Dear Ed,
After the news came across the wire that Elton Brand would need season ending surgery, I think that I have the answers for you, and they don’t include signing Stephane Lasme from the EuroLeague (although that would be nice). Right now the Sixers are playing better without Brand, but this is still a huge blow to them for two reasons. First, Brand is signed for 5 years. Although he did not find his way in our offense, we are delaying the inevitable fact that we will have to come to some compromise as a team and learn to play up-tempo and fit around Brand’s strengths. We are delaying this learning process another year. The next problem this creates is that we got Brand in order to play half court basketball in the playoffs. Without Brand in this offense, we will not win a single round in the playoffs.
All of this being said, what do the Sixers do now? They will continue to run a high tempo offense and will make the playoffs. The Sixers need to make a decision on Andre Miller before the trade deadline. If you decide to keep him, I want Miller to sign an extension before the trade deadline. My thought is Miller does not want to stay in Philadelphia, but you would know better. He has taught this young team a good amount about basketball, but Miller is getting towards the end of his career, and he wants to play for a team that can win this year. So if Miller does not resign, I want you to trade him for an available player that fits our needs: to Orlando, who just lost Nelson for the season for a package that includes JJ Redick (Magic just traded for Lue, but we all watched the Sixers-Lakers finals and know he is not the answer and is a chump), or Portland for one of their young guards such as Bayless, Fernandez or Rodriguez. Either of these trades will help get something for Miller before he leaves for free agency, and it will help fill in gaps that we have on our team right now.
Listen, even if the Sixers do not make the playoffs without Miller, no one is coming to the games anyway and without Brand we have to play for next year not this year. Making a move to trade Miller is what is needed to be done right now, even if it makes the team worse this year. Also, while we are at it, could you please do us a favor and unload Green and Dalembert?
We still feel as if you are turning our Sixers around, and despite the current Brand situation, we feel as if you are doing a very good job with the Sixers, and we definitely still support you.
Thank you,
Kotite’s Corner
Kotite’s Corner
8 comments:
Ed, I got the deal for you.
You send:
Andre Miller
Willie Green
1st and 2nd Round Picks in 2009
Orlando sends:
Mickael Pietrus
JJ Redick
Tony Battie
Marcin Gortat
1st Round Pick in 2009
Salaries come within 10% of each other
Letter to Roget
A. Sixers need an up-tempo game.
B. Brand's strengths inhibit an up-tempo game.
C. Therefore, Sixers need to resolve this contradiction by somehow adjusting to B without sacrificing A.
Comment: Assuming this is even possible, it's going to require a learning curve (now significantly delayed by surgery). Why commit to a huge contract to begin with for someone whose strengths automatically pose this sort of problem to the entire offensive structure of the team? Seems like putting the cart before the horse: paying big $$$ over multiple years to someone whose skills are best suited to the playoff half court game, but whose style is detrimental to the regular season games that get you into those playoff games.
It seems that every way you turn with EB, there's an issue....
Letter to Dr. G,
I understand that the Sixers play an up-tempo game. I am discussing what to do post-signing of Elton Brand especially now with his injury and being out for the year. I was a fan to sign Josh Smith who seemed would be a better fit to their system. Since we signed Brand and have him for 4 more years, we have to find a way to make it work. So just bashing the signing is easy to do and I would expect better analysis from you.
If they trade Andre Miller and one even half-important piece coming back is a player of JJ Riddick's ilk I'll divorce this franchise lol. I also disagree they can't win a round of the play-offs. Last year they face a very very good Pistons teams in the first around. If they can get into the top five this year they will face either Atlanta or Miami too beatable teams. The key word here is patience. The Sixers were't going anywhere this year regardless as the East has three of the top four teams in the league in it. Use this time to develop Speights and don't trade Andre Miller unless the right deal presents itself and everything will be fine. I should have my own blog!
Talk about contradicting yourself, Anonymous, you just wrote you think the Sixers could do something in the playoffs, then wrote the Sixers aren't going anywhere this year anyways. Also, to have your own blog, you need to know the difference in the usage of "two" and "too." I think we learned that in 1st grade.
Anon, if the Pistons team we almost beat last year was "very very good" why is dumars dismantling the team? if andre miller doesnt resign, you should try and get something for him now.
If the deal is with Orlando...I'll take Redick.
But, we all know "give up" mode won't come. And if it did, it wouldn't be the right way.
To Roget,
I didn't bash the signing; I simply asked for your opinion of why, given the make-up of this team, Stefanski would have gone for someone whose skills don't easily fit their offensive philosophy. I agree that Smith would have been a better choice -- so again, why was Brand signed? He's a nice player when healthy, and a nice guy, but his game never matched the direction the Sixers were going. So I was hoping that you, having authored such a brilliant analysis of the Sixers' current state, could shed some like on this puzzle. But, then, I also hoped that you could be a tad bit more specific about how the Sixers are supposed to fit the square peg of Elton into the round hole of their offense. Apparently you can't do that either. But don't worry, I won't hold you to such high expectations of competency in the future...
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