2009 76ers Offseason Thread

[ice grillin you]

leave my sixers alone

[PhillyPhreak54]

"I'm excited to be healthy; I'm excited to add to the team," Brand said. "Two first-round losses the last two years for a young team is OK, but I was brought in here to go farther than that, and that's my goal and that's what I've been thinking about the entire off-season."

"He's looking great," Young said of Brand. "I've been out there with him for the past week and you can tell he's been in the gym. He's making all his little turnaround jumpers, he's doing hook shots, he's taking you off the dribble going to the basket. We'll have to see how he's going to go during the season, but right now he's playing like a monster."

Brand, 30, has been in town working with new coach Eddie Jordan, learning the intricacies of Jordan's version of the Princeton offense.

Brand said he has only been through the basics, but he likes what he has seen so far, adding that he believes the offense will exploit the mid-post area, an area in which Brand, with his soft touch, excels.

Stefanski said Brand's doctor called after a physical this summer and told the general manager, "This kid's cut like a prizefighter."

"All I know is he wants to show everybody who Elton Brand is," Stefanski said. "I don't know if he's putting pressure on himself or not; I hope he isn't because he doesn't have to be our savior or carry us."

I'm starting to get excited to see basketball again.

I'm not excited about the Jordan hire, but I'm willing to be convinced. Someone comfort me.

[ice grillin you]

i cant wait either....i just ordered the package last night

why dont you like the jordan hire....its easily the best they could have done this off season

my only concern with it is that he runs such a specialized offense that instead of getting off to a good start the team is going to spend the first three months learning it

thus in january they are going to be in like 10th place in the conference four games out of the playoffs....make another second half run that gets them to 6th or 7th....and a first round exit

[PhillyPhreak54]

i cant wait either....i just ordered the package last night

why dont you like the jordan hire....its easily the best they could have done this off season

my only concern with it is that he runs such a specialized offense that instead of getting off to a good start the team is going to spend the first three months learning it

thus in january they are going to be in like 10th place in the conference four games out of the playoffs....make another second half run that gets them to 6th or 7th....and a first round exit

I don't really hate Jordan, I'm indifferent to him for the most part. I really wanted Avery Johnson, but its obvious he's waiting for the San Antonio job.

But I didn't feel warm and fuzzy because of exactly what you said; his specialized offense. I think it requires a strong point, and the Sixers don't have that.

Although if they can run it well and exploit a defense's weak side, they have the athletic guys who can finish well.

Brand-Thad-Speights-Iggy....nice core.

Your boy Sammy...whats up with him? WIll he do anything this year ya think?

[ice grillin you]

actually his offense requires no point....which is why it just might work with the sixers

if he didnt do anything last year with no brand i highly doubt he does anything this year with even less run...it will actually be interesting to see how much play he gets....never count out the godfather tho

[PhillyPhreak54]

actually his offense requires no point....which is why it just might work with the sixers

if he didnt do anything last year with no brand i highly doubt he does anything this year with even less run...it will actually be interesting to see how much play he gets....never count out the godfather tho

No point? Isn't it a Princeton thing with a lot of passing? I thought it would require someone with point skills.

[ice grillin you]

exactly...point skills...but not a true point...

it relies really more on movement than even passing...i mean obviously passing is important but its not about seeing the whole court on a break or knowing how to control tempo...things that ones need to do...its more about flashing and coming off screens...being at a spot your supposed to be at and having someone get you the ball there

people like lou...iguodala and jason smith should thrive in an offense like this

not to say that a chris paul couldnt but this offense can cover up a weakness at the one much like the triangle offense does

[PhillyPhreak54]

Good stuff.

And I forgot about Jason Smith coming back. Hopefully he will help out on the boards (along with Brand) because I was sick of seeing them get whupped on the glass.

If they can maintain the up tempo game, maybe have a happy medium, and still run this offense well that would be nice. I say happy medium because we know Brand wasn't cut for the Cheeks/DiLeo full court marathons.

[bowzer]

Good stuff.

And I forgot about Jason Smith coming back. Hopefully he will help out on the boards (along with Brand) because I was sick of seeing them get whupped on the glass.

If they can maintain the up tempo game, maybe have a happy medium, and still run this offense well that would be nice. I say happy medium because we know Brand wasn't cut for the Cheeks/DiLeo full court marathons.

I see Jason Smith out a lot in Manayunk.  The dude's girl is like 5'3.  Kind of an odd couple.

And Sammy bought some zesty restaurant in Manayunk... Zesty's.  I saw his ass with Don Tolefson sipping on some cocktails in the summer.  I was hoping we'd get rid of him this offseason, but he's less desirable than AIDS.

[MDS]

You live in the yunk?

[bowzer]

You live in the yunk?

Used to... still usually head there one night on the weekend...

I tend to stay around the Mad River/Brew Pub Area.

[MDS]

I worked at the couch tomato before gwttin a new job. Also mad river sucks

[bowzer]

I worked at the couch tomato before gwttin a new job. Also mad river sucks

It's hit or miss.  Sometimes its packed with hot girls.. other nights it's absolutely horrible... filled with gross mongrels.

Weren't you the one talking about seeing Clark and company in there the one night? haha

[PhillyPhreak54]

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/deep-sixer/The_Offense.html

On Samuel Dalembert:

"He's going to be our center and he's going to be taught our offense from the center position whether it's high post or low post. I like the fact that Samuel can make shots around the elbow, top of the key, free-throw line. That puts a lot of pressure on the defense. Now, he has to be a willing passer and we'll see if he's a willing passer. And we'll try to make him understand the more he passes the easier it is for him to score ... if he believes and trusts in what we believe in, he'll make his teammates better and make himself better."

"I'm fresh, I'm new ... I want to get to know him myself, him and I ... I know there have been ups and downs with his play and this is a fresh start."

On Lou Williams at the point:

"We want Lou to be Lou, first of all. He's an open-court player and that's what we want to do first, get out in the open court and get to the basket ..."

"I think Lou is more athletic and a lot more determined defensively than the point guard they had here starting before."

"Attack, fast, quick point guard that gets to the rim ... we're going to give him all the opportunity in the world to be a 38-minute a night player and, you know what, in the NBA that means a lot."

A shot at Andre Miller...

[ice grillin you]

i appreciate what he did but im so farging glad andre miller is gone...they got rid of him at the absolute perfect time...which is not always the case in professional sports...it would have been so easy to resign him