Around the League

[Kilo]

^They're in a tough spot because of Durant's pending free agency. If Durant was locked down to a 5 yr contract I don't think there is any chance they'd match that with Adams and McGary rostered - do they have a MLE to use? 5.4M for a back-up center this season would have been the way to go here.

Kanter may end up being a solid, but average Center in the NBA. If that happens and Durant bolts, then OKC may be skrewed in the long run. I would pass and let Portland be that team that is salary capped.

^I'd pass to and sign Kevin Seraphin to the room MLE. He was holding out for a starting gig, but might take the one year deal with OKC where he could still get big minutes splitting time with Adams and look a whole lot better in a years time after playing with Durant, Westbrook and Ibaka.

[Snakebites]

So..does anyone want Josh Smith?

Anybody?

Tee-hee.

[Kilo]

^He'll sign somewhere for the vet's minimum and keep cashing Detroit's checks, whatever the bi-weekly amount is for $14M on the season.

[BadMofoPimp]

So..does anyone want Josh Smith?

Anybody?

Tee-hee.

Probably goes to Cleveland for the minimum chasing a ring and clashes with Bron bringing the whole team down. Or, so I hope.

[DBC10]

^He'll sign somewhere for the vet's minimum and keep cashing Detroit's checks, whatever the bi-weekly amount is for $14M on the season.

Man, that is the definition of "keep getting them checks" guy. The guy literally hasn't had a productive season since he left the Hawks and all he does he chuck and collect cash.

How valuable his bricks were for us.

[Pugz]

does embiid ever play on the league? his injury is something that has ended careers before and while hes still young, it's clearly a huge problem still.

[hoophabit]

Who can say where Embiid is concerned, but no doubt that situation is getting ugly.

[Snakebites]

If he ever plays it won't be as a franchise center.

Bad gamble by the Sixers. Don't put all your chips into the draft then put THOSE chips in a center that you know at the time may never play....

[Pugz]

even after his surgery if he's cleared 100% i dont think hes ever going to be 100% or even the guy so many projected him to be. terrible injury and the gamble wont pay off.

i also never really thought of him as the next great big that so many did.

[MrBigShot]

I'd say it was a good gamble, he fell to them and Wiggins/Parker were already off the board. They could've reached for Exum or Gordon, but neither of them have anywhere near the potential Embiid does. And it remains to be seen whether or not their decision will work out...Embiid may follow in the foot steps of Greg Oden, but there's still a shot that he manages to get healthy and play.

To my knowledge his issue is that his foot hasn't recovered at the pace that was expected; it's not like he had to have the meniscus in his knees removed like Brandon Roy which would more or less make his situation hopeless.

[Pharaoh]

I think he'll never be what they wanted him to be...he'll at best be a 3rd big.

Which is fine for them IF Okafor and Noel become all they can be.

Saric as a 3/4 allows them flexibility...but 3 years of tanking and they basically have Noel & Okafor to show for it...and they might not fit!

I understand the process, I really do. I just disagree that it's the way to go.

IMO you simply can't field a team full of young dudes and expect anything! You gotta have old pros on the team to show them how hard you need to work to be good.

Living, breathing professionals in your locker room are priceless because anyone can tell you anything - not everyone can SHOW you!

[Pugz]

I'd say it was a good gamble, he fell to them and Wiggins/Parker were already off the board. They could've reached for Exum or Gordon, but neither of them have anywhere near the potential Embiid does. And it remains to be seen whether or not their decision will work out...Embiid may follow in the foot steps of Greg Oden, but there's still a shot that he manages to get healthy and play.

To my knowledge his issue is that his foot hasn't recovered at the pace that was expected; it's not like he had to have the meniscus in his knees removed like Brandon Roy which would more or less make his situation hopeless.

he has the same injury yao had to retire from. when youre a giant, your body just cant handle that. while that draft wasnt that strong after the too three, they should have looked to trade down.

[kurtis48239]

If he really does miss all of the upcoming season,thats a whole lotta time to recover.He should be fine if he listens to his doctors and takes rehab serious.Maybe lose a few pounds.

