The NBA Lockout May Be Good for the Sixers
by Jordan Sams on Jul 5, 2011 7:32 AM PDT
in Features
Email
Print
We are now a solid five days into the NBA lockout. Players are settling into their top 10 nap routines and fans are beginning to realize that this lockout is no joke, and the entire 2011-12 season may indeed be in jeopardy.
It's only been five days, but it feels more like five weeks.
365 days ago the Orlando Summer League was underway and we all had our first looks at Evan Turner, the improving games of Jrue Holiday and Jodie Meeks, and the general out-of-shapeness of the Marreese Speights. This year? Nothing. We won't get to see Evan Turner unleash hell on the league that ate him up last summer, nor will we get out first look at Nikola Vucevic's conga-playing skills.
No Vegas Summer League this year. No surprise Sam Dalembert trades this year. No key free agent signings of Tony Battie this year.
On second thought, maybe the lockout is a good thing from a Sixers perspective. Indeed, there will not be any stupid trades, or stupid signings. Sixers fans won't have to read about how much "Basketball Sense" signing Malik Allen to a 12 year deal makes, nor how trading Andre Iguodala for Orien Greene because he averaged 22 points per 36 last season is a good move.
With a lame duck ownership and possibly lame duck front office the Sixers may be catching a huge break with the lockout. Not only does the lockout prevent Thorn and Stefanski from making a dumb move, which they seemingly tried so hard to do last month, but it prevents the Sixers from being lapped by 29 other teams, which also seemingly happened in last month's draft.
To be fair, the Sixers were in a bad situation. Every move the front office was reportedly trying to make was hypothetically being vetoed by the ownership-in-waiting, and for good reason. In turn, the Sixers stood pat, semi-reached on two players they mentally committed to before they were born, and as Mike likes to say "played solitaire for the rest of the night".
With the Sixers ownership set to change hands any week now, the new blood won't be pressured to hit the ground running because of the work stoppage. Although there are rules in place about them contacting players and the like, that doesn't mean they can't take some time to internally evaluate both the roster and the front office (and hopefully relieve) before the league re-opens for business. And there's certainly a surplus of time in the NBA these days.
So, from a Sixers perspective the lockout may be a blessing in disguise, at least for the first couple months.
/straws grasped
10 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
If Levien is going to step in as the new de-facto GM he is at a disadvantage not being able to contact any players. He will be expected to make (or sign off on) moves once the lock-out is done- and there will be a flurry of moves. And he will have to lean heavily of Thorn/Stefanski or make decisions somewhat blindly.
Look at the Thad Young RFA situation. The people whop will decide to sign, match or let him walk will have had no contact with the player.
As far as new ownership house cleaning, I think Doug Collins is least likely to hit the road. He’s literally the face of the franchise right now and has a sterling reputation around the league with everyone from broadcasters to coaches to players. The roster likes him and he has established a chemistry. And of course, the fans – he’s well liked around a city that notoriously dumps on it’s sports figures. It helps that he’s got the same passion the city has and even spent his playing career here. I think Collins is one of the few good things going for the Sixers right now and Harris and Co. will want to hang on to him.
If somebody goes, its big Stef first.
TK76: I don’t think it’s that much of a disadvantage, anyone whose been in or around the league knows what Thad brings. The question in regards to the Thad signing is comparing what he brings, to what his upside can be/is.
We know Thad is an excellent inside scorer, we also know that he excels in the fast-break and when he wants to, he can actually hit the boards decently.
But the jumper and handles we were hoping he’d develop have never been developed and they may never be. In that case, Thad’s an undersized four. And unless he works on his rebounding, he won’t be a very effective big at all.
I wouldn’t say let him walk, it’s called a sign/trade(he’s a restricted free agent so we have the right to match). We’ll sign him to the overpaid contract and get like a future first or some decent looking prospect.
It’s time to rebuild, average cannot be anything more than average(that said, it can also be worse). Or if we want to contend, we’re not gonna do it with a bench big like Nikola. And we don’t have many assets. Ellis is not the ideal guy to put on this team. He has the same weaknesses as Turner without the playmaking ability.
I want to see Jrue/Turner and a bunch of talented young kids(emphasis on talented), Lou, Craig, Speights can all be 12 yr old kids and I would guarantee they wouldn’t improve from where they are.
It’s one thing to be young, it’s another entirely to draft non-skilled “projects” who will never amount to anything in the league.
Any chance that we get to cut player salaries? :) I would love to get away from Brand’s and Noc’s contracts.
by Noble Psychopath on Jul 5, 2011 11:43 AM PDT reply actions
Just looking at Vucevic's frame
he can add 20-30 pound easy and become more explosive in the process. the lock out will hopefully help with that and give him some time to focus on his body.
Let's get it Birds.
Why do you keep pushing this “Sixers reached for Vucevic” myth when the evidence points in the exact opposite direction? The Knicks picked immediately after the Sixers and, well, …
“The Knicks are believed to be highly interested”
http://www.dailynews.com/sports/ci_18325949
“Vucevic moved ahead of Morehead State’s rebounding machine Kenneth Faried on the Knicks’ chart”
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/knicks/donnie_basketball_looks_to_go_out_JNRP2jErIeA4twFAvKGdfK
“he’s in the mix for when the team picks at No. 17, according to multiple sources.”
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/knicks/usc_vucevic_at_center_of_knicks_fQW4QY0ufdry7UDIr4GG4O
Just because you didn’t like the draft pick doesn’t mean it’s a “reach.”
by splinter27 on Jul 6, 2011 5:06 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
And at #16, who care if it was a reach or not. It’s not like he would have been their when they picked next at #50.
You either like the player picked or not. Whether he was worth a #16 or a #28 is inconsequential when you are talking a non-lottery pick. This is not the NFL, where you can move back 12 slots and pick up an extra 5th rounder.
by tk76 on Jul 6, 2011 8:57 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
NBA Playoffs Content Module
Related FanPosts on Liberty Ballers
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
In Association With
Ball Don't Lie - NBA - Yahoo! Sport
- Shaquille O’Neal is in a Chinese beer commercial, too (VIDEO)
- ‘Deep Thoughts’ and Cheap Thoughts: San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
- C-a-C: This is probably as close to LeBron James working with John Waters as we’ll ever get
- Dwyane Wade’s hot pink pants: The kind of thing you can get away with when you drop 41
- Lamar Odom to New York? Dwight Howard on the move? For now, it’s all talk
