The Unending Sixers Thread

Purduke 2016-07-15 22:15:17 UTC #321

Similar to Jamal Crawford, the next step for the Sixers in free agency will be getting real veteran interest in joining the team vs someone using their massive cap space to leverage better deals with their home\preferred teams.

bigegypt0417 2016-07-15 22:49:24 UTC #322

Any ideas on why this trade happens?

hoopsrumors.com/2016/07/sixe ... liers.html

andyb 2016-07-15 23:08:22 UTC #323

Sixers get some extra cash so the Cavs can skirt the rules by dumping salary that lets them sign a free agent.

Deals like this would not be legal in some sports. The way I imagine the details, the Cavs send more cash than Kaun's salary to the Sixers so the the Sixers make a profit by releasing him. And the cash suddenly does not factor into the Cav's salary cap, letting them add Chris Anderson. And for all that cash the Cavs get the rights to a nominal player they will never sign (and I assume the Sixers did not want).

Austinfan 2016-07-15 23:55:57 UTC #324

Sixers can probably count the salary against their floor as well.

Purduke 2016-07-16 00:18:18 UTC #325

I was thinking the same thing -- likely to be something we see repeated a few times this year. Isn't there also some NBA rule that says you have to send a player in return for a player or else it triggers some penalty. So guys like Chu Chu get valued by teams like hens' teeth. That's how we got him I think -- because in the JaVale McGee trade we had to use out last hen's tooth - Cenk Akyul or whatever. Seems like BC should have at least gotten another tooth back in return.

bigegypt0417 2016-07-20 21:04:25 UTC #326

SO it sounds like the sixers-celtics are still talking Okafor...

What would you need to get it done? is the rights to the nets pick a starting point?

Edit the rights to swap picks...

phillychuck 2016-07-20 22:31:36 UTC #327

Bradley and another sweetener...something like a top 5 protected draft pick next year. And I'm in the minority...I'd rather trade Noel.

gmwannabe 2016-07-20 22:39:59 UTC #328

the philly article says that the celtics are concerned about okafor's behavior, since he had 2 episodes in boston. they say they don't want to give too much for him. well if colangelo gives him away he will replace "senor Fleece'" with just one trade. That would be highly embarrassing. hold onto him as there is not any hurry, see how all of the bigs work out. Embiid is still a ? in my book.
gm

phillychuck 2016-07-20 22:43:28 UTC #329

The Celtics saying they're concerned by Okafor's behavior is a blatantly obvious negotiating technique, and Colangelo should ignore it.

Ainge wants to bury teams he trades with. Stay away from him.

rkeden 2016-07-20 22:54:27 UTC #330

I don't know what the rush is to get rid of a young talented offensive and still inexpensive future star like Okafor. See how he grows, matures and improves on his (defensive) shortcomings. His offensive moves and footwork are off the charts. He has slimmed down and built his body up as all second year players do at his tender age. See how the logjam plays out....play all these kids 2/3 of the minutes. Put them on a "pitch count". See where the chemistry develops. Who works best with who?

And then there is the ridiculous concept of trading him to a team in our division that has few interesting assets to send back. Smart is probably a defensive star but has no shot at all or even a feel for when to shoot. He is an anchor on offense. Trading a star for a future draft pick sounds like a Hinkie move to me. I thought we were through with "The Process". I say "slow down", relax, watch and wait". A 20 year old offensive star isn't going to be less valuable in the future and maybe a lot more!

Austinfan 2016-07-20 22:56:44 UTC #331

The only draft assets of value are the Brooklyn picks, and Ainge doesn't want to part with them.
There's no one else on his roster, including Brown, as good as Jah.

bigegypt0417 2016-07-21 01:54:10 UTC #332

Bradley, the pick swap rights and another pick?

bigegypt0417 2016-07-21 02:04:23 UTC #333

Is that really your reason? How many trades are made where one player on one team and one on the other are as good?

Weren't you the person who loved collecting assets?

Austinfan 2016-07-21 04:30:20 UTC #334

Sixers don't need mediocre assets right now, other than the Brooklyn picks, everything the Celtics have is middlin'.
Bradley is a marginal upgrade over Bayless (didn't have a solid season until his sixth year, and has shot horribly in playoff games).
Sixers have a crowded roster already, with Furkan in Turkey and two high first round picks next year.

bigegypt0417 2016-07-21 11:12:13 UTC #335

The sixers roster needs to be reshuffled. Okafor is probably the most logical piece to be moved.

Austinfan 2016-07-21 12:29:22 UTC #336

There's no rush, the only contract is Noel, and he'll be a RFA next year and the Sixers can match (and the fact they have so much cap room will discourage offers).
Okafor has slimmed down considerably, I think they would want to see him in action before making a decision.

bigegypt0417 2016-07-21 12:34:14 UTC #337

I'm not sure this is a question of ability as much as it is fit. Okafor and Noel don't seem to be able to be on the court at the same time and if you can get a player and a better chance to move up in next years draft, you have to think about it. The 2017 draft is right now thought to be a very good draft and depending on this coming college basketball season, even more than that.

phillychuck 2016-07-21 12:38:46 UTC #338

Bradley is younger, has a better handle, is slightly better offensively (according to advanced metrics), and is a top flight defensive player (that's a significant upgrade over Bayless who is average defensively, at best). I'd do Noel for Bradley plus a decent pick. Does either of the 2019 Celtics/Grizzlies/Clippers picks fit the bill here? I'd take either of the Nets picks or some sort of pick swap arrangement with Boston in 2018 or 2019.

bigegypt0417 2016-07-21 12:41:26 UTC #339

phillychuck:

Austinfan:

Sixers don't need mediocre assets right now, other than the Brooklyn picks, everything the Celtics have is middlin'.
Bradley is a marginal upgrade over Bayless (didn't have a solid season until his sixth year, and has shot horribly in playoff games).
Sixers have a crowded roster already, with Furkan in Turkey and two high first round picks next year.
Bradley is younger, has a better handle, is slightly better offensively (according to advanced metrics), and is a top flight defensive player (that's a significant upgrade over Bayless who is average defensively, at best). I'd do Noel for Bradley plus a decent pick. Does either of the 2019 Celtics/Grizzlies/Clippers picks fit the bill here? I'd take either of the Nets picks or some sort of pick swap arrangement with Boston in 2018 or 2019.

Their biggest asset is their pick swap rights with the nets for 2017. The nets look like they're going to be terrible. I'd take a player, the swap rights and maybe another pick for Okafor. Bradley would be a good fit for this team...

Austinfan 2016-07-21 13:16:17 UTC #340

Ainge won't trade the Brooklyn picks, which is why they can't make a deal, he has nothing else of significant value.
Bradley for Covington would make sense, not Bradley and a late round 1st for Jah/Noel.

Bradley didn't break out until his 6th season, so he is what he is, a decent starting guard but nothing special, and not a starter on a playoff team. While he improved his regular season 3 point % to 36%, his career playoff shooting 3s is 23% - he folds under pressure. And he's a poor shot from 10' to the 3 point line. He may be a good defensive guard, but we just signed Henderson. And Bradley would have to be resigned two years from now.

As far as Noel and Okafor playing together, that was a 2nd year player, a rookie, no guards who could play defense and a coach experimenting - what we found out is Noel can ONLY play center, which means if Embiid is healthy, he's a backup at $20M per year. Okafor has dropped 20 lbs since last summer, I don't have it but there's a picture of him with Simmons and he looks to be about the same size, he's probably 245-250 lbs these days. If he's continued to improve his shooting range, he could be a credible PF.