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NBA
Aug 20, 2020 12:23:42 GMT
Post by Sheriff John Stone on Aug 20, 2020 12:23:42 GMT
Yes, momentum is building, at least through the media, that Brett Brown will be fired after the season. As I've posted several times, Brett is a class act who has given 100% and has been loyal to the franchise through some pretty rough times. I also think he does know the game and his team(s); to me that's not the issue. The problem has been that one, Brett's teams are not reaching reaching their potential, especially the last couple of years. And, two, the individual players are not reaching their potential. Go through each player that has gone through the 76ers the last seven years. How many of them significantly improved? How many improved at all? And that includes Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. Others like Jimmy Butler, Tobias Harris, and Al Horford have been signed and ended up playing worse than before. It's been one disappointment after another.
I'm usually not one to blame the coach first. I prefer to put the blame (or praise) on the players first. And, I do that with the Sixers. The players are being outplayed in many ways, the most alarming being effort. They are not physical enough, they are not hustling enough, they are not intense enough. And you know who is going to be blamed and who is going to pay the price for that. The coach. While Brett Brown has had some input into the Sixers' acquisitions over the years, he has also, unfortunately, had to live and die with Sam Hinkie, Bryan Colangelo, and Elton Brand's moves. In Brett's own words, he's coached his share of "gypsies". Now, the tanking is over, the No. 1 draft picks were selected, the high-priced free agents were signed, and the trades were made. And this is far from a championship team. That's when the coach gets fired. That's just the way it goes.
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NBA
Aug 21, 2020 11:50:28 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Aug 21, 2020 11:50:28 GMT
Well, the lottery gods smiled on Minnesota last night ... or was that a smirk? We got the #1 pick, but it's in a draft I personally consider deep with legitimate NBA talent, but thin at the top in terms of likely stars. And the three consensus top players are a point guard (LaMelo Ball), a scoring guard (Anthony Edwards) and a center (James Wiseman). Our three best players? A point guard (D'Angelo Russel), a scoring guard (Malik Beasley) and a center (Karl Anthony Towns).
Personally, I'd probably either package some of our picks for a very good 3-and-D type PF, a defensive stud of a wing, or just trade down and get more picks.
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NBA
Aug 21, 2020 14:57:26 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Aug 21, 2020 14:57:26 GMT
SJS, if you're in the mood to get depressed about Philly, give a listen to Bill Simmons's recent podcast with Raja Bell and journalists Kevin O'Connor and Ryen Russillo talking about Philly. From around the 4-5 minute mark through 29 minutes (and counting), that's the main topic ... and for the most part they aren't complimentary.
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NBA
Aug 21, 2020 15:07:20 GMT
Post by B.E. on Aug 21, 2020 15:07:20 GMT
Knicks dropped from 6th to 8th in the draft. Can't wait for the Mavs/Clippers game tonight. It's pretty remarkable what they've been able to do through 2 games - even when Luka's on the bench! If KP hadn't been tossed for two weak technical fouls, they very well might be up 2-0 right now.
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NBA
Aug 21, 2020 15:25:06 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Aug 21, 2020 15:25:06 GMT
Honestly I don't think there's anything different between 6 and 8 this year (unless the coincidences work out just so, and some other team happens to love the same guy you love and takes him a pick or two earlier). There just doesn't seem to be as much objective difference between prospects.
I'll predict now, in 5 years we'll have as many starters from the 21-30 picks as the 1-10 picks in this draft.
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NBA
Aug 22, 2020 11:07:40 GMT
Post by Sheriff John Stone on Aug 22, 2020 11:07:40 GMT
SJS, if you're in the mood to get depressed about Philly, give a listen to Bill Simmons's recent podcast with Raja Bell and journalists Kevin O'Connor and Ryen Russillo talking about Philly. From around the 4-5 minute mark through 29 minutes (and counting), that's the main topic ... and for the most part they aren't complimentary.
Gee, thanks...No, seriously, the Sixers are now getting both local and national criticism, and deservedly so.
