76ers Questioning Embiid's Work Ethic & Maturity, Weighs 300 Pounds Now, Feuding With Coaches, Skipping Drills

[Cbasketball]

Starting to dislike game6

[Mik317]

Starting to dislike game6

He does God's work.

It he does it some we don't have to.

He's not the hero we deserve but the hero we need right now....

[Hedda Gambler]

http://hoopsanalyst.com/?p=1259

As someone who has only started playing the game within the last 2 years his upside would seem limitless.

http://patternofbasketball.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-76ers-have-already-won.html?spref=fb

I don`t get the love for these players that are new to the game. Sure, some of them may turn out fine, but I just can`t see why a player who just started playing the game should have an advantage over someone with years of experience. Sure, he may find out that he can do a lot of things he doesn`t even know about yet, but he may just as well find out that the game is much harder at a lot of aspects than they have yet experienced.

[XtotheDeezy]

http://hoopsanalyst.com/?p=1259

As someone who has only started playing the game within the last 2 years his upside would seem limitless.

http://patternofbasketball.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-76ers-have-already-won.html?spref=fb

I don`t get the love for these players that are new to the game. Sure, some of them may turn out fine, but I just can`t see why a player who just started playing the game should have an advantage over someone with years of experience. Sure, he may find out that he can do a lot of things he doesn`t even know about yet, but he may just as well find out that the game is much harder at a lot of aspects than they have yet experienced.

This. You have proven nothing until you can play in the league (not talking about European players). All this dominating high school and college is good and all, but you're a prospect until you can ball in the big leagues.

[hookshot199]

[I don`t get the love for these players that are new to the game. Sure, some of them may turn out fine, but I just can`t see why a player who just started playing the game should have an advantage over someone with years of experience. Sure, he may find out that he can do a lot of things he doesn`t even know about yet, but he may just as well find out that the game is much harder at a lot of aspects than they have yet experienced.

It partly has to do with payroll. You're paying them less than $5 mil for the most part. And of the top 25 salaries, decide for yourself how many of them are real difference makers.


1. Kobe Bryant $23,500,000 (lottery)

2. Amare Stoudemire $23,410,988 (lottery)

3. Joe Johnson $23,180,790 (eighth seed, East, maybe lottery)

4. Carmelo Anthony $22,458,401 (lottery)

5. Dwight Howard $21,436,271

6. LeBron James $20,644,400

6. Chris Bosh $20,644,400 (seventh seed, East)

8. Chris Paul $20,068,563

9. Kevin Durant $19,997,513

10. Deron Williams $19,754,465 (eighth seed, East)

11. Rudy Gay $19,317,326 (lottery)

12. Derrick Rose $18,862,876

13. Blake Griffin $17,632,688

14. Carlos Boozer $16,800,000 (lottery)

15. Zach Randolph $16,500,000

16. Marc Gasol $15,829,688

17. Paul George $15,800,000 (injured)

18. Kevin Love $15,719,063

19. Russell Westbrook $15,719,062

20. Brook Lopez $15,719,000 (eighth seed, East, maybe lottery)

21. LaMarcus Aldridge $15,200,000

22. David Lee $15,012,000

23. Dwyane Wade $15,000,000 (seventh seed, East)

24. Josh Smith $14,945,778 25 (dumped by Detroit)

25. Roy Hibbert $14,898,938 (lottery)

25. Jeremy Lin $14,898,938 (lottery)

25. Omer Asik $14,898,93 (lottery)

[Hedda Gambler]

It partly has to do with payroll. You're paying them less than $5 mil for the most part. And of the top 25 salaries, decide for yourself how many of them are real difference makers.

No - you misunderstood me. I was talking about players who more or less just picked up basketball before high school - not rookies in general.

[Roddy B for 3]

I sure hope they hit on the Saric pick. Potentiol core is looking crappy. Best case senario they get a redundent player in this years draft.

I loved Philly during AI's day. It must suck being a fan of one of the mist exciting players in the league to the Iggy is a star days to the perpetual loser days.

If only Bynum was healthy/cared.

