Sixers Off-Season Thread

Mad-Lad · June 30, 2005, 09:21:50 AM

While i can't necessarily say i'm stoked or unhappy with the pick, I'd rather they take a shot on a kid that COULD develop after a couple of years than draft a guy with no shot to ever make the team like Sam Clancy.

BigEd76 · June 30, 2005, 09:55:01 AM

Did anyone else catch CSN's segment with Matt Walsh and Dwayne Jones as they followed the players from 7pm through the night? Walsh was turning white with every passing hour...

hunt · June 30, 2005, 10:05:12 AM

i saw it & it was hilarious.

walsh was talking trash & dissing guys who got drafted.

WEST is GOD · June 30, 2005, 04:12:04 PM

Matt Walsh didn't get drafted for a reason, and when I heard people on WIP say that we have no chance at Matt Walsh in the second round, I couldn't believe what I heard. I never thought he'd be drafted, he is not very good, and he will have a terrible transition into the NBA if he ever makes a team.

PhillyPhreak54 · July 01, 2005, 02:36:30 AM

1. Jones decided to go back to St. Joe's since he didn't sign with an agent. Good for him.

2. Walsh was funny. I liked how Jay Bilas ripped him for being an idiot and then big badass Walsh had nothing to say afterwards. He did sign with an agent and cannot go back to school.

3. Damon Jones opted out of his contract in Miami. It was for $2.75M and its obvious that he wants a long term deal. But it sure would be nice to see him come here even though the Sixers cannot afford him. He'd be a good PG with Ai at the 2, IMO.

PhillyGirl · July 01, 2005, 07:43:47 AM

QuoteSixers set on keeping young players
By Joe Juliano
Inquirer Staff Writer

This would usually be the day that Billy King, the 76ers' president and general manager, sets out to go after one or two free agents he thinks can help his team.

But there is a twist this year. With today being the first day he is permitted to contact free agents, King finds that the ones he wants the most for next season are right in his locker room.

So King will devote all his energy in the days ahead to signing restricted free agents Samuel Dalembert, Kyle Korver and Willie Green, important parts of the team's young nucleus.

King tendered qualifying offers to all three Tuesday, hours before the NBA draft, giving the Sixers the right to match any offers made by other teams.

"We're going to do what it will take" to sign all three, he said before the draft. "We've said we want all three back. Unless things get crazy, our goal is to have all three of them back in uniform."

King said his first priority is to re-sign the 6-foot-11 Dalembert, a shot-blocking specialist who is one of the bright lights of this year's free-agent class.

No fewer than six other teams are believed to be interested in getting Dalembert. That could drive his price up into the $5 million-a-year range if not higher. He was paid about $1.6 million last season - his fourth in the NBA - and averaged 8.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.68 blocked shots.

Korver, a 6-7 three-point specialist who started 57 games last season, and Green, a 6-2 combination guard who spent much of last season tied to the bench by then-coach Jim O'Brien, also are expected to draw some interest. Each could easily double or triple the $620,046 he made last season.

"I think we have a pretty good idea of what it will take," King said, "but we have the right to match."

As for pursuing other free agents, the Sixers are hampered because they are over the salary cap. Should they want to sign an unrestricted free agent, they will have no more than the mid-level exception - about $5 million a year - to offer.

Even though there can be negotiations between teams and players starting today, no free agents can be signed until July 22.

The Sixers announced yesterday that King and forward Michael Bradley had agreed to extend from today until July 22 the deadline for Bradley to exercise the player option on his contract. If he exercises the option, the former Villanova star will make $819,550 next season.

Reserve forwards Matt Barnes and Josh Davis are unrestricted free agents because the Sixers did not tender offers to them.

hunt · July 01, 2005, 11:29:20 AM

bk will definitely match any offers made to sammy...i just hope nobody (hawks) makes him a ridiculous offer since the sixers will be stuck with it after king matches.

i really, really, really, really hope they can pull of a miracle & find a starting SF in free agency so korver can come off the bench. a bench of green, korver, jackson, etc. wouldn't be too bad....still need another backup pf/c though.

BigEd76 · July 01, 2005, 01:33:22 PM

Jalen Rose and Michael Finley are expected to be released with the new luxury tax exception...

Mad-Lad · July 01, 2005, 01:44:54 PM

just say no to Jalen Rose

hunt · July 01, 2005, 02:47:41 PM

reunite the fab 5

WEST is GOD · July 01, 2005, 03:57:24 PM

I'd take Finley. If he'd sign here which he probably wouldn't want to.

MadVillain · July 01, 2005, 08:48:56 PM

Man, I can't express how frustrated I was with this pick. I had 9 guys I wanted, who would've filled positions of need including two HS big men with mega potential (Amir Johnson, Andray Blatche) but instead the Sixers go after another smallish two guard. What's funny is with the rest of the league moving on and drafting more pure point guards, we're still stuck with go after combo guards to run the point.

When Billy King eventually fires Mo Cheeks, he'll have as much heat on him as Ed Wade has right now.

WEST is GOD · July 01, 2005, 09:37:17 PM

Mo won't be fired for at least 3 years, because if he fires Mo Billy is gone himself. That would be 4 coaches he went through.

Billy has been good at drafting. Iguodala, Green, and Korver. Once he took over as full GM he's been very good. I think he's earned some trust until he messes up. The bad picks were all Larry's idea.

PhillyGirl · July 01, 2005, 09:44:32 PM

Quote from: MadVillain on July 01, 2005, 08:48:56 PM
When Billy King eventually fires Mo Cheeks, he'll have as much heat on him as Ed Wade has right now.

And what exactly were you saying about King's draft last year?

Dillen · July 01, 2005, 09:56:45 PM

Quote from: MadVillain on July 01, 2005, 08:48:56 PM
Man, I can't express how frustrated I was with this pick. I had 9 guys I wanted, who would've filled positions of need including two HS big men with mega potential (Amir Johnson, Andray Blatche) but instead the Sixers go after another smallish two guard. What's funny is with the rest of the league moving on and drafting more pure point guards, we're still stuck with go after combo guards to run the point.

When Billy King eventually fires Mo Cheeks, he'll have as much heat on him as Ed Wade has right now.

Amir Johnson, I remember him from the McDonalds High School dunk contest. He can throw down.