YASI- Stephanski Inteview

[ITK9]

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/ ... 85536.html

Stefanski looks to the future

By TOM MOORE
phillyBurbs.com

In a little more than two months since succeeding Billy King as president and general manager of the 76ers, Delaware County native Ed Stefanski has already made his mark by trading Kyle Korver to the Utah Jazz for the expiring contract of Gordan Giricek and a future first-round pick.

The move will give the Sixers about $10 million with which to use in free agency or trades this summer, when leading scorer Andre Iguodala and sixth man Lou Williams become restricted free agents.

With 11 days until the Feb. 21 trade deadline, Stefanski could choose to make another trade or stand pat for the remainder of the season. He has said that his priority isn't to create more cap space, but to address one of the Sixers' needs (primarily power forward). Beyond that, coach Maurice Cheeks' contract ends in June, as does executive VP Larry Brown's.

Stefanski spoke with Sixers beat writer Tom Moore last week while watching the players shoot around following a team practice at PCOM.

Q: Do you believe nobody's untradable?

A: I think you talk to every team about their players and they talk about yours. It has to make sense for both sides to make a trade. We feel comfortable with what we'll have in the summertime, cap-wise. We're happy with the young core players. We have a veteran group we have to add to. Right now, it's working where we want it to go.

Q: Does trading (veteran point guard) Andre Miller make sense by the deadline?

A: I have not called anyone to inquire what they would give us for Andre Miller

[tk76]

A few observations:

-Ed seems to be on the same page as the majority of the posters here.

-Interesting to here him mention Carney as one of their rpomising young players moving forward. Oh waht a difference a week makes.

-Still rarely hear him mention Green or Evans.

-The way he talks about Miller and Sam, I wonder if he hopes to turn this team around quickly, and be a mid pack playoff team next year?

-The quip about Lou- speaks to how outspoken Lou has become, I think mostly in a good way. Part of BK's legacy of trying to bring in high character guys is that we have some potential good vocal leaders on this team- even with the departure of KK.

I also like the part about Young's potential in the post.

[ITK9]

i like Ed's thoughts.i hope he will trade willie green for an expiring.i think giricek can start at 2 instead of willie(of course, Lou can also start but he is our 6th man) and play at least decent basketball.

[The Guilty Party]

I didn't get a whole lot from that Q&A other than "wait and see" to almost every question.

My faith in Stefanski is strong but his honeymoon period only has about 2 months left in it. When Draft Night '08 rolls around, his review period is over and we're going to see what's what.

Consider how HUGE this summer is for our team.

-Stefanski has to re-sign Mo Cheeks or hire a new ball coach.

-Ed needs to re-sign both Iguodala and Lou to contracts that won't become a hinderance on our team's future.

-He'll need to determine what to do with that $10MIL in cap space. I don't believe sitting on it will go over at all so I'm pretty sure he'll use most, if not all, of it.

[LieCheatSteal]

4 surprises:

1) Extend Andre Miller?

2) Iggy's a "good asset". He didn't really say he was the star of the team or anything.

3) Lou's either a 1 or 2. Doesn't sound like he's committed to Lou as the PG of the future.

4) Seems high on Dalembert so won't see him traded for an expiring.

... of course, all this is PR-speak and tomorrow, Miller and Dalembert will be dealt for expirings and Lou and Iggy will be re-upped. Who knows?

[bebopdeluxe]

Depending on what happens this summer (who we get with our cap room and who we get in the draft), I am completely open to a 2-3 year extension for Miller. He is playing at a very high level right now. He is a guy who has never depended on blazing speed to be effective. He's missed like three games in his career - so there should be no questions about his durability.

If the Sixers are a mid-tier playoff team next season (4th-6th seed), with its best days ahead of it and a bunch of good, young players, why wouldn't we consider extending Miller? And why wouldn't he consider staying with us?

And even if he chooses to not resign with us after next season, we have a $10 mil expiring contract, which - as the Gasol trade shows - is a pretty good asset to have.

It's all good.

[The Guilty Party]

"completely", "career", "all"... I got it.

I do think you hit the nail on the head and are right about this. I don't think it's that crazy to think Miller will be still be playing at a very high level 3 years from now.

[Dedicated_76ers_fan]

I feel he's still talking this up. You've got to give to get, and what do we have that we would realistically give up. I'm not giving up on a 19 year old kid who's arguably been our best PF since Tyrone Hill. Nor am I giving up on a Dalembert that's turning his corners and becoming a fine player.

I think Andre Miller, Reggie Evans, Rodney Carney and Willie Green are the guys we'd like to move. And I think it's likely if we package them. (Like, Evans's rebounding with Willie Green's shooting) teams may be interested.

[tk76]

After a few drinks, I'm staring to think Green is a great fit for our running team off the bench. He's another athletic scorer who can push the temp. he also can give us good spot duty guarding small/quicker SG's.