Hinki has done a horrible job thus far. MCW dosen't project to be an All star - Noel looks like his best case is being Marcus Camby - Embiid has injury issues. Orlando, Minnesota, Utah, Charolette, New York and even Boston all look better.

The only move Hinkis made that has seemed to work out so far is getting that pick from Orlando back.

[stick]

I sure hope they hit on the Saric pick. Potentiol core is looking crappy. Best case senario they get a redundent player in this years draft.

I loved Philly during AI's day. It must suck being a fan of one of the mist exciting players in the league to the Iggy is a star days to the perpetual loser days.

If only Bynum was healthy/cared.

Hinki has done a horrible job thus far. MCW dosen't project to be an All star - Noel looks like his best case is being Marcus Camby - Embiid has injury issues. Orlando, Minnesota, Utah, Charolette, New York and even Boston all look better.

The only move Hinkis made that has seemed to work out so far is getting that pick from Orlando back.

A heavily protected pick... Payton is going to be so much better than MCW

[snoopdogg88]

I sure hope they hit on the Saric pick. Potentiol core is looking crappy. Best case senario they get a redundent player in this years draft.

I loved Philly during AI's day. It must suck being a fan of one of the mist exciting players in the league to the Iggy is a star days to the perpetual loser days.

If only Bynum was healthy/cared.

Hinki has done a horrible job thus far. MCW dosen't project to be an All star - Noel looks like his best case is being Marcus Camby - Embiid has injury issues. Orlando, Minnesota, Utah, Charolette, New York and even Boston all look better.

The only move Hinkis made that has seemed to work out so far is getting that pick from Orlando back.

he's been the GM for less than two seasons. he inherited a team with very few assets and was up against the salary cap.

what exactly would you have done differently?

and i'll just say I strongly disagree that Orlando, Utah, Charlotte, New York (lol seriously)? and Boston look better.

[KnickerBonkerz]

I fractured my foot in August and I still don't feel 100%. Only in November was I able to walk on my feet (with a limp). Foot injuries are the worst.

[KnickerBonkerz]

I sure hope they hit on the Saric pick. Potentiol core is looking crappy. Best case senario they get a redundent player in this years draft.

I loved Philly during AI's day. It must suck being a fan of one of the mist exciting players in the league to the Iggy is a star days to the perpetual loser days.

If only Bynum was healthy/cared.

Hinki has done a horrible job thus far. MCW dosen't project to be an All star - Noel looks like his best case is being Marcus Camby - Embiid has injury issues. Orlando, Minnesota, Utah, Charolette, New York and even Boston all look better.

The only move Hinkis made that has seemed to work out so far is getting that pick from Orlando back.

he's been the GM for less than two seasons. he inherited a team with very few assets and was up against the salary cap.

what exactly would you have done differently?

and i'll just say I strongly disagree that Orlando, Utah, Charlotte, New York (lol seriously)? and Boston look better.

I agree with the 1st part of your post, but Orlando, Utah and Boston (bc of all the draft picks they have) all look better than the sixers right now

[hookshot199]

It partly has to do with payroll. You're paying them less than $5 mil for the most part. And of the top 25 salaries, decide for yourself how many of them are real difference makers.

No - you misunderstood me. I was talking about players who more or less just picked up basketball before high school - not rookies in general.

My apologies. I assumed you were talking about Embiid. My sense is - based on what I saw in that Oklahoma State game - he's a natural. Apparently, his idol - Olajuwon - also didn't have a long history playing ball, beginning - if you believe NBA.com report - at 15.

http://www.nba.com/history/legends/hake ... index.html

I just felt that the criticism - though possibly serious - were the top.

Again, apologies.

[Hedda Gambler]

My apologies. I assumed you were talking about Embiid. My sense is - based on what I saw in that Oklahoma State game - he's a natural. Apparently, his idol - Olajuwon - also didn't have a long history playing ball, beginning - if you believe NBA.com report - at 15.

http://www.nba.com/history/legends/hake ... index.html

I just felt that the criticism - though possibly serious - were the top.

Again, apologies.

