76ers Missing a Clear-Cut Building Block posted by Sixers Blog

Is there a surefire star in Philly? The Philadelphia 76ers certainly hope so.

All of the losses this team has suffered the past two seasons (63 in 2013-14, 23 and counting this time around) have essentially produced Michael Carter-Williams, Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid.

European forward Dario Saric could eventually be a part of this puzzle, but he may not come stateside before 2016 at the earliest. And promising rookie K.J. McDaniels' unique one-year deal means he will already hit restricted free agency next summer.

So, without knowing what future drafts will hold for the Sixers, Carter-Williams, Noel and Embiid make up the bulk of hope for this forward-thinking franchise. Each offers a certain amount of intrigue, but none remotely qualifies as a guaranteed star.

The lanky 6'6" Carter-Williams stuffs a stat sheet well, but his career .404/.264/.690 shooting slash may limit him to being a quantity-over-quality producer. Noel has already shown to be a disruptive defender (1.6 steals and 1.5 blocks), but his offense needs plenty of work. Embiid could have the highest ceiling of all three, though injuries might prevent him from realizing his potential.

the Sixers are not short on hope. They are, however, painfully thin on sure things. And a growing pile of future draft picks is not going to change that.

"You can't assure yourself of anything in the lottery," former NBA deputy commissioner Russ Granik said, per David Gelles of The New York Times. "And you can't assure yourself when the next LeBron James or Tim Duncan is going to come along."

2014 Philadelphia 76ers Preseason Report posted by Sixers Blog

Even though the Philadelphia 76ers ended the 2013-14 season on a strong note, their overall 19-63 record was quite dismal. Out of the last eight games, the team managed to win three, which is not much, but considering they were1-26 during February and March, the last stretch does not seem bad. Earlier in the season, the 76ers displayed some hectic style, which brought some success, but it did not last. Brett Brown, the new coach seems to have introduced a strong pace where the players seemed to be fiercely jumping around the court, which gave them 3-0 start.

For 2014-15 season, the Philadelphia 76ers are as far away from winning the title, as they were in the previous season. Philadeliphia is known for gathering younger assets, and this year they seem to focus on the same strategy, rather than winning. Most probably, 76ers will trade their PF starter of last season for Anthony Bennett, who was overall first pick last year. Even though Bennett might have had the worst rookie season, he is still young and in good shape.

Nerlens Noel who did not play in his rookie year is quite raw, but he will be eager to show his athleticism and talent that made him the first overall pick in the draft last year. Joel Embid is another player having great potential, but unfortunately, he might be sitting it out this season due to his foot injury. If Noel and Embid are able to deliver their full potential, then Philadelphia will have a good foundation and might even reach the playoffs.

Elfrid Payton who plays PG was second selection by the 76ers in their first round picks. Payton has good length and is ready; however, he was traded for Dario Saric. This means Philadelphia is again trading wins in the new season for later.

Holiday is Your Point Guard posted by Andy Natalie

I know that Lou Williams has been waiting and working for the point guard job since he was drafted out of high school. And he clearly has improved over the years. And I also know that Eddie Jordan insists he doesn't look at the positions like you traditionally do.

But make no mistake about it Jrue Holiday is a much better basketball player and point guard than Lou Williams. This guy is a nice acquisition. Almost a Thaddeus Young type draft pick. It looked liked a decent pick and now has a chance to be huge in the big picture.

If I was the 76ers I would start Holiday and let him grow while the team stinks. Lou Williams is a good back up, let's keep it that way until he proves otherwise.

On Monday night the 76ers actually played a solid game to beat the New Orleans Hornets. The thing that impressed me the most was that only one player, Iguodala played more than 40 minutes.

And Elton Brand continues to be a solid bench player. An expensive one, but solid nonetheless.

I wish Dalembert would rebound like this every-night. He'll have big nights on the glass like this an yet he still has a blah 8.7 rebounds per game average. Anything under 10 for me sucks, when you are a center. Now I should allow some leeway for his lack of overall minutes. That said I still think 10 a game would be attainable.

