similar success when Andre Miller came over in the AI trade with Denver. A tough, high energy team that couldn't compete against the elite teams in the playoffs. Good enough to win a game or two in a series, but not good enough to advance. We can argue that this group of players have hit their peak as a team, competitive, but not a titile contender at all. As long, sufferring fans, making the playoffs isn't good enough any longer. The bar must be set higher. When you see young teams strive in the postseason, it makes you even more dissapointed with this team.
With the arrival of our new Head Coach and General Manager, it was a year to evaluate the players. Which players are apart of the team future core and which need to go. A few players proved their worth while others failed to make the most of their opportunities. Now the front office has a handle of their team roster, it is finally time to fast track the roster to compete against the elite teams. It means less young, developmental players, but finding more experienced veterans who fit their system best. Not an easy task, when the team has little flexibility with their high cap number. It can even get worse, if the salary cap is reduced with the new collective bargaining agreement. The other end of the spectrum, even if the team had cap space, would any elite free agent want to come to Philly?
Before we discuss ways how to improve our roster, here are the team needs as I see them, of coarse, many might have different viewpoints, feel free to debate them if you like:
-A legitmate go-to scorer. Yes, the team needs to find a way to get their hands on a superstar player.
-Frontcourt enforcer who can protect the basket: elite rebounder/shot blocker defender.
-A real sharpershooter can has a mult-dimensional game, not a one trick pony.
Some ideas of improving the team's roster:
-Don't be scare off on bad contracts. If the team is able to trade for a good player for their system, don't shy away from a deal if you need to assume a bad contract to make it happen. As I said before, even with cap room, I do not see any elite players wanting to sign with the Sixers. The team needs to be willing to do what it takes to improve their roster.
-Andre has to go now, before it is too late and his trade value plummets. A very good, all around nice player, but is a third option on a championship level roster. Team desperately needs more scoring, where Andre has proved to not be that type of player, Rather settles for all those rainbow, jump shots than drive to the hole and use his off the charts atheltic abilities. First year in which he missed several games due to injury, maybe a warning sign for years ahead. Team doesn't need the cap room, but a player who can help the team right away. His defensive prowess and point forward abilities is still very attractive for teams on the cusp from competiting.
-Trade their 1st rd pick for an experienced veteran. As I said above, the team has enough young players, they need players could can contribute now, not three years down the road. They do not hold a premium selection this year, but a team out there will be interested, especially if they want to get out of a bad contract from a player who isn't in their future plans.
-Elton Brand is still on the team's books for two more seasons, If I stand correct. Too bad it wasn't just 1 season, while teams positon themselves for the Dwight Howard sweepstakes. He is still a quality player, but not a siperstar any longer. Either the team can wait another season to deal his expiring contract, keep him in the fold or take a gamble on a similar type contract that another team is willing to shed. Most likely have to keep him for another season, maybe two.
-Do not be afraid of trading one of you're young, future core players if it nets you a superstar or improves the team today. If say a Chris Paul could be had for a package with Holliday or Turner, you need to consider such a deal. The question that the front office needs to ask: will one of their young prospects become better or be able to match the production of the player that they would be obtaining.
Final Thoughts
Team has some difficult decisions to make starting this offseason. Taking the roster to the next level will force the team to take some calculated gambles in hopes of improving the team. Just making the postseason is no longer good enough, it is time to make it happen!
Another user-created commentary provided by a Liberty Ballers reader.
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HOLIDAY & TURNER FOR CHRIS BOSTRICH!!?? ARE YOU SERIOUS!!!
No one thought we would win a championship this season but were not as bad off as you make it sound. For starters, a knockdown 3 point shooter who can do other things is rare in this league. Those that can do more are called superstars. See Kevin Durant. This team is a big guy and a few role players away from a contender. Turner and holiday are NON-TOUCHABLE! Meeks is valuable. Everyone else is indispensable.
|TENNESSEE TITANS|PHILADELPHIA 76ERS|
You may be right that the team isn’t as bad as I portray them, but I am just frustrated with a team that cannot get over the 1st rd playoff hurdle. Right now, I just see 4 players apart of our future core: Holliday, Turner, Thad, Lou, Meeks, Backcourt appears set, but the frontcourt needs alot of improvement, which we have been saying for many years. How can the team solve their big man or men need?
When you come to the realization that the NBA wing crop is really that putrid, where there multi-dimensional wings are virtually NON existent(Outside of the stars, who else? Eric Gordan?(LAC). That’s why keeping Turner is so vital.Turner has the ability to develop into a multi-dimensional wing. And yet, if Turner “busts”:, don’t be surprised if it’s because Collins/Thorn say “shoot for Iguodala”, as if the guy’s sliced bread. He’s not. He’s just the best of a really putrid wing position.
Wings are shooters/slashers or perferably both. Few are both, even fewer are one of those two. Okay, some of them slash but not consistently enough.
