Sixers: Who Stays? Who Goes?

“You can make the case, in Philly’s first full season AAI (After Allen Iverson), that this is the only team in the East with zero hope of reaching the playoffs. Even if Larry Brown ends up taking this job back from Mo Cheeks.” Marc Stein’s 2007-08 Preseason Power Rankings on ESPN.com

When considering the above preseason analysis, a 40-42 record and a playoff berth can be considered a success. Prior to the start of the season, there was little reason to believe a team playing without its two star players (Allen Iverson and Chris Webber) from the previous season could be competitive when that team could not even make the postseason. So how did the Sixers make the playoffs? I am glad you asked.

Reason #1 – Andre Miller. The most talented player on the Sixers is Andre Iguodala, but the MVP has to be Andre Miller. Miller appeared in every game, alternately playing roles of scorer, passer, leader, and big-shot maker at different points in the season. Defying the notion that he is on a career decline, Miller stepped up his game throughout the season.

Reason #2 – Chemistry and character. There is not one J.R. Rider on this squad. Watching almost every minute of every game this season, there wasn’t one moment when I wanted to physically harm a Sixer (unlike most Eagles’ games). Everyone of these guys seemed to enjoy playing, hustles, and cheers for their teammates. I’m certain it is not as perfect as I describe, but If you think this doesn’t help a team succeed, you obviously haven’t seen a Knicks’ game. A lot of the credit is given to coach Mo Cheeks, and this is why he’ll be back another year.

Reason #3 – Health. Before the season began, I read predictions that the Sixers would win as low as 21 games. My thought? No way a team with the Andres (Miller and Iguodala) playing 82 games a piece wins less than 30. NBA players are injured so frequently in games, practices, and by stray baggage carts that when a team’s opening day lineup misses only 9 (yes 9 – Green 8 and Evans 1) games during the season, you are going to win a fair share of games you shouldn’t against banged up opponents. Add in that significant reserves Jason Smith, Louis Williams, Rodney Carney, and Thaddeus Young all played in 70 or more games, and you wonder how they could not make the playoffs.

Okay, so they made the playoffs and lost in the first round. Now the question is who do you keep in your quest for a title and who do you move? Let’s look at this position by position.

Point Guard

Starter: Andre Miller. As mentioned above, Miller was the team MVP from this past season. Obviously, keeping him you know you will get excellent play for 82 games. However, the rest of the team’s core is quite young and may only start to peak when Miller’s talent declines. Also, his trade value is the highest it will ever be, as he is coming off an excellent season AND is in the last year of his contract. So do the Sixers keep Miller, trade some youth for veterans and go title-hunting now, or trade Miller and go for the youth movement?

Backup: Louis Williams. Williams is a young, explosive sixth man who is slowly developing point guard skills. The question is whether this 21 year old can develop into a starting point or is his future as the scorer off the bench? Either way, he has shown himself to be a valuable player and a tradeable asset if the Sixers choose to go older. Note: Title contenders rarely play two guards 6′2″ and under in the fourth quarter, as the Sixers did this past season.

 Third String: Kevin Ollie. I have to admit, I am a Kevin Ollie fan. I don’t know if it’s the funny mustache or just that he doesn’t seem to care how often he plays, but I hope he gets to play somewhere next year. He is a solid defensive player who rarely turns the ball over. Unfortunately, his contract is up and I am not the Sixers’ GM.

Shooting Guard

Starter: Willie Green. Willie Green had his finest season as a professional in 2007-08. Unfortunately, he still is not close to being a legitimate NBA starter. He scores fairly well when not in pressure situations and his defense was better than I expected. On the downside, his jumper looks like it will always be inconsistent and he often struggles to score for long stretches. I imagine the Sixers will move him to the bench next season, where he will be an overpaid reserve for the next few years.