[Spider156]

He won't be fine. He'll probably end up being a back up big or what Hibbert is now at best. Even if he comes back 100% (which he won't), the lack of playing time the past two years will take away so much from his game. Oden was a bum, he was an alcoholic at a young age. He destroyed his career himself. If Imbiid does it right, he still has a chance. But I guarantee you the 76ers will yet again tank this season for absolutely no reason. If I was a 76ers fan, I'd be PISSED! Hinkie destroyed the organization and it's such a great basketball city.

Hinkie wants to do what OKC did and is doing. Problem is you can't pay everyone. OKC had to get rid of Harden, Green, Jackson, and now probably PJ3 so they can pay their players. This is wrong. Not everyone will win with young guys like the Warriors. Eventually players like Green (Warriors) will seem great and would want to get paid. It just doesn't work salary cap wise.

Instead, it's better to get veterans for a quarter of the price and get as much as you can out of them. Play the young guys. Pay them. Then surround them with good role players and the rest takes care of itself. The Finals MVP was a veteran in the past Finals. Not Curry, Thompson, or Green. And I guarantee you Barnes will want to get paid too. They might even trade away the Finals MVP (which I would) to keep Barnes. If Green can't defend Lebron then why pay him that much? Just because you won a ring? That's how you lose. He'll probably get better anyway though.

[princeofpalace]

Okafor will be ROY and Phili still has Noel to anchor the defense and a cheap 3 and D guy in Covington. Even if Embiid never works out for them, they have a great young frontcourt. They need to look at guards in 2016 draft.

[Pharaoh]

Okafor will be ROY and Phili still has Noel to anchor the defense and a cheap 3 and D guy in Covington. Even if Embiid never works out for them, they have a great young frontcourt. They need to look at guards in 2016 draft.

Let's assume they land an absolute stud PG or SG in the 2016 Draft.

Let's assume this stud + Noel + Okafor as a soph + Embiid as a rook + Saric + Covington make the playoffs

They're now the hot ticket.

This is an absolute best case scenario where everything falls their way over the next 2 years...

4 years of tanking for what is still a seriously flawed team & one that is now on the treadmill cause they'll be staring down the barrel of extensions back to back to back of their big 3 or 4 or 5 players.

I don't misunderstand the process Hinkie is following - I disagree that it's the best course of action for a rebuild.

[ComboGuardCity]

Oubre looked solid


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[Blkbrd671]

If he ever plays it won't be as a franchise center.

Bad gamble by the Sixers. Don't put all your chips into the draft then put THOSE chips in a center that you know at the time may never play....

Its ironic as when i debate with Sixer fans, they absolutely trash their old GM(deservingly) and talk about how the current drafting system being used doesn't work and Hinikie's plan is ingenious. Well part of the problem is that you can have all the top 10 picks you want, but when you suck selecting players, your chances of finding that franchise player are rare. MCW, Saric, Embiid...............Yes more picks means more chances, but its seems there getting more chances to whiff. Jury's still out on those players, but i don't think the player they are looking will need more than 1 year to establish himself.

Meanwhile SVG's whooping a*

[Pharaoh]

Tanking for years is a moronic way to rebuild IMO.

I understand bottoming out. Got no dramas with that. As your decent/good/great veteran team ages and starts to decline you trade them for young dudes, expiring contracts and picks.

So far so good yeah.

Next step is playing those young dudes with journeymen pros you slightly overpay to be "teachers". It's not about playing time - its about dedication, determination and work ethic.

Armed with said vets and acquired young dudes your team now sucks...but it's getting the right training.

Naturally you "earn" a high draft pick or 3...and they receive the right training.

The hope is those 3 high picks along with 1 or 2 of the acquired young dudes can form a strong core that you can add to.

Simple, obvious, "easy"...

[Han Solo]

I usually don't buy the gained twenty pounds of muscle stuff you hear, but this -

[tweet]https://twitter.com/hoopshype/status/620712567233736704[/tweet]