I have to credit the Sixers somewhat in this win. They jumped out and plastered the Hornets in the 1st quarter but New Orleans put up back to back 31 point quarters to make the game a 1 point deficit for them. It was 76ers 75 and Hornets 74 going into the 4th. And the Sixers battled for the 96 - 92 win.

Bringing Up The Bottom (DEC 30) posted by Andy Natalie

Even with the win in Portland we are looking pretty solid at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. My hope is we keep this up. Honestly with a healthy Speights and Iverson the team is a little more watchable.

Elton Brand looked better the other night also. It appears that whether he likes coming off the bench or not, that playing around 30 minutes is better for him. He led the team with 25 points even in Monday's win. He also led with 9 boards.

Iverson's 19 points and 5 assists from the #2 was solid also. Lou Williams who is the heir apparent PG has been okay since returning but frankly I thought Jrue Holiday showed more promise.

At this point I would love to see a radical change for us to go young! Here is what the Sixers should do. Trade Sam Dalembert and Brand for Tracey McGrady. And if Houston doesn't want Brand send Iguodala and Sammy.

No kidding! McGrady doesn't even have to come to Philly. You just want his contract which expires this season. Then you get rid of Brand's noose also. If they don't want Brand?

Give them Iguodala's noose. I am a big Andre Iguodala fan but he does not fit into this team's system or any system they have tried before. He is not becoming the star I thought he would either. Which I believe is the problem he has fitting in. We all over rated him. Oh he has some great skills but he also lacks what it takes to be a superstar and probably always will. He would be a great fit on a team that already has superstars. Which that isn't Houston either but that can be their problem.

Ironically they would probably take him for the same reasons we want to keep him. He would be an upgrade for them. Funny thing is they are 19 and 13 and have a better

A Teaser In Philly (76ers Dec 16 loss) posted by Andy Natalie

I would like to say that the Sixers gave a cavalier effort but that is just part of the story.

You see I don't believe it is an effort problem with this basketball team. For one I think they get out-coached and have since Larry Brown left town. And Eddie Jordan and Mo Cheeks are not horrible coaches but they are one trick ponies. They do not appear to be able to build a plan around the talent and the personnel.

Now ironically Larry Brown is also like that but he has the clout and the whining /temper tantrum abilities to make his boss get the personnel to match his system. He also believes in defense.

That brings us to the Sixers vs Cavaliers contest on Wednesday. The Sixers put up a respectable 101 points. But the Cav's and LeBron James scored 108 points.

The POSITIVES:

• Iguodala had a good night scoring 26 and he had a solid 7 rebounds
• Thaddeus Young continued his march toward All - Stardom with 16 points and 10 rebounds
• Iverson had a solid night with 16 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists
• Jrue Holiday played again at PG and had a nice 9 assists to go with 9 points
• Elton Brand had settled in to his bench role. He had a respectable 11 points and 7 rebounds in 33 minutes

Misery Loves Company (Sixers Finally Win Dec 14) posted by Andy Natalie

The 76ers finally find a team that they can beat up on. The Sixers beat the Warriors 117 to 101 at home in the Wa-Cove!

The 76ers play a strong 1st and 2nd quarter and a solid 3rd and 4th to stop their long losing streak. The Warriors had a horrific 3rd quarter for a relatively easy win.

Thaddeus Young was the stud of the night with 26 points and 14 rebounds. He even had 4 assists. Jrue Holiday and Allen Iverson made a nice back court tandem also. Iverson had a very good 20 points and 4 assists. While Holiday had a solid 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists.

Samuel Dalembert had another good night for him. He had 13 boards, 12 points, and 4 blocks. A nice added benefit was Elton Brand and Willie Green off the bench. Brand 11 points, 7 boards. Green had 14 points.

All totaled the Sixers had 7 players in double digits.

