RealGM

It is obvious we need a post presence and that we are gonig to have a slew of cap room, but the question is, are any of the decent post players available and can we obtain them.

Further, are any of these guys number 1 options? can we win a championship with them?

Who are they?

This wins the most original thought of the day award

1) Your defintion and my definition of "ASAP" are completely different. Yes, we do need a post presence but we don't need it this season unless it somehows falls out of the sky and into our laps.

2) As for players available... well, it's all speculation. We don't know if Elton Brand will opt-out, we don't know if Amare will actually be available for trade, we don't know if Charlotte will let Emeka Okafor go if we offer him a max-level contract. Besides those three names, Josh Smith might be a player that we go after as a PF but he isn't exactly a post-presence.

Sixerscan wrote:This wins the most original thought of the day award

My thoughts as well. This thread tells me that someone hasn't read ANY of the other threads on this board.

I think Michael Sweetney is a FA still. He's a big body with some offensive skill. Unfortunately, he's had weight issues in NY and Chi and probably that's why he's out of the league right now. However, if he's got is head and act together, he wouldn't be that bad to sign him to a 10 day contract just to try him out.

Here are some options I can think of off the top of my head (some post presence PF's and others are not). However, I would still entertain all of these players depending upon their cost to our franchise:

Elton Brand
Josh Smith
Amare Stoudamire
Ike Diogu
Amir Johnson
Tyrus Thomas
Jason Maxiell
Michael Sweetney

Of the group, I can see Josh Smith, Amir and Tyrus being more up-tempo PF's who could fit in with an offense that likes to get out and run. However, an in-shape Sweetney, Maxiell, Brand, and Diogu would all probably fill the post presence void in a half court offense. I see Amare being one of the few players who could do both but I also think his cost will be the highest. I would be all for signing Sweetney to a ten day contract. I'm surprised no one else has done this yet....

STChaser

What's with all of the Michael Sweetney talk??? There's a reason this guy is out of the league.

TGP, I think it's because Sweetney did have tons of potential and fits that big body PF that this team sorely needs. He's also one of the few prospects I can think of that would cost us pretty much nothing. I'd much rather have Amir or TT in the lower-cost PF bracket but I don't see that happening.

Speaking of PF's, anyone heard anything on Herb Hill lately?


STChaser

The Guilty Party wrote:What's with all of the Michael Sweetney talk??? There's a reason this guy is out of the league.

Seriously, if Sweetney had anything to offer, he'd be in the NBA right now. There's always a need for big bodies. Please don't even waste the NBA minimum of that fat lard.

There was a write-up in the Daily News a couple of days ago that said that Hill has not fully recovered from the knee injury yet and that even when he does, it may be some time before Cheeks activates him.

As for Sweetney... we could have him RIGHT NOW if we (or anyone) wanted him. Sweetney was drafted in 2003 and had 4 years to show something but instead he played his way out of the league. I'll be shocked if we see Sweetney be anything more than a 15th man on a team from this point forward.

STChaser wrote:Here are some options I can think of off the top of my head (some post presence PF's and others are not). However, I would still entertain all of these players depending upon their cost to our franchise:

Elton Brand
Josh Smith
Amare Stoudamire
Ike Diogu
Amir Johnson
Tyrus Thomas
Jason Maxiell
Michael Sweetney

Of the group, I can see Josh Smith, Amir and Tyrus being more up-tempo PF's who could fit in with an offense that likes to get out and run. However, an in-shape Sweetney, Maxiell, Brand, and Diogu would all probably fill the post presence void in a half court offense. I see Amare being one of the few players who could do both but I also think his cost will be the highest. I would be all for signing Sweetney to a ten day contract. I'm surprised no one else has done this yet....

STChaser

Elton Brand - if healthy
Josh Smith - wouldnt complain
Amare Stoudamire -
Ike Diogu - not enough
Amir Johnson - not enough
Tyrus Thomas - maybe
Jason Maxiell - not enough
Michael Sweetney - hahahhaha

Getting a post presence is difficult everyone in the league is looking for one to to acquire another one. I believe the BEST ways to get one is by trading or through the draft. Either way you have to have a great eye for talent because people aren't just trading away all star caliber big men without some major caveats often involving young developing talent.

In the Sixers case our team doesn't have any MAJOR young talent to trade in order to acquire an all star caliber big. So I believe that we need to scour the bench of NBA teams for that player that could be the next Ben Wallace or we need to fine tune our scouting skills in the draft for the next Carlos Boozer.

Andray Blatche is definitely a player on the bench that I believe has the potential to blow up overnight if thrust into a starting role in a new city. Being that he is locked into a new contract where he is getting paid peanuts I would pursue him and take a "gamble". Some people are willing to take a gamble to overpaying Josh Smith to pry him away from ATL in the hopes of having him display a game HERE that he has never shown in his career, all to the tune of a 12 million+ contract. Some have even suggested handing him a MAX contract. I'd much rather trade for Andray Blatche than to sign Josh Smith.

Blatche really isn't a true post PF either. I like his game, and have mentioned many times that taking LW over him was questionable, but I'm not sure his game fills the void. Defensively, he shows signs of being fantastic, but I'm not sure he'll bring the consistency. Offensively, he's more of a jump shooting PF than a back to the basket/post player. He would potentially be an upgrade, and would be abit of a risk, but I don't think he is available either. Washington has been pretty high on him, and he is really starting to show signs this season.

STChaser wrote:Elton Brand
Josh Smith
Amare Stoudamire
Ike Diogu
Amir Johnson
Tyrus Thomas
Jason Maxiell
Michael Sweetney



STChaser

i would take okafor over any of these guys

I remember Andray Blactche using a bevy of post moves against Jason Smith earlier this season when he went 12 of 14 for 26 points in 29 minutes. When I found out that he was only 21 years of age I knew then that he had promise. I believe that his jump shooting is a bit more of a product of the Wizards offense and desire to develop all of his skills than it is him being someone who desires to just face the basket. He's also a very capable shot blocker.

Blacthe's game against the Sixer's was by far his best game as a pro. You can take many players best games and projects them to be stars. He has value, but has shown no consistency or indication that he wants to be a low post scoring player.

I'd be happy to have him on the Sixer's, but he's a long way from being the anwers to our post problem.

IggyTheKing wrote:-= original quote snipped =-


i would take okafor over any of these guys

over both amare and josh?

Amare and Sam would be a great fit. I take Amare over Okafor if we can keep Sam. If we had to lose Sam Okafor would be the better defensive anchor- but I would still take Amare over him in a heartbeat.

Emeka Okafor- When Healthy. Would be a tremendous force along with Dalembert. Doesn't anyone remember when he was putting up Shaq-esque numbers in his rookie year.

He may be banged up a little bit, but still relatively young and if he stays relatively injury free like he has this year. He is a double-double/3 blocks guy. That will ultimately lead us closer to a championship. I think Sendem will agree that Okafor, despite the risk is the better prospect.

You mean like Shaq right now?