OT - Sixers

[Rey]

Possibly another version of Tony Kukoc?

They do have similarities ... Kukoc was a little "smoother" on Offense and didn't do much on the Defensive end while Saric is a bit more physical with the dirty work on both ends. Both have similar handles and both are smart players who can find the open guys or hit from outside. Saric is a bit turnover prone, but that usually comes from trying to play outside your comfort zone ... that will get cleaned up at the pro level. Simmons is the guy who will stir the drink ... Saric/Embiid are guys who can step outside the lanes when he's driving and hit those 10-15 footers off the dish. Should be interesting to see how attractive the Sixers look to free agents this year. If Embiid is healthy (looks that way bu most accounts) and now Simmons coming in as a "potential" franchise guy ... we may get more looks than some people expect. We certainly have a ton of money to offer.

 

[mall3013]

They do have similarities ... Kukoc was a little "smoother" on Offense and didn't do much on the Defensive end while Saric is a bit more physical with the dirty work on both ends. Both have similar handles and both are smart players who can find the open guys or hit from outside. Saric is a bit turnover prone, but that usually comes from trying to play outside your comfort zone ... that will get cleaned up at the pro level. Simmons is the guy who will stir the drink ... Saric/Embiid are guys who can step outside the lanes when he's driving and hit those 10-15 footers off the dish. Should be interesting to see how attractive the Sixers look to free agents this year. If Embiid is healthy (looks that way bu most accounts) and now Simmons coming in as a "potential" franchise guy ... we may get more looks than some people expect. We certainly have a ton of money to offer.

Agree. Things look promising for the Sixers.

 

[Rey]

Brett Brown: 'Surprised' If We Start Season With Current Crop Of Bigs

Sounds like there's very little doubt one of the bigs will be moved before the season starts .... straight from Brown's mouth.

 

[mall3013]

Brett Brown: 'Surprised' If We Start Season With Current Crop Of Bigs

Sounds like there's very little doubt one of the bigs will be moved before the season starts .... straight from Brown's mouth.

I would deal one of them for at least a 1st in next years draft. Next draft will be a better prospect pool than this year.

 

[Rey]

Am I missing something with Harrison Barnes whom the Sixers may offer a "MAX" contract to? Don't we pretty much have the same player in Robert Covington???? Harrison is slightly younger and slightly better from 3 ... but where's the significant difference that would make the Sixers go all out to add Barnes? I get that we likely have to overpay in free agency to bring in talent ... but we need Guards!

 

[SixthStreet]

Twitter Knicks reporter says we are interested in Crabbe. That's my guy!

 

[SixthStreet]

I also spent about 30 minutes last night watching Dario Saric videos. This dude is going to be REALLY good on the offensive end of the court. Better than I had though previously. He literally can do everything on offense. Shoot to 3 pt line, pass from and to anywhere (he has a lot of pass variety that only the best PGs have, like Chris Paul), break down his man on the dribble and draw rotations, score in the post, score on perimeter ISOs, score off pull up jumpers, get to and finish at the rim through contact and length, offensive rebound. He has the complete game offensively. This is obviously a crazy comp, but there's a lot of Larry Bird to his game on offense.

But there has to be a negative, and as far as I can tell, I don't think he'll be able to defend anyone. His footspeed, lateral quickness, length and awareness are all very poor. He does okay in rotation, and that may be his saving grace. He's definitely a guy that has to be hidden defensively. He will play hard on that end but has a lot of physical limitations. You can see it in the Euro leagues he plays in and the talent in the NBA is orders of multitude better.

He's like Okafor in that he is so good offensively, and just as bad defensively.

 

[Rey]

Twitter Knicks reporter says we are interested in Crabbe. That's my guy!

Crabbe's the player I've wanted all along as well. imo he is ready to break out in a big way at the 2 Guard, but won't get a starter's role in Portland where they have CJ McCollum as the starter. We would have to offer him a max contract, but we have room this year to offer "3" max contracts with the cap going up; so we can afford to overpay. If we can find a way to land him then we'd have 3 players to start alongside Simmons who can hit J's (Embiid/Saric/Crabbe) ... assuming Saric comes over. We still need to find a PG unless Ish Smith re-signs ... which I'd be ok with for now. Jeremy Lin is another guy I'd like to see the Sixers sign; not sure how much it would take to sign him, but he'd obviously be guaranteed the starting PG spot which is what he's looking for.

There's still the issue of Okafor/Noel being traded which is still likely. The Suns are possibly looking to trade one of either Eric Bledsoe or Brandon Knight as they are a bit crowded at the Guard spot with the emerging Devin Booker and rookie PG Tyler Ulis coming into the mix. Both Bledsoe and Knight are score first type PG's which is fine with me as Simmons will be in a Point forward type role.

