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Laundry list of concerns re:Sixers

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tk76
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Laundry list of concerns re:Sixers 

Post#1 » by tk76 » Fri Mar 5, 2010 5:50 pm

The Sixers have so many issues going forward. Instead of debating which is the biggest issue, or whose fault is tis, I wanted to start a running tally of their problems. Please stay away from windows and sharp objects when reading this.

I am partly doing this because some fans still believe that a simple change like firing ES would allow them to be a top 5 team in the east (over 500.) As bad as EJ is (and he is horrible), they have really suffered from the loss of Andre Miller, and the lack of expected improvement from Speights and Young. Their problems run deep and are beyond just the coach.

Sorry if some of this listed issues overlap or sound redundant. These are not ranked, more off the top of my head...

Issue:


-Horrible coach
-60% of their cap for the next 3+ year tied to Iguodala and Brand (non-superstars.)
-No superstar
-poor 3 pt defense (acute on chronic problem)
-lack of jump-shooters in the regular rotation
-Speights poor defense and seems unmotivated to improve
-Speight's seemingly worsening physical conditioning and ? sore knees?
-Young's regression overall
-Youngs seeming inability to grasp a structured offense ("run plays")
-Young's inability to get defensive rebounds
-Young's problem staying with jump shooters
-Young's problem guarding quicker "stretch" PF's in the post (like Jamison, Lewis and Warrick)
-Young's substandard handle as a SF
-Overall Young seems ill suited to play PF but also struggles at SF
-Iguodala's over-reliance on his jumper as compared to last year
-Smith's complete inability to secure defensive rebounds (as bad as Young despite being 7')
-The team's lack of an NBA ready PG
-The team's lack of an NBA ready SG
-If Sam leaves after next year, the potential lack of an NBA ready C
-Lack of a back-up defensive PF or C
-Aside from Sam and Iguodala, everyone else is a below average to horrible rebounder
-Brand's huge contract, but regression in rebounding and overall level of play
-Kopono is a 6M shooter who suddenly can't shoot. has hit one more shot this year than I have.
-GM seems to have the reverse Midas touch, despite some seemingly rational decisions.

by ankle420breaker on Fri Mar 05, 2010 12:43 pm

- no set rotation... still.
- lack of leadership in the locker room
- once again playing for a middle of the pack first round pick
- despicable attendance
- completely deviated from our up-tempo style with zero improvement in the half court
- princeton offense was a massive failure
- no consistency with regards to our young players minutes
- front office completely overrates our players
- team owner is uninterested in the team
- league is fiscally tight and a projected lowered cap makes our players contracts exceptionally undesirable around the league.

by corwin on Fri Mar 05, 2010 2:21 pm

My thoughts & some have been mentioned.
-No sense of what kind of team they are or what style they should play.
-Minor league coach.
-The confused promotion of Iguodala as a star & primary offensive option. I don't think he can revert back to a lesser role.
-Lack of development of Speights & Thad.
-Regression in defense & the lack of emphasis on it has ruined Lou Williams & the other young guys might not be far behind.
-Capped out for the next 3 years because of the Iguodala & Brand signings.
-No leadership.
-No toughness.
-Poor fundamental rebounders.
-No back-up center meaning Sam will have to be re-signed.
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Re: Laundry list of concerns re:Sixers 

Post#2 » by steveb21 » Fri Mar 5, 2010 6:07 pm

I think someone nailed it earlier in the year (and forgive me but I forget where I saw this) but basically what they said was that not only do we have the wrong coach for the players but that our players are not as good as we thought they were.

Add it all up and it all points to Stefanski. I think Avery Johnson alluded to this last summer during the so-called coaching search. He didn't want to come here...now we know why.

IMHO we need a fresh pair of eyes to look at this roster.
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Re: Laundry list of concerns re:Sixers 

Post#3 » by Dedicated_76ers_fan » Fri Mar 5, 2010 6:09 pm

I would like to respectfully disagree to several of your Young points:.

Young's "inability" to grasxp an offense? You mean the offense that has us weaving the ball pointlessly around the perimeter for half the shot clock? Thad's one of the best off-the-ball players on this team, he's one of our most dangerous offensive weapons that we seldom use. It's as if we've forgotten the kid's ability to create shots.

Thad averages 3 defensive rebounds per contest. Overall, he's averaging 5.3 a contest. Not too bad, we also must keep in mind there was a point in the season where he was a very aggressive rebounder. The tools are there, and as long as he averages around 5 RPG, I really don't care. He's not a big, he's a 3.

The game against ATL BTW was the only game in the last 5 where he didn't get at least 5 boards. 5 boards and I'm cool.

Young's problem with staying with shooters is a TEAM problem, this team has never played solid man-to-man defense. This is where I agree with the "if we had a different coach", Eddie Jordan is the best(ping pong balls) and worse(player regression) thing to happen to the Sixers since A.I in '96.


Thad actually does very well, he gave Troy Murphy and Dirk Nowitski fits, what Thad has trouble with, is 4's that can slash hard to the bucket. Like, yes say a Jamison, or a Warrick. Someone that can take it to the hole. Thad's a great face-up and post defender.

6 Mill shooter needs more then 1-2 shots a game. I don't know about you but role-players need minutes. Marshall was a great shooter, and you mean to tell me he couldn't handle 10-15 mins a night? Come on.