Backup: Rodney Carney. Carney is actually more of a small forward, but no one else seemed to fit the mold of backup shooting guard. For the first half of the season, I was wagering with my friends that Carney would be out of the league in a couple years. The Sixers’ management probably felt the same way and relayed it to Carney who majorly stepped up his game in the second half of the season. Carney will never be a star in this league, but if he sticks to dribbling little, dunking in transition, working on his three-point accuracy, and becoming a defensive stopper, he will become a valuable role player. He is an awesome athlete who has all the tools to become a Bruce Bowen-like defensive stud.

Small Forward

Starter: Andre Iguodala. Andre is the most talented player on the squad. He is both a good scorer and defender who at times plays like a superstar (the win in Boston this year being a prime example). The problem is that he will never be a superstar. He lacks a great jump shot and is not outstanding at creating his own shot. That being said, he is definitely capable of being a number 2 or 3 best player on a contending team.

Backup: Thaddeus Young. This is where the Sixers have an issue. Young is probably the second most talented player on the Sixers at present, with the ability to be the best. The problem is that he plays the same position as Iguodala. You can make the case that Young could play the 4 as he did a lot this past season or Iguodala can play the three. This may work against some teams, but Young is a bit small to play the 4 and Iguodala doesn’t shoot well enough to play the 2. Anyway, Young has the ability to be an all star in this league if he can further develop his three-point shot and post moves against smaller players. He also is a hustler on defense. If I had to decide whether to keep Young or Iguodala, I might just go with Young.

Power Forward

Starter: Reggie Evans. When the Sixers swapped Steven Hunter for Evans, I was mildly pleased. On the upside, the Sixers received a true power forward. On the downside, his contract is longer than Hunter’s. By the end of the season, I was just happy on all fronts, as I am just an Evans’ fan. He may not be starter material and his offensive game is offensive. However, I love his hustle, rebounding, and positive energy. His toughness is also much needed on this team. I certainly don’t want him as a starter, but would like to see him for 15-20 minutes a game for the next few years.

Backup: Louis Amundson. Really the Sixers just rotated Young, Evans, and Smith at the power forward spot, but I’ve already discussed two of them and Smith will appear in center review. Amundson had a contract for the entire season, but appeared in only sixteen games. He is an under-sized power forward who offensive ability is comparable to Evans. He is a likeable, high energy guy who you don’t mind seeing jumping about for 5 minutes a game, but will likely not be back next season.

Third String: Shavlik Randolph. Randolph has been injured for much of the past two seasons, which has limited his ability to prove his value. As a rookie, he showed some promise as a hustle-guy who is a legitimate 6′10″. He also can hit the 15 footer on occasion and drives hard to the basket. If he can stay healthy, he may have a future as a backup somewhere. I imagine the Sixers will at least give a camp invite.

Fourth String: Herbert Hill. Hill spent the season on the injured list. Prior to the season, he showed some good offensive ability within 10 feet. He should be vying for a roster spot again this season.

Center

Starter: Samuel Dalembert. Then GM Billy King signed Dalembert to a fairly large contract a few years ago. People laughed and laughed until it became apparent that Sammy is a legitimate center. He is decent offensively when compared to other centers and is a very good shot-blocker. Also, he finally figured out how to goal-tend less. With Dalembert achoring the Sixers’ defense and the derth of alternatives at center, he will most certainly be the starting center next season.

Backup: Jason Smith. When I watched Smith during the summer league last year, I thought he was horrible. A few months later he was a completely different player appearing against pros for 15 minutes a night. Smith is a face-the-basket type of big man who has a decent jumper. But what impressed me most about him is the way he aggressively tries to block shots, even if it means being dunked on a decent amount. He needs to get stronger and become a better rebounder, but he has the potential to start in this league.

Third String: Calvin Booth. Booth appeared sparingly this season and when he did you could see why. He doesn’t have any real offensive skills and has limited strength for a big man. He can block shots, which I guess always puts him in position for a third string spot.

Next week I will play GM and explore what I think are some avenues the Sixers can take in the off season.

You can contact me at TheRealNBA@yahoo.com