Despite a better effort last night, they lost again to Boston. Probably one more game and Brett Brown and the team will be put out of their misery. Elton Brand (if HE survives) has a lot of soul searching to do.
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NBA
Aug 22, 2020 12:55:06 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Aug 22, 2020 12:55:06 GMT
I'm cooler on Brand than on Brown, to be honest. His moves have been real head-scratchers. The Harris and Horford contracts, my goodness... But yeah, down 0-3 when you were already on an at-least-warm seat? That's not great. And even Embiid, OK, nice numbers, but a -18 while you were on the court (and playing against a team without a decent defensive center). I'm not impressed by this!
Meanwhile the panic in Minnesota is that #1 pick. Pessimism is deep in our bones, so it's a lot of "how will we screw up?" "remember when we took Jonny Flynn and Ricky Rubio over Steph Curry?" and such.
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NBA
Aug 22, 2020 14:01:42 GMT
Post by B.E. on Aug 22, 2020 14:01:42 GMT
At least Harris fits, but Horford? That's on Brand. You could sign a guy off waivers to put up the numbers Horford is giving you in the playoffs. He's already 34 and he's got 3 more years on his contract. Even at his season averages, he's overpaid.
I watched the final 3 minutes of the game last night. Embiid successfully drew fouls and knocked down two sets of free throws to take a 2 point lead. So far, so good. Then he committed a turnover passing out of the post. Then he tried to draw a foul, but failed, essentially committing another turnover. THEN, I couldn't believe my eyes, but Richardson (seemingly in slow motion) reached out and committed a clear path foul...on purpose? Bizarre. Then, if it wasn't over quite yet, Embiid jumps straight up to contest a drive by Smart but for no good reason reaches down with his arms at the last second and commits a foul. Things really fell apart at the end for the Sixers.
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NBA
Aug 22, 2020 15:21:48 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Aug 22, 2020 15:21:48 GMT
At least Harris fits, but Horford? That's on Brand. You could sign a guy off waivers to put up the numbers Horford is giving you in the playoffs. He's already 34 and he's got 3 more years on his contract. Even at his season averages, he's overpaid. Harris fits, but that contract is 5 years, $180 million! Perfect example of a really good player being paid a superstar salary out of fear they'd lose him for nothing (after giving up assets to trade for him). He is by all accounts a great guy, great teammate, hard worker, very good player. But $36 million average annual salary level good--especially when he is clearly not one of your two best players? Come on!
Horford, I also get why you want him on your team even if he's declining in athleticism. But again, it's the value of the contract. Four years, $109 million, on top of the just-signed Harris deal, and not even certain to perform at the level of your FOUR best players? Astounding. Culture, yes, great. Mentoring, leading. Great. $27.25 million annual salary?
Brand should be fired.
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NBA
Aug 22, 2020 16:59:03 GMT
Post by B.E. on Aug 22, 2020 16:59:03 GMT
I don't disagree. I had forgotten that Harris' contract was $36M per year (as opposed to, say, $28M-30M).
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NBA
Aug 22, 2020 17:39:26 GMT
B.E. likes this
Post by Kapitan on Aug 22, 2020 17:39:26 GMT
I don't disagree. I had forgotten that Harris' contract was $36M per year (as opposed to, say, $28M-30M). If I were Philly's GM, this would be my plan.
1) Decide between Embiid and Simmons, because it doesn't seem they are the best blend of stars.
2) Having decided--it's Simmons you keep--I would look to move Embiid, not for another star, but for multiple, mid-priced pieces. Ideally these pieces are youngish wings who can shoot, which ought to be the prototype for the complements for Simmons. Anyone who doesn't fit, that's OK: the whole point is busting up Embiid's contract into multiple others is to give flexibility for future moves.
3) Put Horford at center for the time being. He's hard to move in trade without taking back trash. And while he isn't a great rim protector, he is a good defender and is capable of hitting jumpers, which is what we want in our Simmons-led team.