No worries. I am sceptical about guys who haven`t played long and mainly rely on their atlethicism to crush their opponents. In Utah we have Enes Kanter who according to himself never touced a basketball until he was in his teens. Well, it shows as he does not have a feel for the game at all and looks lost out there way too often. I have no idea if this applies to Embiid or not, I just don`t get the argument that it should always be counted as a positive that young players are new to the game.

[Sixersftw]

No worries. I am sceptical about guys who haven`t played long and mainly rely on their atlethicism to crush their opponents. In Utah we have Enes Kanter who according to himself never touced a basketball until he was in his teens. Well, it shows as he does not have a feel for the game at all and looks lost out there way too often. I have no idea if this applies to Embiid or not, I just don`t get the argument that it should always be counted as a positive that young players are new to the game.

I think that is why people are/ were hyped about Embiid. Even though he is new to the game he was playing well because of his rapidly improving skills rather than overwhelming his opponents athletically. From game to game he looked more and more skilled rather than just dunking on people's heads. I think the hope was since he is new to basketball that week to week improvement rate would be more prolonged because he has only worked on his game for ~4 years as opposed to a kid that was working on their game for like 8 years.

I do agree that generally the new to the game thing can be a bit of a crutch for some prospects when they are solely athletic freaks. I think the difference is Embiid showed that consistent rapid progression of skills where most players of a similar background rely on their athleticism and only show that skill progression in fits and spurts.

[richboy]

My apologies. I assumed you were talking about Embiid. My sense is - based on what I saw in that Oklahoma State game - he's a natural. Apparently, his idol - Olajuwon - also didn't have a long history playing ball, beginning - if you believe NBA.com report - at 15.

http://www.nba.com/history/legends/hake ... index.html

I just felt that the criticism - though possibly serious - were the top.

Again, apologies.

No worries. I am sceptical about guys who haven`t played long and mainly rely on their atlethicism to crush their opponents. In Utah we have Enes Kanter who according to himself never touced a basketball until he was in his teens. Well, it shows as he does not have a feel for the game at all and looks lost out there way too often. I have no idea if this applies to Embiid or not, I just don`t get the argument that it should always be counted as a positive that young players are new to the game.

That is what makes Embiid special. His skill level went from nothing to some of the best footwork of any young big in college. I'm not worried about Embiid at all. He is very young and probably very bored right now.

Don't get too caught up when young immature people act young and immature. It is like a 40 year old man dating a 20 year old and complaining she doesn't want to go to bed at 10 pm. If he was out there committing crimes then we have a story. If I had a concern for Embiid it be the lack of veterans and the overall culture in Utah. My expectation is for Joel is the day he starts playing he be pretty good right from the start.

[Mik317]

If Noel is Marcus Camby...I think we made out pretty good no?

I mean dude was a multiple time DPOTY..

[wickedwrister]

If Noel is Marcus Camby...I think we made out pretty good no?

I mean dude was a multiple time DPOTY..

Sign me up for the Marcus Camby career for Noel. Don't believe anyone in Philly was counting on Noel being a superstar a la Durant or James.

The ideal everything goes perfect future for the Sixers is they eventually hit the 3 star model with 2 of the stars being Embiid and the 2015 pick and then one comes via free agency to join them. On the defensive end Noel, Embiid, MCW and Mcdaniels create enough havoc that you can go get an offensively minded free agent and have him just worry about scoring 20+/game.

Noel's entire future in the NBA will be on wrecking havoc defensively with multiple blocks and steals per games and hopefully scoring around 8-12 points per game mostly on dump offs and put backs. If the Sixers build it correctly that is all he will be asked to do.

[ckchen]

If Noel is Marcus Camby...I think we made out pretty good no?

I mean dude was a multiple time DPOTY..

Sign me up for the Marcus Camby career for Noel. Don't believe anyone in Philly was counting on Noel being a superstar a la Durant or James.

The ideal everything goes perfect future for the Sixers is they eventually hit the 3 star model with 2 of the stars being Embiid and the 2015 pick and then one comes via free agency to join them. On the defensive end Noel, Embiid, MCW and Mcdaniels create enough havoc that you can go get an offensively minded free agent and have him just worry about scoring 20+/game.

