Sixers Offseason Thread Part 5

[ExplosionsInDaSky]

Solid addition for Milwaukee. He'll give them what Oubre gave us last season.

[jstross]

Any idea which way Lonnie Walker the IV is leaning?

[Stanford]

Bummer about GTJ. I was sure he'd sign here. Would love Lonnie on a minimum though.

[the_process]

Lonnie and then Marcus and call it a wrap until camp?

[PhillyFan11]

Dinwiddie and Talen Horton-Tucker are both very good G options if Walker doesn’t work out.


And that run of posts on KMart Jr was pretty hilarious. I know it’s the lull of the off-season, but let’s not get crazy with boredom. Martin won’t be a top 9 option on this team, let alone top 5.

[ProcessDoctor]

No more dudes under 6'6" please.

[Stanford]

No more dudes under 6'6" please.

Which FAs would you like them to take a look at?

[ProcessDoctor]

No more dudes under 6'6" please.

Which FAs would you like them to take a look at?

Bullock, Morris, Covington, Nwora, Okeke, Brissett.

We need a couple defenders/bullies. Team is looking very finesse and physically outmatched against Boston/New York.

[FireMorey]

Need another shooter/scorer though. They can sign a bigger guy with Walker.

[Jailblazers7]

Smart move by GTJ if he’s looking to boost his market value. He’s an immediate starter in Milwaukee and will get a lot of open looks.

[LloydFree]

No more dudes under 6'6" please.

Which FAs would you like them to take a look at?

Bullock, Morris, Covington, Nwora, Okeke, Brissett.

We need a couple defenders/bullies. Team is looking very finesse and physically outmatched against Boston/New York.

Bullock is cooked. Covington is likely cooked. Nwora is trash. Okeke is trash. Brissett isn't as good as KJ Martin.

[Jailblazers7]

I think we have a perfect roster to get the most out of Oubre actually. He was excellent last year at the start when the team was healthy & his role was more confined. He tends to drift & make bad choices when his role expands and that won’t be necessary any longer here.

[youngcrev]

I wanted Trent Jr because I think he's a legit upgrade to what we have. Lonnie Walker though? I think Lowry and Gordon are better, and would rather the rook get a shot at the leftover minutes. I just don't really see his utility here.

I wouldn't get mad about it since, well, it's a minimum. I'd just rather look elsewhere.

[ProcessDoctor]

Which FAs would you like them to take a look at?

Bullock, Morris, Covington, Nwora, Okeke, Brissett.

We need a couple defenders/bullies. Team is looking very finesse and physically outmatched against Boston/New York.

Bullock is cooked. Covington is likely cooked. Nwora is trash. Okeke is trash. Brissett isn't as good as KJ Martin.

We just need bodies though. Right now Paul George is projected to be guarding Tatum/Giannis/Randle/Siakam and I don't think that bodes well.

The fact that we alligator-armed the KJ balloon deal also gives me pause. I think we'll look awesome during the RS but worry about our toughness in the playoffs. I'm usually against the fake intangible bs analyses, but this team is sorely lacking enforcers.

Edit: left out Crowder in my initial list. I would use the last 3 mins to sign him, Cov, and Morris and hope at least 1 pans out. Can couple 1-2 of the others with KJ at the deadline for a better piece.

[FireMorey]

I'm not sure the team need an enforcer. Actually, I'll even take it a step further and say I don't even know what an enforcer is. Are we talking someone who can play defense? In that case I'd just call them a defender or 3&D if they can shoot. Are we talking a bully type player who rebounds and knocks people on their ass? If it's the latter, I think these kinds of players are vastly overrated and the Sixers need for one is vastly overrated.

I think over the years the Sixers have gotten baselessly labeled as soft because they've blown playoff series. Choking has somehow come synonymous with soft. They aren't the same things. Soft to me means players who are afraid to get physical, shy away from contact, etc. The Sixers don't have a lot of guys like that on the team. Maybe one with Harris(and he's gone now), who was afraid to dive for loose balls. Who else on the Sixers fits those traits? Certainly not Embiid, Maxey, PG, Oubre, Martin. Not Gordon, Council, Lowry, Martin, etc.