4) Put Harris strictly at PF and consider him your #1 offensive option. He's got to rebound better, but I think he would with Embiid gone. (It isn't ideal to put him as your #1 option, but without Embiid and considering Simmons' style, it is the best short-term solution.)
5) Find and start shooters--or more specifically, 3-and-D shooters--on the two wing spots around Simmons. Even if they're both small, who cares? Your offensive PG is 6-10, so it's no big deal if your offensive "SF" is a 6-2 guard: he can defend the PG or SG.
6) As time goes on, hopefully you've inflated Horford or especially Harris's reputations so that you can also move them without taking on significant dead weight.
I think you remain a playoff team throughout this, as a Simmons-Harris-Horford core is pretty solid for the East.
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NBA
Aug 22, 2020 18:15:58 GMT
Post by Sheriff John Stone on Aug 22, 2020 18:15:58 GMT
I don't disagree. I had forgotten that Harris' contract was $36M per year (as opposed to, say, $28M-30M). If I were Philly's GM, this would be my plan.
1) Decide between Embiid and Simmons, because it doesn't seem they are the best blend of stars.
2) Having decided--it's Simmons you keep--I would look to move Embiid, not for another star, but for multiple, mid-priced pieces. Ideally these pieces are youngish wings who can shoot, which ought to be the prototype for the complements for Simmons. Anyone who doesn't fit, that's OK: the whole point is busting up Embiid's contract into multiple others is to give flexibility for future moves.
3) Put Horford at center for the time being. He's hard to move in trade without taking back trash. And while he isn't a great rim protector, he is a good defender and is capable of hitting jumpers, which is what we want in our Simmons-led team.
4) Put Harris strictly at PF and consider him your #1 offensive option. He's got to rebound better, but I think he would with Embiid gone. (It isn't ideal to put him as your #1 option, but without Embiid and considering Simmons' style, it is the best short-term solution.)
5) Find and start shooters--or more specifically, 3-and-D shooters--on the two wing spots around Simmons. Even if they're both small, who cares? Your offensive PG is 6-10, so it's no big deal if your offensive "SF" is a 6-2 guard: he can defend the PG or SG.
6) As time goes on, hopefully you've inflated Horford or especially Harris's reputations so that you can also move them without taking on significant dead weight.
I think you remain a playoff team throughout this, as a Simmons-Harris-Horford core is pretty solid for the East.
I agree with all of that.
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NBA
Aug 22, 2020 19:26:39 GMT
Post by B.E. on Aug 22, 2020 19:26:39 GMT
Excuse me if you've made it clear in a previous post, but as GM are you firing Brent Brown? If so, any ideas on who you'd like to coach your team (considering the moves you plan to make)?
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NBA
Aug 22, 2020 19:36:59 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Aug 22, 2020 19:36:59 GMT
Excuse me if you've made it clear in a previous post, but as GM are you firing Brent Brown? If so, any ideas on who you'd like to coach your team (considering the moves you plan to make)? I think I would, but if he were fully on board with the plan going forward, I'd be willing to keep him for a year or so. I think a big part of the problem with him has been the inconsistency of the team he's been given to coach. Too much turnover of not just end-of-bench guys, but featured players.
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NBA
Aug 22, 2020 20:25:59 GMT
Post by Sheriff John Stone on Aug 22, 2020 20:25:59 GMT
Excuse me if you've made it clear in a previous post, but as GM are you firing Brent Brown? If so, any ideas on who you'd like to coach your team (considering the moves you plan to make)? I think I would, but if he were fully on board with the plan going forward, I'd be willing to keep him for a year or so. I think a big part of the problem with him has been the inconsistency of the team he's been given to coach. Too much turnover of not just end-of-bench guys, but featured players. Again I agree. Every time the conversation turns to Brett Brown being fired - which happens every year - the first name that comes up is Jay Wright who immediately diffuses the rumor. This year Tyronn Lue's name has been floated as a possible candidate. If Elton Brand survives, I could see him choosing someone he has experience with, maybe a coach he even played for, assistant or head coach.
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