Why not Eric Gordon?
by LancCityCoach on Jan 26, 2012 10:55 AM PST
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PrintAs it stands today, following a frustrating and disappointing loss to the New Jersey Nets, the Philadelphia 76ers are on pace to finish in the top half of the Eastern Conference as it pertains to playoff seeding.This is by no stretch of the imagination a blip on the radar or an aboration.I for one believe it is a step in the right direction.Yet as most fans of the Sixers will note,it is a great step forward.To me,this roster is very incomplete and in need of a shake up come seasons end in order to make a run of things.....
This morning I was doin my usual ounds of simming through the sports webpages when i came across this little nugget....www.probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/26/hornets-eric-gordon-unable-to-reach-contract-extension/
Now as it stands Eric Gordon stands to be a RESTRICTED free agent at the end of this season after not coming to and agreement with Hornets management on a new deal.In my honest opinion it would behoove the Sixers to make an attempt to sign him.He is,a Stephen A. Smith says "box-office".I think he would be an extreme upgrade over Jodie Meeks for this team.And yes,I do realize he would be another guard that for the most part has to have the ball in his hands to be most effective.But I think it could work (as seen by the Sixers "going small" last night and other games this year).But how would this Sixers pull it off AND still be able to get better at seasons end.Well I think I have an adequate soliution....
1.Sixers amnesty Elton Brand- Its almost a given that Sixers brass will be letting him go.I can't say that I disagree.I am all for removing that rather large salary from the books.No disrespect to Brand,who has given all he has the last 2 yrs.But he just isn't worth that kind of money.Neither is he worth tying up cap space when we have so much improvement to make before next season.To draw in MAJOR talent like Eric Gordon,at the end of the day,the money has to be right.
2.Sign Eric Gordon-This isn't out of the realm of possibilty.He has already proven that he can fill it up.And one of the very few things the Sixers lack is CONSISTANT SCORING.If they can get 20+ from him every night that would increase the effectiveness of everyone around him.Especially if he does it at a very efficient rate as he has shown the capability to do.
3.Trade Iggy-Let me start by saying that I am a big fan of Andre and everything he brings to the table,especially on defense.Being able to shut off an entire side of the court defensively (i.e. Revis) can not be understated.That is a value most teams would kill to have right now,especially in the playoffs.At the same time I feel that Andre won't be able to do much more than that (btw I am not discounting his ability to fill the stat sheets).With Andre gone we would be able to get Evan Turner into the starting line up as most have claimed is necessary to help him grow (experience=growth).Not only that but if we were to trade Andre and get a solid to good,tough,defensive minded center such as Bogut,McGee,Biedrins,"Sheed"(via free agency),guys like that,I think this team would be in position to contend for years to come.
4.Draft a defensive C,PF-If we can get any kind of solid pick-up through the draft for the front court I beleive we would be in a strong position.We could really make a run of things next season and have a legitimate chance to win the championship.
I know that Doug Collins likes a steady veteran-to-young guy ratio.But if OKC has taught us anything its that being doesn't mean you are not good enough to accomplish great things and go deep in the playoffs.Kevin Duran't only been in the league for about 4-5 years now?The Thunder are the favorites to win the West.I think the Sixers should maybe model themselves after that mold (which it seems like they are).I believe if they follow this blueprint the will be very successful in the VERY near future.
Proposed Starting Line-Up-
Holiday
Gordon
Turner
Young or Draft Pick/Player via Trade
Bogut/Hawes (if not traded)/Other
Proposed Bench-
Williams
Meeks (if not traded)
Draft Pick/Player via Trade
Allen
Vucevic
(SORRY IF POST IS LONG,FIRST TIME)
Another user-created commentary provided by a Liberty Ballers reader.
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I like a lot of your ideas. Jrue, Gordon, and Turner might make a very dynamic backcourt. A lot of people don’t think Turner can play the 3 but he’s shown he can guard bigger defenders and how good of a rebounder he can be. A lot of people around here don’t think they’ll trade Iguodala though, which I think kind of sucks, he would be better on a team seeking a championship (Lakers?) then a young team that should be rebuilding. Bogut is the only big guy you mentioned that I would have any interest in, he is very injury prone though.
This strange condensed season has so far favored this 76ers team. My fear is that ownership might be drinking too much of the kool-aid and go “all-in” on getting veterans and actually trying to contend within the next few years. I personally think there is still a bunch of rebuilding that needs to be done. With a solid group of young players with a good coach we can really be something special in a couple years with good management and a little bit of luck. Sacrifices must be made though, such as trading Dre, and I don’t know if that’s the direction were going to go.
how did we get bogut? that proposed bench is mightily weak, and i was with you until “trade iggy”. that proposed new look squad needs his perimeter defense.