When you pointed out our lack of flexibility, that ended all talk of trying to “improve”. What you would have us do is what the Billy King administration did 2002-onward: Acquire middle of the road vets to get better. And/or, we would “evolve” into the Atlanta Hawks. Constantly making a spin on failure but the reality is, if we’re lucky we can get 50 wins.
Normally 50 wins is a big thing, but when it’s the Hawks/Sixers esque 50 wins, you know it’s a joke. Teams aren’t going to take them seriously, it took Josh Smith playing his ass off for the Hawks to win one of those games.
Let’s do the OKC thing, sure it might take a while and there might even be failure. But at least there will be a freaking upside. There’s no upside to taking on this mess.
I would not include Holiday in a Paul deal. Therefore, I would not include Turner based on the fact that if the team has Holiday, what is the point in getting Paul.
I was just using Paul as an example. I don’t like the idea of trading either player away, but if either player brings the team a superstar, you need to consider such a move. As we all know, it is extremely difficult to acquire a superstar type player, but if one comes available the team needs to be willing to do what he takes, to make it happen. Once a legitimate star is on the roster, it would also make other elite FA’s more attractive in signing with the team. When you hear a player like Dwight Howard mention the NJ Nets as one team he would consider signing with, it supports my viewpoint. Land a star and others will follow.
I agree that if your team has a superstar it will help attract more FA’s. I just do not want to trade Holiday given how young he is and what he has already shown. I know it was just an example. I would rather acquire an above average big man that our young guys can grow with.
What happens if a team offers a star big man, such as a player like Pau Gasol (just an example) and they are insistent of either Turner or Holiday being apart of the package. Would you make either player available, to complete such a deal?
While I disagree with a ton of other stuff, I’d trade Turner and Jrue for Paul in a heartbeat.
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by Michael Levin on May 21, 2011 12:09 PM PDT up reply actions
Pau Gasol IMO lost value in the Dallas Series. And overall this season, outside of a strong january, the guy’s been useless to the Lakers. He’s soft, he’s lost his aggressiveness, he’s back to the guy that got swept in Memphis virtually every freaking time he managed to take them to the playoffs.
I wouldn’t give up a Holiday for a non-franchise player like Gasol and Turner’s pushing it, given his large upside and Gasol’s age.
Can anyone give me a reasonable explanation other than it might not work out to not doing the OKC thing and building a real young core? Of the four players we consider legitimate rotation guys, only two are starters(Holiday/Turner), Needless to say, we don’t have a core now do we?
Do the OKC thing, when you acquire picks, you can afford to give up others like say a future 2 years from now. Grab an Enes Kanter, grab another big. And watch those kids grow and progress. That’s our mission, that’s Doug’s mission. We know this average group of misfits can be .500 if everything goes right, but they’ll never win anything.
The reason why OKC is a legitmate title contender is due to striking gold with Kevin Durant #2 selection a few years ago. These type of players do not come around all too often and teams who have an opportunity to draft them, will not deal the pick. Now if the Sixer Team is good enough to qualify for the playoffs, they will never get an opportunity to draft such a player. With a terrible season and some luck in the lottery the Sixers landed the #2 overall pick, but Evan Turner is and never will be a better pro prospect than Kevin Durant. Good fortune for OKC in the right draft, where the Sixers had the 2nd pick in a less talented class.
Young teams run into the same problems the Sixers face. They have had an opportunity to develop all of their talented, 1st rd selections, but now need to decide to resign them for long-term extensions. What nobody wants to see is a player developed by the Sixers and produces for another team.
If the team continues to build through the draft, expect a team like the Hawks. A good, playoff team, but not good enough to compete against the elite teams.
I would absolutely love to get Andrew Bynum. Say Iggy and Lou for Andrew.
I still say draft another big since Bynum may get hurt, or sign Oden. I think if we draft right and get rid of the players holding us back Iggy, Brand, Lou, then we can be a real threat in a few years.
|TENNESSEE TITANS|PHILADELPHIA 76ERS|
Say the Lakers offer Bynum, but are insistent that either Holliday or Turner, along with Andre is the price. Would you make the deal? How about this, take away bot Holliday/Turner, what happens if the Lakers want the Sixers assume a bad contract, would they consider such a move involving Bynum and say Ron Artest?
Hell effing No! lol like i said, Holiday & Turner are untouchable. Meeks is also important.
They can have anyone else. Hell i say offer Iggy & Brand. Those two could start for L.A.
|TENNESSEE TITANS|PHILADELPHIA 76ERS|
To get a legitimate Big Man, I would consider such a deal!
In my opinion, I value a big man being much more important than having a PG. If it means trading away one of those young players to get it done, I would make the deal and won’t look back. Either Holliday or Turner can play the PG position and it is far much easier to find a SG, than a Center.
Bynum is a legit center which, in this era, is VERY rare in the league, but there’s no way that he’s worth Iggy AND Turner or Jrue. Iggy and Hawes/Speights/Nocioni/whoever would work for me, but not Jrue, Turner or even Thad (unless we got a legit replacement for Thad.
by The Crooked Man on May 25, 2011 6:38 AM PDT up reply actions
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