Give me guys who have skill. This isn't MMA, beating guys up doesn't win you basketball games. PJ Tucker was supposed to be that type of player and he was a detriment to a basketball team because his skill has eroded. The Sixers have never lost a playoff series because they didn't have the appropriate toughness, they've lost series because they either didn't have the health or skill or both. No team has ever "toughed" their way to a title without the necessary skill. If you can get the whole package, sure. But you aren't getting the whole package when you only have the vet minimum to spend. And when I'm forced to choose, I'm taking actual skill. Shooting, ball handling, scoring, passing, etc over just someone who's a mean SOB who knocks guys on their ass and intimidates. And from a purely aesthetic perspective, those guys are boring as hell to watch IMO.

[ProcessDoctor]

I'm not sure the team need an enforcer. Actually, I'll even take it a step further and say I don't even know what an enforcer is. Are we talking someone who can play defense? In that case I'd just call them a defender or 3&D if they can shoot. Are we talking a bully type player who rebounds and knocks people on their ass? If it's the latter, I think these kinds of players are vastly overrated and the Sixers need for one is vastly overrated.

I think over the years the Sixers have gotten baselessly labeled as soft because they've blown playoff series. Choking has somehow come synonymous with soft. They aren't the same things. Soft to me means players who are afraid to get physical, shy away from contact, etc. The Sixers don't have a lot of guys like that on the team. Maybe one with Harris(and he's gone now), who was afraid to dive for loose balls. Who else on the Sixers fits those traits? Certainly not Embiid, Maxey, PG, Oubre, Martin. Not Gordon, Council, Lowry, Martin, etc.

Give me guys who have skill. This isn't MMA, beating guys up doesn't win you basketball games. PJ Tucker was supposed to be that type of player and he was a detriment to a basketball team because his skill has eroded. The Sixers have never lost a playoff series because they didn't have the appropriate toughness, they've lost series because they either didn't have the health or skill or both. No team has ever "toughed" their way to a title without the necessary skill. If you can get the whole package, sure. But you aren't getting the whole package when you only have the vet minimum to spend. And when I'm forced to choose, I'm taking actual skill. Shooting, ball handling, scoring, passing, etc over just someone who's a mean SOB who knocks guys on their ass and intimidates. And from a purely aesthetic perspective, those guys are boring as hell to watch IMO.

I'm referring mostly to players who can make life uncomfortable for the aforementioned opponents we'll face. Players who look to make things difficult for the opposing team's best player, both in how they defend them and psychologically.

Boston has White, Jrue, Horford, and Brown (to a degree). New York has Mikal, Hart, DDV, and Anunoby.

Do we have even one player on par with those guys? Maybe Caleb?

[oldschool1]

No one said KJ was a top 5 option on this team. I A team like the sixers with three stars do not need to start their top five players. KJ is only 23 years old . There are lots of examples of players figuring out their roles at that age. KJ just needs to step up his defense, rebound and dunk the ball ( and hopefully hit 30 % of his open 3s). His swing skill is how well he can guard. We will see. Not sure if a another younger player (like Brissett, Okeke) or older player (Crowder, Morris) would be a better option, though I would sign Brisset or Okeke to add some competition.


"And that run of posts on KMart Jr was pretty hilarious. I know it’s the lull of the off-season, but let’s not get crazy with boredom. Martin won’t be a top 9 option on this team, let alone top 5.[/quote]"

[FireMorey]

I think Embiid is the most intimidating defensive presence in the NBA except maybe Wemby. He changes the game when he’s in the paint. They have solid defenders. Do they have a team full of elite lockdown guys? No, but they make up for that with offense. But I don’t think the solution is to get guys who can’t score at all on the minimum. I don’t think it’s a good trade off.

[stormi]

I'm referring mostly to players who can make life uncomfortable for the aforementioned opponents we'll face. Players who look to make things difficult for the opposing team's best player, both in terms of how they defend them and psychologically.

