Sixers Offseason Thread Part 3

[ProcessDoctor]

I think the bench thing is being a bit overblown. Melton, Tucker or Reed, and Bamba is league average or better. We need another top-9 rotation player for sure though.

No it's not. And they need wings, for the love of God.

Agree we need a wing, but look at the regular season rotation if we started today:

Maxey(32)/Harden(16)
Harden(16)/Melton(22)/Springer(10)
Harris(32)/House(16)
Reed(24)/Tucker(24)
Embiid(32)/Bamba(16)

Niang wasn't a wing. McDaniels is the prototype of what we need but never played like it. Shake is replacement level.

I think we need someone who can chew into House and Tucker's minutes, but not all is lost IMO. We still have the same top-7 guys.

[Stanford]

Read on Twitter

More shots at Doc lol

[M2J]

If nothing else, if the Sixers run it back with the same starting lineup, if they don't get any farther in the playoffs, the narrative from a segment of the fan base that Doc Rivers was to blame for all their problems will be dead.

I don’t think Doc was very good, but I don’t think they can win with Harden. In his prime, he wasn’t able to put together good playoff runs. He is now getting worse, and he is probably going to quit on us once the games get difficult. He will face tough defenses in the playoffs, and I don’t know that any coach will be able to win with Harden. If he were a small forward, I would feel more comfortable; however, having the ball in Harden’s hands at the end of close playoff games is a recipe for a loss.

With our roster, so far, arguably worse than last year, we will need to rely on Harden as much as last year. It’s a tough challenge for Nurse.

You can win with Harden, but once again he has to be relegated to a complementary role in which he isn't part of the spearhead of the team. Chris Paul will now be in that role with Golden State -- that's where James Harden needs to be, for physical reasons and emotional ones (i.e., leadership, drive).

Unfortunately it doesn't look like the Sixers can acquire with their current assets the player(s) needed to relegate Harden to that role, and so he should be traded.

Which is why last season, the pundits all called or thought Maxey should be elevated to 2nd best player. Harden may still be a star, and wasn't going to take too much of a back seat due to contract situations. But it has to be done.

[ProcessDoctor]

I don’t think Doc was very good, but I don’t think they can win with Harden. In his prime, he wasn’t able to put together good playoff runs. He is now getting worse, and he is probably going to quit on us once the games get difficult. He will face tough defenses in the playoffs, and I don’t know that any coach will be able to win with Harden. If he were a small forward, I would feel more comfortable; however, having the ball in Harden’s hands at the end of close playoff games is a recipe for a loss.

With our roster, so far, arguably worse than last year, we will need to rely on Harden as much as last year. It’s a tough challenge for Nurse.

You can win with Harden, but once again he has to be relegated to a complementary role in which he isn't part of the spearhead of the team. Chris Paul will now be in that role with Golden State -- that's where James Harden needs to be, for physical reasons and emotional ones (i.e., leadership, drive).

Unfortunately it doesn't look like the Sixers can acquire with their current assets the player(s) needed to relegate Harden to that role, and so he should be traded.

Which is why last season, the pundits all called or thought Maxey should be elevated to 2nd best player. Harden may still be a star, and wasn't going to take too much of a back seat due to contract situations. But it has to be done.

Yea I mean if the roster stays as is, then our best chance at winning is the offense running through Maxey as much as it does Embiid. He also needs the ball in his hands in crunch time instead of Harden.

[FireMorey]

Read on Twitter

More shots at Doc lol

Was he talking about the Sixers or did he meant he hopes to play more unpredictable with the Sixers than his Raptors teams were on offense? I can't tell from the quote?

[Stanford]

Read on Twitter

More shots at Doc lol

Was he talking about the Sixers or did he meant he hopes to play more unpredictable with the Sixers than his Raptors teams were on offense? I can't tell from the quote?

I took it that he meant the Sixers played predictably. But I'm not sure, I didn't listen to the pod. I find it hard to listen to these athlete podcasts. Interviewing is a skill with a pretty steep learning curve, even if you're otherwise charismatic.

[mjkvol]

Read on Twitter

Where have you been all our lives?

[Jailblazers7]

It excites me to hear him talk about his philosophy of dictating the terms of engagement & being aggressive with their game plan. That is definitely something we’ve lacked for this team over the past 5 years.

Doc is getting absolutely buried tho lmao. Even Tyrese is like “it’s crazy I’ve never had a coach that would try new ideas in the game”

[M2J]

I think the bench thing is being a bit overblown. Melton, Tucker or Reed, and Bamba is league average or better. We need another top-9 rotation player for sure though.

No it's not. And they need wings, for the love of God.

Agree we need a wing, but look at the regular season rotation if we started today:

Maxey(32)/Harden(16)
Harden(16)/Melton(22)/Springer(10)
Harris(32)/House(16)
Reed(24)/Tucker(24)
Embiid(32)/Bamba(16)

Niang wasn't a wing. McDaniels is the prototype of what we need but never played like it. Shake is replacement level.

