Deep Sixer

We'll need to see drastic improvements from players like Rodney Carney, and Dalembert if they are to be competitive.

Personally, I don't think Dalembert is ever going to learn how to play basketball. I really like Sam. But he never had a good feel for the game, and his athleticism will only carry him so far. In fact, I'm afraid he's hit his ceiling as a player, since he still can't stay out of foul trouble on defense, and has not developed any discernable offensive skills. Now with the foot injury, it's hard to think he will be able to rely on his running and jumping ability, which leaves him with no legit NBA level skills (aside from being tall).

Given the diminished expectations for this team, I think they really need to make Rodney Carney a featured part of the offense, at least to find out whether he is part of the future of the team. I like the idea of using Carney and Iguodala as more or less interchangeable wing players, with Miller running the point and Evans and Smith as the big men. I could see a team like that playing well, if they concentrated on defense, and ran precision offensive sets using lots of screens, and backcuts. Sort of the way Utah has been successful over the last few years. Dalembert really doesn't fit into that mix very well, because he's not a good passer or screener (let alone shooter or ball handler). At least Smith is a shooting threat.

If the Sixers even win 25 games,it will be a miracle.That first game against Toronto is looking more and more like a 40pt blowout.

Marc,

Any idea as to what the free agent list is presently looking like in 2008?

Dan C.

I'm not expecting more than 35 wins, but I am expecting good competition from the team and some good home wins. This team isn't old, but it's not necessarily young either. A lot of the core players have been tested before and just might have more cohesiveness than people realize. If Dalembert and Green underachieve, however, this team will falter and games won't be worth watching.

I beleive we are all going to be in for a surpising season. This team has chemistry, baring injurys they will eventually excell. I think they can get out to an early lead while the teams that made all the transaction learn to play together. Only one team wins the championship and that's not going to be the Sixers and it won't be a lot of other teams either. We have a team that can out run many of the teams in the league let's hope that's are strategey cause our half court game will suffer without Joe Smith. But the new Smith is only going to get better with more playing time. I look at Toronto last season and say they came out of no where I can only name two players on the whole team without looking at a roster card. But they had chemistry and won. I look for the Sixers to be very exciting to watch because this group of kids are quick, versital, athletic, intelegent and they have character. Won't make the post season but we are on the right track in building a dynasty not just a team that wins it once and done, the city don't want that and I don't either.

Ray, I like your optimism but you are absolutely insane. We are on the right track to building a dynasty? Which players on the team lead you to believe that sentiment? Dynasties have all been built around dominant big men, which the Sixers do not have. Their best player, Iggy, is not even an all-star has probably has inflated stats because of the lack of talent around him. He's a nice player but would be the third option on a championship caliber team. Next year's draft is full of young guards which will also not help the team get out of the cellar.

Our best hope is to clear up as much cap room as possible, bring in a good big man via free agency, and draft good perimeter players to surround the big with. This process will take 4 years, minimum. It's going to be a long stretch for hoops fans in Philly. We might as well turn our attention to the Villanova recruiting trail.

The Sixers should be able to win 40 games, mainly because of our point guard play. On many nights we should have an advantage of Andre Miller setting the tempo, with teammates who are willing to follow his lead. Lou Williams also will be productive running the show with his penetration and scoring strength. I expect that we will battle (but mostly lose) to the top tier teams, but beat the teams on our level.

I think they'll win 30 to 35 games. Their strength is Cheeks has players who fit clearly defined roles, including a good pass-first point guard. So they can run a set offense and work for better shots. And they'll have to since they don't have enough talent to just exploit matchups. Defensively, they have players who can defend on the wings, rebound, and block shots. But their lack of size will be exposed by teams with good post players. And they don't have anyone to guard the basket when Sammy's not in there (which will be a lot given his propensity to get in foul trouble).

They'll have to defend with a lot of energy to be effective, both to keep the score in reach and because they'll need to run themselves into transition baskets off turnovers and blocked shots. That's hard to do over the course of an 82 game season, especially with the thin talent on this team. On the nights the shots aren't falling and the defensive energy is low, they don't have the talent to pull out a W.

Altogether, that isn't so bad for a team in full rebuilding mode. They'll probably will be back in the lottery, and they'll have money to spend in the free agency market next year. So the future looks OK.

Marc, how about a blog on the team's salary cap situation for next year? I would like to know how much the team could have in salary cap room next year, whether an Iguodala extension gets done or not. I'd like to hear some definite numbers instead of hearing management and reporters talk about salary cap room that might or might not ever materialize. I think this team will be hard-pressed to win 30 games as well. Thanks.

We Sixers fans just need to relax and get into watching the young players and hoping they develop. 20 wins or 30 wins isn't what this year is about, it's seeing the players play hard and make progress. Knowlegeable fans know this and anything more will be a pleasant surprise
Hopefully Cheeks won't be playing Booth or Ollie much.

I think they can win more than 30 games and make the play off. The sixers needed rebounding they did that, sixers needed people who can play defense they got smith and thad, they did that. They did have a problem in scoring the ball, they had droughts at times, but lou can score. The sixers improved in every area. It just didn't show in preseason because the sixers wasn't health.
As for as the division, boston have three players, we can out run them. New jersey has three players, but they don't have an inside game. I am curisous to see how sam and smith(the Swat Team) play together, blocking shots. Sam on the inside, smith on the outside. The sixers can run ball, shoot the ball, block the ball, I forgot didn't we just pick up one of the league best rebounder. He did score 22 points the other night. He can score too. That leaves me with the raptors, their young and beatable. New york has a inside game, but their bigs are too slow and they don't complement each other. Our wing players are better than theirs. It's not players that is going to stop the sixers for make the playoffs, it will probaly be the coaching. Not that I don't think Cheeks know his X and O.
Sixers are still trying to figure out who is in the starting line up. This is the type of coaching move rsults in the sixers loosing early season games they can't afford to loose. Do players know their roles? Is the starting line up the right one? I like miller! but he is a slow starter. If you start miller and green in the back court the sixers be come a slow team. They can be defended very easily. If you start lou and carnary they become a quik team. Teams have a hard time matching their quikness. Now this what moe is going to do. He is going to start, miller and green, about time he bring in korver the team down by 12 points, korver miss a couple of shots. Now they down by 15 points. He decide to go to the bench. Bring in lou and carnary they mis a shot piece. Now the sixers are down by 20 points. Now moe blames the players for playing bad defense. Poor players! IF moe is going to start green, please start korver! For the simple fact, sixers should start with their best players. Starting korver would give him more opportunity score more points, since we have one the best rebounders in the league. The sixers can still win, some say less than 30 games, but this is why they play game.

I'm a little confused,so maybe you guys can help me out.Dalembert said his weight is up from 245,to 267.What I wanna know is the weight gain the result of serious weight training,or the result of not working out because of the stress fracture.

I said 30 wins, and that's ok because it's way too early in a rebuilding process to talk about wins. What I want to see is hope. The source of hope for Sixers fans is in the players, not the coaches or management. Look for Iguodala to have an All-Star worthy season and the rookies need to play well for fans to at least tune in. One guy I would like to see play big minutes is Lou Williams. He seems like a future star.