The season's unofficial midpoint (and actual 2/3 mark) is upon us, so without any specific games to speak about, here are some random Sixers thoughts.
1. The Sixers already have replaced Jrue and Evan.
When Jrue Holiday was traded to New Orleans on draft day 2013, it sent shock waves through the Philadelphia sports world. Despite being a controversial move at the time, I feel like today the big draft day trade that sent Jrue to the Pelicans for Nerlens Noel and a lottery pick has an almost 100% approval rating. Not only did Sam Hinkie land a top ten pick in consecutive drafts for Jrue, he also immediately replaced Jrue with a rookie in Michael Carter-Williams who is already just as good. (MCW certainly has a ton of room to grow in the league, but to be fair, so does Jrue. Remember, they are only 16 months apart in age, so they both have plenty of potential.) Jrue may still hold a slight advantage this season when you compare their stats line, but it is very close and MC DUB is a rookie, while Jrue is in his 5th season. Check out the numbers:
- PPG- Jrue: 14.3 MC DUB: 17.1
- REB- Jrue: 4.2 MC DUB: 5.4
- ASS(tee hee)- Jrue: 7.9 MC DUB: 6.5
- STL- Jrue: 1.6 MC DUB: 2.1
- TOs- Jrue: 3.1 MC DUB: 3.5
- PER- Jrue: 17.45 MC DUB: 16.15
Pretty even right?
And as we get ready to say goodbye to Evan Turner, either before this Thursday's trade deadline (oh please, oh please, oh please!), or during this offseason, it should be noted we already have a replacement for him as well in Tony Wroten. A look at these two player's per 36 minute stats show that these two are putting up crazy similar numbers: (all my stats will be per 35, since Evan averages exactly 35 minutes a game, and now I only have to do half the math.)
- Points per 35- Evan: 17.5 Tony: 18.6
- Rebounds (Evan's best skill)- Evan: 5.9 Tony: 4.7
- Assists- Evan: 3.6 Tony: 4.4
- Steals- Evan: 1.0 Tony: 1.5
- Turnovers (Evan's biggest weakness)- Evan: 2.9 Tony: 4.1
- PER- Evan: 13.3 Tony: 12.6
These guys are conveniently both shitty defenders, so we don't have to factor anything from the other end into the mix. When you look at the grand picture of things, Evan and Jrue are more efficient, but not really that much better when experience is taken into account. The Sixers are in much better shape with MC Dub and Tony over Evan and Jrue, and there are 3 main reasons why:
- MCW and Tony are newer to the league, so experience alone should raise their efficiency and turn them into better all around players than their predecessors.
- The trade of Jrue (and potential ET trade) gives the Sixers more assets to address other needs on the roster.
- Evan and Jrue earn $13 million more this season than Tony and Michael. That's an extra star player's salary worth of savings.
2. I want Spencer Hawes to stay (at the right price)
I have said it before and I'll say it again, I like Spencer Hawes as a 3rd big. I feel like he is a unique offensive weapon, and I would love to see him play 10 minutes a night backing up Noel at center, and I'd like to see him spend another 10 minutes a night next to Nerlens at PF shooting 3's (and shooting finger guns). I don't want the team to make a huge commitment and clog up cap space, but with a contract similar in money to the one Hawes has now, I'd be just fine with Spencer coming back to the Sixers for a few more years. I will stress: as a backup, and not too much money.
(Quick moment: I like our president, but having presidential toilet paper is just a lame joke, no more, its not a story, it doesn't make Spencer a bad guy, we all made fun of Bush, and Clinton, and the other Bush, and Reagan. Hawes should try to be more clever maybe, but Spencer is just fine if he wants to hate on the prez.)
3. The Sixers are building a DEFENSIVE team
I know the Sixers are a hot mess on D right now, but both of Sam Hinkie's draft selections last season were guys who will excel as defenders as pros. With Noel and Carter-Williams as the guys to draw conclusions from, I'd say Hinkie likes them big and long and that would lead me to think Wiggins at SG with our first selection and maybe Saric or Vonleh with the Pelicans pick (or 6'8" Rodney Hood at SG if they don't pick Wiggins) would be Hinkie's dream scenario. (Zach Lowe of Grantland is always pointing out in his work that teams without a top 10 defense aren't really contenders, and no team has won the title with a mediocre defense unless they were an insane force on offense.) So the fact that the foundation is being laid for an elite defensive unit is pretty exciting.
4. A true fan looks forward to every game (part 1)
I often hear from other fans, that they can't be bothered to watch this year because, and I quote, "What's the point?" Well, I feel like there is a reason to watch every game from here on out, so here goes: with 28 games left in the season, here are the first 14 of those along with your reason to tune in, or better yet, attend in person.
- 2-18 vs. Cleveland- Goodbye Evan, Spencer, and/or Thad
- 2-21 vs. Dallas- Hello Ben Gordon, Emeka Okafor, and 2 picks in the 2017 NBA draft
- 2-24 vs. Milwaukee- The 2 worst teams in the NBA collide, HUGE #1 pick implications
- 2-26 vs. Orlando- Another tank-off, a must lose game for both sides
- 3-1 vs. Washington- Allen Iverson retirement night
- 3-2 @ Orlando- A head to head match-up for the league's top 2 rookies, if MC DUB or Oladipo really take it to the other during these 2 games, they could secure a ROTY trophy
- 3-4 @Oklahoma City- Without Evan or Thad around who will even attempt to guard Durant? Wilt's record is in danger for certain, KD may score 110.
- 3-8 vs. Utah- Trey Burke is a ROTY contender, Utah is a worst team contender, with a big MC Dub game in a Sixers loss, the team could really accomplish a few things here
- 3-10 @ New York- The Knicks are so bad, and they have no plans, and Melo is leaving. In a word: Schadenfreude!
- 3-12 vs. Sacramento- I hate watching Sacramento, I always watch DeMarcus Cousins and can't believe we drafted Evan over him. This game is tough because I will spend the entire night daydreaming about a world where we drafted Boogie, and then dream about how Doug Collins refused to play him before trading him for Michael Olowokandi.
- 3-14 vs. Indiana- BOOOOOO! Andrew Bynum! BOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
- 3-15 vs. Memphis- The totally stoppable force meets the very easily movable object! Memphis' slow 27th ranked offense takes on the up-tempo 30th ranked Sixers' defense. Who wins? You, the paying customer.
- 3-17 @Indiana- Bynum you Turkey!!! BOOOO!!!!!! (Get it? Turkey is a bowling reference, I'm clever)
- 3-19 vs. Chicago- For fans who prefer a slower, more deliberate style than what you'll see during the Memphis game. That's right Chicago's offense is like a bad version of the Memphis offense.
We'll finish the schedule next time.
5. All-Star game?! This isn't basketball
Every year after the NBA All-Star game there is always the old man backlash saying that nobody plays defense in the game and how that is some sort of a bad thing. I always like those guys on the radio, they make me happy.
6. SIXERS!!!!
You know how we roll around these parts:
Thanks for reading, see you soon!