I think we need someone who can chew into House and Tucker's minutes, but not all is lost IMO. We still have the same top-7 guys.

They need to find another shooter IMO.

My only complaint right now is them letting McDaniels go for that price.

[Mik317]

Its not that they let great players go...its that we haven't replaced any of them either.

Niang was very important to the team last year...which was a problem lol but still thats one volume shooter gone.

Shake was....uh..shakey but a solid spot starter. Is Pat Bev that or is Springer ready? IDK

McDaniels probably sucks BUT he gave the team some length and athleticism and i still say the Reed/Mcdaniels w/ Harden lineup had more juice than Doc allowed it.

Harden, if he is here,...will miss games. PJ is 38 years old. And Tobias isn't the iron man he used to be either. Maxey also has missed stretches of the season due to his playstyle. They protected themselves against the Biid injury but no one else...and thats were the scrubs we let walk would have at least kept things afloat even if they weren't playable in the playoffs. This regular season doesn't matter approach is also a part of why we get to the playoffs and have no adjustment because we overuse the main rotation and generally they are all banged up and not good enough to compensate for even a smidge of a step loss (see Niang in the prior playoffs for example). Got to just have bodies to throw at the problem sometimes...thats how the Heat made the finals.

NOW of course IDK what the market looks like and if dudes will sign for the minimum they will probably do it in other spots but still

[Negrodamus]

So Harden still wants to be traded because Morey didn't agree to a massive contract before free agency began to make up for team friendly deal he took last year so we could sign his friends? What a lame departure from him.

[Jailblazers7]

So Harden still wants to be traded because Morey didn't agree to a massive contract before free agency began to make up for team friendly deal he took last year so we could sign his friends? What a lame departure from him.

It’s honestly a head scratching decision for him because he’s just cementing his reputation as a loser. This entire saga starting with Houston rumors to the trade request now is him admitting that winning isn’t his top priority.

This team provides him the best opportunity to win as the primary driver of a team’s offense to change his legacy & get his last big contract. But he doesn’t seem to care because he thinks he should be given whatever he wants.

[LeonJordanJr24]

So Harden still wants to be traded because Morey didn't agree to a massive contract before free agency began to make up for team friendly deal he took last year so we could sign his friends? What a lame departure from him.

Harden, Melton ,Tucker and Korkmaz to chi town for Lavine and Caruso .

Maxey / Bev
Caruso/ Springer
Lavine / House/ Wing
Tobias / reed
Embiid / Bamba / Harrell

[Negrodamus]

So Harden still wants to be traded because Morey didn't agree to a massive contract before free agency began to make up for team friendly deal he took last year so we could sign his friends? What a lame departure from him.

Harden, Melton ,Tucker and Korkmaz to chi town for Lavine and Caruso .

Maxey / Bev
Caruso/ Springer
Lavine / House/ Wing
Tobias / reed
Embiid / Bamba / Harrell

Sixers decline, next.

[Iverson Armband]

So Harden still wants to be traded because Morey didn't agree to a massive contract before free agency began to make up for team friendly deal he took last year so we could sign his friends? What a lame departure from him.

Harden, Melton ,Tucker and Korkmaz to chi town for Lavine and Caruso .

Maxey / Bev
Caruso/ Springer
Lavine / House/ Wing
Tobias / reed
Embiid / Bamba / Harrell

I like it

[Arsenal]

THE GREAT RECONCILIATION

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/272465/James-Harden-Reiterates-Trade-Request-Despite-Possible-Path-To-Reconciliation-With-Sixers

[Skates]

If that great sacrifice last year was such a sacrifice below his market value then he would have been able to opt out and score a bigger deal elsewhere this summer. That didn’t happen and anyone trading for him this year isn’t paying him max or close to it. Harden is still valuable and well paid, but has to realize his days of max value and max deals have ended.

Ironic that he wants to join Kawhi and Paul George as they are going to be FA’s next summer and likewise are not max guys any longer.

[Arsenal]

If that great sacrifice last year was such a sacrifice below his market value then he would have been able to opt out and score a bigger deal elsewhere this summer. That didn’t happen and anyone trading for him this year isn’t paying him max or close to it. Harden is still valuable and well paid, but has to realize his days of max value and max deals have ended.

Ironic that he wants to join Kawhi and Paul George as they are going to be FA’s next summer and likewise are not max guys any longer.

True. But he may have more leverage in LA. When they become FA next summer, they can force LAC to pay all 3 of them. Negotiate in tandem.

[Skates]

I would not be surprised to see the LA Clippers begin a rebuild next year, they are creaky and full of aging guys on expiring deals. Give it one more shot this year then retool.

[FireMorey]

Morey, a star chaser, I think looks at Harden as a piece to get a star directly, or if not, getting something that he can flip for a star later. Which in this place would be a multitude of valuable picks.

If Morey doesn't get either in a deal for Harden I don't think he'll trade him. Nor should he.