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
STARTERS MIN FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OREB DREB REB AST STL BLK TO PF +/- PTS
Thaddeus Young, F 40 12-21 1-2 1-1 5 9 14 4 3 1 3 2 +27 26
Jrue Holiday, PG 39 7-14 1-5 0-0 3 4 7 6 3 0 3 4 +20 15
Samuel Dalembert, C 29 6-9 0-0 0-0 5 8 13 1 0 4 2 2 +16 12
Allen Iverson, SG 32 7-10 0-0 6-8 1 1 2 4 0 0 1 2 +23 20
Andre Iguodala, SG 35 4-20 0-5 6-6 3 5 8 2 3 1 4 2 +6 14
BENCH MIN FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OREB DREB REB AST STL BLK TO PF +/- PTS
Elton Brand, PF 17 5-7 0-0 1-1 5 2 7 1 0 0 3 3 +2 11
Primoz Brezec, C 2 0-0 0-0 1-2 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 -2 1
Jason Kapono, SF 7 0-1 0-0 0-0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 -9 0
Royal Ivey, PG 8 1-2 0-0 2-2 0 1 1 2 1 0 0 2 -2 4

Yet Another 4th Quarter Flushed Down the Crapper By the 76ers (DEC 10) posted by Andy Natalie

The other day Andre Iguodala insisted that the Sixers were not as bad as their record indicated. And then last night (WEDS) they preceded to drop a basketball game to the lowly Detroit Pistons, who are as bad as their record indicates.

The Pistons come from behind in the 4th and win 90 to 86 over the inconsistent 76ers. Now mind you the Pistons are a bad 9 wins and 12 losses while the 76ers 5 and 17. So you be the judge of if you agree with Andre.

Personally, I love "Iggy Hop" but I do think the 76ers are a bad team. Yes they have their moments and they have some raw talent. And now they have the extra juice with the addition of Allen Iverson, the original A I. And there is some positive aspects of all of that.

But I think part of the problem is the ego. I think Andre and his team mates needs to look in the mirror and say "wow we stink". Are they capable of more? Perhaps. But that isn't who you are, that is who you might be! This is where I have a problem with Eddie Jordan and Andre's assessment.

Eddie, you need to stop with the it's coming along, we are getting better upbeat stuff. I don't get it? What was pre-season basketball for? You don't implement and entirely new concept that takes the whole franchise a season to learn. How about a little at a time?

You should have implimented base sets and the foundation and stuck with that and some standard sets until they can do that in their sleep. You then can compensate with a somewhat simplistic level of strategy with hard aggressive work. Out hustle your opponent on the basketball court. Which you should do anyhow. But that is very difficult when you are thinking too much about the system. Which is the entire point!

76ers Win and Lose At The Same Time (Dec 9) posted by Andy Natalie

  Hey welcome home Allen. And boy was it nice to see a packed house!

But in the end Denver schooled the Sixers to a 93 to 83 tune. Yeah they schooled them. You know coming into the season I thought this team could be better then a borderline playoff team. But they stink.

Yeah on paper some of the names scream "talent". But they fail the eye test. Andre Iguodala is a borderline All -Star with star talent. But he is not being used to his strengths and he has not improved in his weaknesses. Which neither is the end of the world. However something has to give. I would like to think that all Pros would like to improve but a Coaches job is to put players in position to succeed. Iguodala is a receiver and finisher.

Elton Brand is a brand name who has past his sale expiration date. We can only hope he just needs more time to come back from previous injuries. In the meantime? IF he could just help in the low post on both ends that would help.

Sammy D? He has skills and I thought with Brand, Dalembert would blossom as a solid center. He doesn't rebound enough and his defense is suspect at times. He is still somewhat young but he better grow up fast.

Thad Young is a legit star on the rise. I am not worried about him but he is the lone no brainer. I mean even Iguodala has been living on potential more than proven performance. Young has consistently improved and will continue.

The Answer Returns! posted by Amari Harris

The Answer Returns!

It was crazy to see how emotional AI was over his recent signing with the Philadelphia 76ers.  It truly touched my heart.  But this isn’t just a sentimental acquisition. The Sixers could really benefit from bring back The Answer….