Possible Starting Lineup
C Embiid/Okafor
PF Dario Saric
SF Ben Simmons/Covington
SG Allen Crabbe/Luwawu
PG Brandon Knight (in a trade for Noel)

 

[old duke]

Twitter Knicks reporter says we are interested in Crabbe. That's my guy!

Mine too! I don't want Barnes.

 

[old duke]

I think we'll get by with Simmons as PG this year, and draft a PG in next year's loaded draft.

 

[eaglesnut]

I think we'll get by with Simmons as PG this year, and draft a PG in next year's loaded draft.

Simmons
Covington
Saric
Okafor
Embiid

Noel comes off the bench. We won ten games last year, who the fuck needs to put a 50 win lineup together? Get them all on the floor and let them play basketball and see what happens.

 

[Rey]

Putting Simmons at the Point imo is a recipe for disaster. I'm fine with the Point Forward role where he handles the ball a good deal after it reaches half court ... but it's a lot to ask of him to run/guard a pure Point position. I also don't see much success in playing Embiid and Okafor together ... both are guys who operate in the post. Okafor can't guard the 4's, he has to play the 5.

 

[mall3013]

Twitter Knicks reporter says we are interested in Crabbe. That's my guy!

Yup.. Crabbe is my top choice.

 

[NDIrishGuy]

Am I missing something with Harrison Barnes whom the Sixers may offer a "MAX" contract to? Don't we pretty much have the same player in Robert Covington???? Harrison is slightly younger and slightly better from 3 ... but where's the significant difference that would make the Sixers go all out to add Barnes? I get that we likely have to overpay in free agency to bring in talent ... but we need Guards!

I'd rather have Covington. Barnes shot ~39% from 3 this year, but it was only 30% on shots that weren't "wide open" (defined as a defender within 6 ft). So thanks to the splash bros and Green he got a lot of open looks. He wouldn't be afforded that same opportunity in Philly as he would be expected to be a primary shooter not a fall back option. In no way is he worth remotely max. I would pass and find a better option.

 

[Rey]

I'd rather have Covington. Barnes shot ~39% from 3 this year, but it was only 30% on shots that weren't "wide open" (defined as a defender within 6 ft). So thanks to the splash bros and Green he got a lot of open looks. He wouldn't be afforded that same opportunity in Philly as he would be expected to be a primary shooter not a fall back option. In no way is he worth remotely max. I would pass and find a better option.

Exactly how I see it ... I actually think Covington could surprise with better supporting players around him.

 

[old duke]

Yup.. Crabbe is my top choice.

Rey, you are more knowledgeable about BB than me. Kudos to you for naming Crabbe in the beginning of this offseason. I didn't know anything about him before. Hope we sign him!

 

[PolishRifle]

Simmons
Covington
Saric
Okafor
Embiid

Noel comes off the bench. We won ten games last year, who the fuck needs to put a 50 win lineup together? Get them all on the floor and let them play basketball and see what happens.

This is like advocating putting Wentz in at RB, he is young and talented, get him on the field. Okafor and Embiid can't play together. They play the same position.

Saric can't play the 3 for extended minutes, he can't defend with his lack of lateral quickness.

Why stress Simmons and put him on an island to guard PG full time?

You can't just throw five guys on the floor. It is amazing hearing callers and reading message boards how little people understand the game of basketball.

 

[eaglesnut]

Putting Simmons at the Point imo is a recipe for disaster. I'm fine with the Point Forward role where he handles the ball a good deal after it reaches half court ... but it's a lot to ask of him to run/guard a pure Point position. I also don't see much success in playing Embiid and Okafor together ... both are guys who operate in the post. Okafor can't guard the 4's, he has to play the 5.

Then you switch them. No one can score except Okafor.

And Ish or someone plays for 20 minutes, and Simmons bumps to the 3 or 4 for half his minutes, if you want him working off the ball some.

 

[eaglesnut]

This is like advocating putting Wentz in at RB, he is young and talented, get him on the field. Okafor and Embiid can't play together. They play the same position.

Saric can't play the 3 for extended minutes, he can't defend with his lack of lateral quickness.

Why stress Simmons and put him on an island to guard PG full time?

You can't just throw five guys on the floor. It is amazing hearing callers and reading message boards how little people understand the game of basketball.

There's two big man positions on the floor. How about putting the best two big men there and let them work on it? The game is constantly changing, no one thought just jacking 3s would work until the Warriors had the balls to put Curry and Klay back there to do it. People said they couldn't guard anybody.

Yeah Wentz at RB is the same as putting a ballhandler at the PG spot.

 

[PolishRifle]

There's two big man positions on the floor. How about putting the best two big men there and let them work on it? The game is constantly changing, no one thought just jacking 3s would work until the Warriors had the balls to put Curry and Klay back there to do it. People said they couldn't guard anybody.

Yeah Wentz at RB is the same as putting a ballhandler at the PG spot.

Wentz has skills of a running back, watch the tape. Doesn't mean he can play the position. It is exactly the same but that may have been too subtle.