Rant! Rant! Rant!
by J.Michael Woodson on Jan 26, 2012 4:02 PM PST reply actions
My proposed plan:
Trade Iguodala and Sweet Lou for Derrick Favors/Paul Millsap/Enes Kanter/Al Jefferson (in order of want) and Devin Harris.
Ehhh
The biggest problem with this is that it seems very unlikely that Eric Gordon would actually be available. I’m imagining that they couldn’t reach an agreement because the league was trying to make sure that cap space wasn’t tied up for the Hornets, but that new ownership/the league would be likely to match almost any offer (4/$62 would be the max I think?). And even if the Hornets weren’t going to match there is a lot of buzz that the Pacers would go after him partially because he was born in Indianapolis/went to Indiana and partially because he’s really good. So it would seem that almost by definition the Sixers would have to over-pay him in order to obtain him, and add in the fact that he hasn’t necessarily proven himself “elite” (though, obviously very good), some red flags are raised for me.
twitter: @awlang
This will not happen.
Eric Gordon if he is not in a Hornets uniform next year, he will be playing for his hometown Pacers. Both Gordon and the Pacers are desperate to make this happen. I say we have less chance of signing Gordon than we do of signing Dwight.
Love the Sixers, love the Cavs. Don't sympathize, we'll win a championship someday. Someday...
EJ = Eric Gordon wants to get paid. He wants a max deal, but that's not happening.
I don’t think he will end up a Pacer, unless he takes a lesser deal. Perhaps the Bulls.
Why not trade ET for Gordon? Why would NOH want a 28 year old Iguodala?
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=83p7t4x
Holiday
Gordon
Iguodala
Brand
Bogut
Formerly known as The Pied Piper
The original post has the Sixers signing Gordon as a restricted free agent and, I assume, trading Iguodala for Bogut.
Though I wouldn’t mind trading ET in a scenario that we get Gordon. There really wouldn’t be playing time for him. Maybe use him to move up in the draft.
LONGLIVEMEEKS
ok, now re-read in Doug Collins' voice...
by J.Michael Woodson on Jan 30, 2012 2:01 PM PST up reply actions
bogut isn’t leaving the bucks for nocioni and vucevic.
Rant! Rant! Rant!
by J.Michael Woodson on Jan 29, 2012 4:43 PM PST up reply actions
yeah he is.
"If Iguodala were a legitimate "true" 17 PPG scorer, we’d be a better team. When at least 8 of those points come off the fast break, his true offensive production is a reality: 8-11 PPG." - LeQuan Glover
they’d need to be accompanied by two picks in the nba draft and a pick in the presidential election.
Rant! Rant! Rant!
by J.Michael Woodson on Jan 29, 2012 6:11 PM PST up reply actions
What if I add Lou? This is the same team that traded the 7th overall pick (Bismack) for Stephen Jackson
Formerly known as The Pied Piper
im too much of a lou fanatic to comment about this as my bias gets in the way of fact. and i dont know, jackson seems to be a problem but when he’s on the basketball court (WHEN) he can be a pretty decent threat to have.
ok, now re-read in Doug Collins' voice...
by J.Michael Woodson on Jan 30, 2012 2:02 PM PST up reply actions
5. What trade involving a contending team would you like to see?
Shore: Evan Turner for Eric Gordon. A healthy Gordon would turn the Philadelphia 76ers into a team that could compete with Miami and Chicago. Meanwhile, Turner would be a nice consolation prize for the New Orleans Hornets who could lose Gordon at the end of the season.
Would you do it? I probably would. Turner may or may not be a better all-around player but I think Gordon is a better fit for the team. He probably wouldn’t be the 20 ppg scorer he is now but he can play a combination of Meeks’ role and Turner’s role (minus the rebounds) and would probably limit Meeks to an 18 mpg player.
Few problems-
1. Trading ET will take away our depth at 3 positions- SF, SG, and PG. Which means that we might see significant time with Nocioni at the #3- ugh.
2. Eric Gordon hasn’t been healthy. He’s only played two games this year. He hasn’t played more than 62 games since his rookie year
3. He’s going to demand a huge contract in the off season, which may be a risk due to his injury and his production.
That being said, I would probably do it. I don’t like disrupting the chemistry we have right now, but a lineup of Young-Iguodala-Gordon-Jrue, would be very tempting for Dwight Howard. I think Turner will end up being a decent starter in the future but I don’t think he will be as good as Gordon.
Formerly known as The Pied Piper
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