Smitty731 wrote:HartfordWhalers wrote:Patsfan1081 wrote:The only grudge I have with the Sixers is they are doing a disearvice to Noel/Okafor in not sourounding them with the correct tools to improve their game. Look at Minny, KG is a great influence on KAT and Rubio is huge for Wiggings and KAT's developement. Sixers had all the ammo to go out and trade for a Tyrus Jones or even Cameron Payne, even if they didn't think they were the pg of the future. You don't have to bring in a player the calibure of KG, but not having one or two vets to teach the bigs the riggers of the nba will hurt them in the long run. I'm not saying to go waste money on a aging vet on his last leg, but even signing a guy that's been in the league three or four years that has gone against the leagues elite bigs.
What? How would those rookie pg's promote 'improving the game of Noel/Okafor' compared to McConnell or Marshall? Basically they would be stop gaps if not pgs of the future, and the Sixers have those already, why squander assets. (Also easily trading up to the lottery isn't really easy or cheap at all. Tyus cost Minnesota 3 2nds including the 31st and the 36th pick so the cost is very steep to get into the 20 range.)
In terms of bigs, Noel's month to month progressions showed dramatic improvement last year. It might not be what people think the learning process is (there seems a lot of preconceived notions that are pretty unshakable here), but if anyone is actually looking under the hood the Sixers are doing everything they can to improve the games of their players and it appears to be working very well.
Spot on. Jones or Payne aren't going to help Noel of Okafor anymore than the PGs the 76ers have right now. Well, maybe more than Canaan, but Brown already said he's doing playing PG.

Maybe long term those guys are better. But right now they aren't.
My issue with Philadelphia is actually not right now, it is about another year or so forward. And it is the same issue as Boston. All those picks are wonderful. If you do something with them. If you just hold on to them, roll them over in to more picks, or god forbid, actually exercise all of them, then you failed. No team has room for all those players, or all those young players.
The 76ers and Celtics both have to start turning that stash in to something. Either consolidating those picks in to better picks (probably easier for Boston than Philly to some extent, as Philly projects to be high already) or in to veterans who can help now. If you keep rolling it over, that isn't success.
Boston has that problem. I'm not sold Philly does to be honest.
Here is what they have giving the question mark guys the benefit of the doubt pretty much everywhere, but writing off the guys that all reason and sense says to:
Open / Marshall / McConnell
Open /
Open / Stauskas
Open / Covington / Grant
Noel / Saric / Holmes
Okafor / Embid / Wood
In some sort of ideal scenario you have 4 1st rounders plugging those holes, and nabbing 2 starters with 2 top 5 picks (Lakers pick is going to be dicey but if it converts it looks amazing). Covington still starting would be great, but obviously there are some real prize sf's.
Add on the chance that Wood or McConnell doesn't stick around, that Marshall never recovers his athleticism (what he had), or that Saric tries to come over off rookie scale and not for another year, and Philly has a spot for everyone including the Denver 2nd even.
I think Philly adds at least 3 players in the draft next summer, gets them all of their core under rookie control and gives a salary cap window for adding vets dropping the roster spots that go to Jakarr, Hollis, Landry, Canaan, and Wroten.