Another sip and I'd even be against moving him for an expiring. We just need to find a way to put himn where he belong- in an Evan's kind of role bringing it for 15 minutes a game off the bench.

Maybe we can draft our SG.. Mayo anyone?

[tk76]

For now maybe put Carney out there to start, or allow him to eat more into WG's minutes. I'm fine with either on the floor as long as they are forbidden from shooting contested jumpers outside of 15ft.

[bebopdeluxe]

TGP:

You're killing me, bro...first, I get abused if I put things in CAPS...then I get trashed for using the bold function...

I guess that I'm just gonna have to think of something else...

[corwin]

After a few drinks, I'm staring to think Green is a great fit for our running team off the bench. He's another athletic scorer who can push the temp. he also can give us good spot duty guarding small/quicker SG's.

Another sip and I'd even be against moving him for an expiring. We just need to find a way to put himn where he belong- in an Evan's kind of role bringing it for 15 minutes a game off the bench.

Maybe we can draft our SG.. Mayo anyone?

I'm not opposed to trading WG but I do get tired hearing about his contract. Like you've said, he's a decent role player coming off the bench much like RE. I agree the team needs a legitimate starter at SG. IMO Iguodala is best suited for SF. BTW Mayo would be fine but did you see Harden or Bayless in the Arizona vs Washington State game? If a guard is drafted either one of those guys would do.

[sweetlou23]

Q: Don't you eventually have to decide if Lou Williams is a point guard, a shooting guard, a combo guard or a third guard?

A: I don't agree with you. I don't think you have to decide if he's a "one' or a "two.'

Q: Is he best suited as a starter or a backup?

A: I think that all evolves. I think that's all on Lou. I think Lou's a basketball player. I'm not really hung up on the "one' or the "two.'

Q: From a contract standpoint, doesn't it make a difference if a guy is a starter or a backup?

A: I'll see where we are. He hasn't started. I think Lou will tell us when he's a starter (laughs).





Excellent questions by Moore re lou will and Ed gave all of the right political answers. I was really surprised by the contract question. it probably caught Ed off guard. Do you think the sixers would keep lou will coming off of the bench as a way to control the contract negotiations?

[cx09]

Excellent questions by Moore re lou will and Ed gave all of the right political answers. I was really surprised by the contract question. it probably caught Ed off guard. Do you think the sixers would keep lou will coming off of the bench as a way to control the contract negotiations?

absolutely not. i think when mo feels the team is better off with lou starting, that's when you'll see him in the starting lineup.

[Johnny Broad-Street]

Lou's on the bench until he proves he can run the point with anyone but the running team on the floor. I LOVE Lou Williams, but he's just not there yet.

[sweetlou23]

how can he do that if he doesn't get the minutes to prove it? miller averages 36 minutes per game that leaves 12 minutes for lou. lately ollie has been getting minutes, leaving even less time for lou at the point. the only way lou gets ready is if he can get the minutes. its time to make that move. you can't learn from the bench. initially i expect some inconsistency from lou as a starter. as he grows into the position i expect him to begin to understand the nuances of the game. if the sixers do not trade miller by the deadline they are hindering rather than helping lous development.

[Johnny Broad-Street]

I bet if you polled coaches almost 100% would not be comfortable starting Lou WIll at point on a team with Andre Miller on it

[bebopdeluxe]

If they do not trade Miller by the deadline, it is because either 1) nobody is offering enough for the Sixers to consider moving him (a likely scenario) and/or 2) Stefanski believes that Miller has enough left in the tank to be our PG for another 3-4 years (another likely scenario).

My guess is that Stefanski right now views Williams the same way that the Eagles brass viewed Westbrook for a while - a tremendous weapon and change-of-pace guy who was not a durable enough RB to get 350+ touches a season...eventually, for a lot of different reasons, the Eagles decided to just give Westbrook the damn ball...and we all see what happened.

I think that Stefanski's comment was pretty revealing - i.e. Williams will tell them (through his play) when he's ready to be a starter. Unfortunately, I don't see it being this season...Green and Carney are getting a boatload of SG minutes these days, and I would think that one of them would have to be moved for Lou to get them. I would think that - either at the deadline or this summer - one of those guys gets moved to give Williams more burn.

And, at least right now, I don't see Miller getting moved. He's playing at a high level...the young players are all gaining from his presence...we have a shot at making the playoffs...and whether some posters on this forum agree with it or not, Stefanski is throwing out there that he may actually extend Miller versus trading him. You may think that is just GM-speak, but it doesn't work unless it is believable...and right now, IMO, that is a realistic and totally believable option for this team.

[Johnny Broad-Street]

You're right that no one will probably offer enough, but I disagree that he'll be here 3-4 more years. I think he's a nice player and a good sized contract to let expire while youplan for the future