It's coaching and it's some crucial pieces to this roster. BTW, I agree with Speights and I'm totally frustrated with him right now.
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Re: Laundry list of concerns re:Sixers 

Post#4 » by ankle420breaker » Fri Mar 5, 2010 6:43 pm

- no set rotation... still.
- lack of leadership in the locker room
- once again playing for a middle of the pack first round pick
- despicable attendance
- completely deviated from our up-tempo style with zero improvement in the half court
- princeton offense was a massive failure
- no consistency with regards to our young players minutes
- front office completely overrates our players
- team owner is uninterested in the team
- league is fiscally tight and a projected lowered cap makes our players contracts exceptionally undesirable around the league.
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Re: Laundry list of concerns re:Sixers 

Post#5 » by freshie2 » Fri Mar 5, 2010 7:00 pm

You hit the biggest issue, which significantly impacts your ability to assess the other areas. Jordan has done an awful job, and you really have no sense for what the players can do. I don't think Thad is as bad as you claim. Do think you are correct with the lack of perimeter shooting, and I think that Speights has shown to have a long way to go as well...much further than we originally thought. Brand is not what they thought he was going to be, although he is not the only reason for the disappointment.

3 things for the off season...
1) get a new coach who is defense first
2) get more length across the starting lineup
3) get a better SG in the starting lineup

The coaching discussion can touch on many folks...anything is an upgrade.

2/3 could be addressed solely by nailing the draft. If they get Anderson or Henry, and they show to be legit perimeter shooters, you will significantly upgrade the main rotation of this club. You can decide on Iguodala vs Thad as trade bait, and still would have a bench of Lou/Willie/Meeks/Kapono/Smith/Speights plus whatever filler they bring in.

Would love to see a longer player at the PF spot as well, but getting a longer/more efficient perimeter SG would be my thoughts on a simple upgrade this offseason.
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Re: Laundry list of concerns re:Sixers 

Post#6 » by tk76 » Fri Mar 5, 2010 7:32 pm

Ankle, good additions. I'll add them to the original post.

Freshie, I agree that fixing some major problems (like coaching or adding a good SG) can have a positive domino effect. Unfortunately, that does not eliminate a problem, it just hides it better. Having Andre Miller was an excelling example of this.

In some ways its better to have the wheels fall off, so that we can really realize how deep some of the problems lie. But on the flip side, its hard to evaluate young players on such a loser.
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Re: Laundry list of concerns re:Sixers 

Post#7 » by Skates » Fri Mar 5, 2010 7:59 pm

Let's try being positive and lsit the good things about the Sixers:

1. Eddie Jordan is so bad he just has to be fired (must ignore not trusting who is hiring the replacement).

2. Ed Stafanski may get axed for reason number 1 here and all of those reasons listed by TK.

3. Iggy is a very good SF/point forward who can swing to SG at times. He is only about 10-15% overpaid (OK that part will get worse over time).

4. Thad is better than he has looked in Jordan's mess this year, but even discounting that he has the makings of a high quality sixth man, especially if he can improve his jump shot.

5. Holiday will be an NBA ready PG in two seasons and a damn good one.

6. Speights still has enough potential to be a trade commodity.

7. Sam should be fairly sought after in the trade market this summer with his expiring contract and actual ability to contribute to a team. There will be loets of teams with unused cap space this summer.

8. Brand might still be a 16-17 ppg scorer if they ever started running the pick and pop routinely, you know, the play he made most of his career on before he got here.

9. They will have a lottery pick this year.

10. Lou probably has some decent trade value given his reasonable contract and scoring ability.

11. I like Rodney Carney as a rotation guy if we get a defensive minded coach.

Weak I know, but that is what we have to build around. Wow, the positive list might be more depressing than the negative one.
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Re: Laundry list of concerns re:Sixers 

Post#8 » by corwin » Fri Mar 5, 2010 8:21 pm

My thoughts & some have been mentioned.
-No sense of what kind of team they are or what style they should play.
-Minor league coach.
-The confused promotion of Iguodala as a star & primary offensive option. I don't think he can revert back to a lesser role.
-Lack of development of Speights & Thad.
-Regression in defense & the lack of emphasis on it has ruined Lou Williams & the other young guys might not be far behind.
-Capped out for the next 3 years because of the Iguodala & Brand signings.
-No leadership.
-No toughness.
-Poor fundamental rebounders.
-No back-up center meaning Sam will have to be re-signed.
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Re: Laundry list of concerns re:Sixers 

Post#9 » by tk76 » Fri Mar 5, 2010 8:22 pm

Skates wrote: Wow, the positive list might be more depressing than the negative one.


Not sure if that makes you want to laugh or cry. Good attempt at positivity though.

To be fair, any of the bottom 10 teams could make a long list of issues. The main issue that separates the Sixers is that those other teams are not tied to their cores for another 3+ years and their management seems to realize they need an infusion of talent (through the draft.)

---

Corwin, you list has been added to the initial post.
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Re: Laundry list of concerns re:Sixers 

Post#10 » by tk76 » Fri Mar 5, 2010 8:26 pm

I think we need to get everyone to contribute, and then I'll email it to Tom and Kate.
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Re: Laundry list of concerns re:Sixers 

Post#11 » by ankle420breaker » Fri Mar 5, 2010 9:03 pm

tk76 wrote:I think we need to get everyone to contribute, and then I'll email it to Tom and Kate.


Nice call

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