Boston has White, Jrue, Horford, and Brown (to a degree). New York has Mikal, Hart, DDV, and Anunoby.

Do we have even one player on par with those guys? Maybe Caleb?

^^

When I look at our roster and say we need a four, my issues are projecting defensively long term. I think you can get by with the shooting and spacing that we have even with Oubre and Martin overlapping big minutes due to the utter eliteness of George and Maxey as C&S threats and Embiid being the best player in the world on any given night.

But on the other end of the floor, to get the NBA finals we'll likely run into three of the four of:

Paulo Banchero 6’10 250lbs
Julius Randle 6’8 250lbs
Jayson Tatum 6’10 225lbs
Giannis Antetokounmpo 6’11 245lbs

You defend these guys with schemes and as a collective, but you still need that main wing stopper to harass them over the course of a seven game series.

The Knicks got a guy in Anunoby that they can build a wing defense around. The Nuggets have done so with Gordon. The Celtics have a handful of guys.

We don't really have that premier stopper. Against elite guards, the perimeter forwards and centers, we'll be mint but everyone in the league is looking for those 6'8 two way wings that can score and defend.

I think that's why so many on Sixers twitter are fond of the idea of a guy like DFS. Someone that's 6'7 with a 7' wingspan and the thickness and athleticism to burden those tough matchups and still space on high volume on offense. You just wish those percentages from deep reverted back to his Dallas days.

Our cap situation says that even with the KJ Martin balloon cap manipulation, are options are still relatively limited.

The absolute dream get would be someone like Patrick Williams.

[ProcessDoctor]

I'm referring mostly to players who can make life uncomfortable for the aforementioned opponents we'll face. Players who look to make things difficult for the opposing team's best player, both in terms of how they defend them and psychologically.

Boston has White, Jrue, Horford, and Brown (to a degree). New York has Mikal, Hart, DDV, and Anunoby.

Do we have even one player on par with those guys? Maybe Caleb?

^^

When I look at our roster and say we need a four, my issues are projecting defensively long term. I think you can get by with the shooting and spacing that we have even with Oubre and Martin overlapping big minutes due to the utter eliteness of George and Maxey as C&S threats and Embiid being the best player in the world on any given night.

But on the other end of the floor, to get the NBA finals we'll likely run into three of the four of:

Paulo Banchero 6’10 250lbs
Julius Randle 6’8 250lbs
Jayson Tatum 6’10 225lbs
Giannis Antetokounmpo 6’11 245lbs

You defend these guys with schemes and as a collective, but you still need that main wing stopper to harass them over the course of a seven game series.

The Knicks got a guy in Anunoby that they can build a defense around to stop a premier wing. The Nuggets have done so with Gordon. The Celtics have a handful of guys.

We don't really have that premier stopper. Against elite guards and the perimeter wings, we'll be mint but everyone in the league is looking for those 6'8 two way wings that can score and defend.

I think that's why so many people on Sixers twitter are fond of the idea of DFS as a guy that's 6'7 with a 7' wingspan and the thickness and athleticism to burden those tough match-ups and still space on heavy volume on offense. You just wish those percentages from deep reverted back to his Dallas days.

The absolute dream get would be someone like Patrick Williams.

Yea I think the deficiency is being overlooked. I don't want PG, Caleb, or Oubre assigned to any of those dudes or Siakam.

And the KJ contract at $8 mil is killer because it greatly reduces the odds of acquiring anyone making over $14 mil unless we also want to part with either Oubre or Caleb. Even a $14 mil player will have to be acquired by attaching two vet mins to KJ's contract (or one of Oubre/Caleb). DFS is at $15 mil and Grant Williams is at $13 mil.

KJ + one vet min gets you in the ballpark for Boucher, Kleber (likely unavailable), or Vanderbilt (see Kleber).

$8 mil or less is basically Trey Lyles (contending team) or dudes on rookie contracts who are also likely unavailable.

I'll be interested to see if Morey can solve this one last puzzle piece.