Noel's entire future in the NBA will be on wrecking havoc defensively with multiple blocks and steals per games and hopefully scoring around 8-12 points per game mostly on dump offs and put backs. If the Sixers build it correctly that is all he will be asked to do.

I would agree about a Camby-like career for Noel. However, I don't think that he should necessarily be limited by that. If you look at someone like Serge Ibaka - someone who has started out as a purely defensive player and shotblocker - turning into a way more effective offensive player 5-6 years into the league. Similarly starting at age 20. I'm not saying that Noel will ever be able to develop the type of jump shot that Ibaka has somehow developed, or necessarily be able to build up his body the way that Ibaka has either. That said, I don't think we should limit/doom Noel to someone who can only contribute on the defensive end when he's still extremely young and can develop an offensive game.

[DaddyCool19]

My apologies. I assumed you were talking about Embiid. My sense is - based on what I saw in that Oklahoma State game - he's a natural. Apparently, his idol - Olajuwon - also didn't have a long history playing ball, beginning - if you believe NBA.com report - at 15.

http://www.nba.com/history/legends/hake ... index.html

I just felt that the criticism - though possibly serious - were the top.

Again, apologies.

No worries. I am sceptical about guys who haven`t played long and mainly rely on their atlethicism to crush their opponents. In Utah we have Enes Kanter who according to himself never touced a basketball until he was in his teens. Well, it shows as he does not have a feel for the game at all and looks lost out there way too often. I have no idea if this applies to Embiid or not, I just don`t get the argument that it should always be counted as a positive that young players are new to the game.

I think its even more extreme with omer asik. I once read that he started playing basketball when he was 16 or 17. He was a bench warmer in the u20 national team competition when he was already 20. Talented europeans play there when they are 18-19 and already play for the real national team when they are 20.

I thinks thats one of the reason why omer kinda sucks on offense in comparison to his defense.

[hookshot199]

Hinki has done a horrible job thus far. MCW dosen't project to be an All star - Noel looks like his best case is being Marcus Camby - Embiid has injury issues. Orlando, Minnesota, Utah, Charolette, New York and even Boston all look better.

The only move Hinkis made that has seemed to work out so far is getting that pick from Orlando back.

I agree with ckchen and snoop dog. Please go back and look at Camby's career with the Knicks and then Denver. If Noel could become as good as Camby on defense and Embiid fully recovers (I believe Pompey's report about his 'attitude' because Pompey never writes anything controversial and the fact is Embiid's only 20), you could have one of the potential for one of the most formidable front lines in the league.

As for Carter-Williams, he has one major flaw in his game. He makes too many turnovers. But he also makes a lot of plays. And Saric: Thank you for acknowledging that he could be a major coup. The best young player in Europe…with an attitude. And Hinkie's put together a bench - Wroten, Covington, McDaniels. And they're athletic and being coached to play defense.

So really? Orlando, Minnesota, Utah, Charlotte…New York!…look better? Perhaps Boston if they can draft a replacement for Paul Pierce with all of their first round picks. But New York? I hate to raise the possibility that this might be Philly's year to luck out in the draft. We will surely get a top five pick (athletic wing player? shooter?) even if someone jumps ahead. But it's not out of the question to move up from our likely three pick to…two or one.

I think - sorry to the naysayers - that Hinkie's taken some calculated risks. But I wouldn't trade our position with anyone in the league. Miami's going to be on a five-year treadmill. Not bad enough to become good by drafting a future Dwayne Wade or good enough to be one of the elites in the playoffs. The Knicks, no matter who they sign in free agency, are stuck with Carmelo who's going to become slower and more injury-prone. Utah is already into second contracts for some of its younger players and they're nowhere close to making the playoffs. The Lakers? They can't replace Kobe.

Of course, Embiid might be injury prone like Yao. So might Noel for that matter. Carter-Williams might not improve. Saric might stay in Europe. Anything can happen.