This is a young team with potential that could use a strong veteran presence such as Iverson.  He will bring instant credibility to a 5-14 Sixers team that is need of a spark.  Jrue Holliday (the Sixers 1st round pick this year) needs to absorb as much as he can from the iconic Iverson.  Iverson should move into a starting role, which is what he was looking for and what he deserved.  I want Iverson to win a championship just like a lot of other basketball fans but not at the cost of his dignity.  Do you really want this guy to come off the bench just to win a title?  This is not Daryl Armstrong.  This is not Tyron Lue.  This is not Derek Fisher.  This is Allen “Motherf&^*^)” Iverson, son!  The Answer!  This dude had one of the most popular shoes in NBA history.  He is the master of the “ Killer Crossover”!  And you want him to come off the bench?!  If he never wins a championship, Iverson will still be in the top 10 greatest players ever.  That fact alone requires that he be a starter as long as he’s on a team. 

I can’t wait to see the reaction when Iverson runs out of that tunnel for the first time.  It should be epic.   The Philly fans will definitely embrace Iverson in his return to the City of Brotherly Love.  And how great would the story be if AI and AI (Andre Iguodala) can sneak the Sixers in to that 7th or 8th seed? This is a dream scenario for both parties and I, for one, am going to be paying very close attention to this team. 

Iverson in Philly: The Sequel posted by Andy Natalie

Hey who didn't see this coming? Frankly it was the right move. For the right reasons too!

The harsh reality is Lou Williams is out for at least 8 weeks. The 76ers do not have a replacement on their roster. I mean Royal Ivey is not a legit back up who can take over the starting role. And Jrue Holiday is not a realistic option either. Jrue is a Rookie and he is a shooter. That is what he does and that is what he should be doing.

With Iverson on board you at least get a veteran who can play adequate point guard and he will get some assists even as a ball hog. He has average 6.2 assists over his career actually. Which compared to John Stockton or Magic that sucks. But Lou Williams was good for 5.1 thus far. Yes he is learning but he isn't going to be playing.

The following statement says it all:

"In light of the recent injury to Lou Williams, which will sideline him for close to eight weeks, we felt that Allen was the best available free agent guard to help us at this time," team president Ed Stefanski said.

Yeah he brings luggage galore. And yes this is about fannies in seats also. But at the end of the day you need to have some one play PG.

And come on folks we all know this is not a Championship team and theoretically you want them to lose to get a high pick. But you can't put just anyone at the point and stumble through the season.

Joel Embiid arm-wrestled Justin Bieber to tip off weird weekend

The Philadelphia 76ers youngster has never played in an actual NBA game, but he's arm-wrestled Justin Bieber and dunked all over a trainer. So there's that. [read full article]

From FOX Sports Digital

Report: Warriors looking to earn more from jersey ad than any NBA team (Ball Don't Lie)

Which brand will have a place on Kevin Durant’s jersey in 2017? The NBA’s use of on-jersey advertisements has gone from long-running flirtation to full-on relationship set to start during the 2017-18 season. The Philadelphia 76ers became the first franchise to reach a deal with sponsor when they announced a three-year, roughly $15-million agreement with online ticket marketplace StubHub in May, and it’s likely only a matter of time before more teams announce their own deals. [read full article]

From Yahoo Sports

76ers sign prospect Saric 2 years after draft-night trade (Yahoo Sports)

[read full article]

From Yahoo Sports

76ers sign prospect Saric 2 years after draft-night trade

PHILADELPHIA (AP) The Philadelphia 76ers have signed international prospect Dario Saric two years after they acquired his rights on a draft-night deal. [read full article]

From FOX Sports Digital

No. 1 pick Ben Simmons showing his potential already (The Associated Press)

Ben Simmons showed why he was the No. 1 overall pick by the downtrodden Philadelphia 76ers during his first two games in the Utah Jazz Summer League. The 6-foot-10, 240-pound Simmons also has the ball-handling skills of a point guard, which gives him the ability to grab a rebound, push the ball and make plays in transition. There were several highlight-worthy passes during the week, but his best play may have come Thursday against the Jazz. [read full article]

From Yahoo Sports