Sixers 2017-2018 Season

xogfog 2018-04-10 07:19:54 UTC #301

ESPN's mock draft has the Sixers taking Mikal Bridges at 10 and Brunson at 26. Seems unlikely they would take two kids form the same school, but I would be okay with those picks. I love TJ's heart but I think Brunson would be a better option at backup point guard.

The Bucks won and the Heat lost last night, so the Bucks are now the 6th seed in the East. The Sixers end the season with the Bucks and that game could decide who they play in the first round of the playoffs.

phillychuck 2018-04-10 14:01:26 UTC #302

I soured on Bridges a bit during the tournament--an NBA-quality player who is an upperclassman shouldn't be a complimentary player on the floor, no matter how he's defended by the other team. Brunson, DiVincenzo, Paschal, and Spellman all outplayed Bridges during the tourney IMHO. I like that Bridges stayed within the system, but I would have liked to see him create his own shot or create openings for others more often. His D was, as usual, excellent.

Lawman 2018-04-10 19:57:52 UTC #303

Reports are Simmons may not play vs Atlanta tonight due to illness. Assuming they don't win without him on the court, that does not bode well for the Sixer's chances to obtain the 3rd seed. I'm thinking they need to win out. Losing one and seeing Cleveland also win on Wednesday would result in a tie with the Cavs, and the Cavs hold the tie breaker. Sixers need to win out.

xogfog 2018-04-10 20:44:21 UTC #304

Not to worry, even if Simmons sits, the Sixers would beat this Hawks team if they rolled out Johnson, Korkmaz, TJ, Anderson and Demetrious Jackson and left them all out there for the whole game.

phillychuck 2018-04-10 21:21:25 UTC #305

Atlanta is coming off wins over the Wizards and the Celtics in their last two games. They're not a pushover.

zambonir 2018-04-10 21:43:58 UTC #306

Breakout game for Fultz?

phillychuck 2018-04-10 21:44:56 UTC #307

Simmons cleared to play. It's unclear if he will be wearing 'Depends'.

xogfog 2018-04-10 21:55:31 UTC #308

Though this is really a topic for the next offseason thread, I hear so much discussion of this on talk radio. If LeBron James opts out would you be in favor of the Sixers signing him. Let's suppose it would be a 3 year max deal.

I am not a LeBron hater, I respect him and believe he is on of the top three players ever. i do believe that if they did sign him. They would win at least one NBA championship.

While he has shown little sign of age slowing him down (maybe just a little bit on the defensive side) you would be getting his age 34, 35 and 36 seasons. He has been to the last 7 NBA finals, which means over his 15 year career (not including this year's playoffs) he has averaged 91 games per season. That means he has essentially played 16 seasons worth of games over 15 years, that's a lot of mileage.

While signing him would likely guarantee at least one championship, the 2019 free agency class is going to be epic.and not signing LeBron in 2018 would allow the Sixers to possibly add two top players younger than James. If they take that path, they have a longer window in which they would be a championship contender.

I'm okay with either way, as I believe either way would provide at least 1 championship. I happen to think the hoopla (parden the pun) of having LeBron here would be a good thing. Curious what others here think...

bigegypt0417 2018-04-11 14:26:30 UTC #309

Sixers win tonight and they wrap up the 3rd seed.

Lakers look like they're now locked in a #10 which means the sixers have a good chance at one more premium draft pick. In normal years #10 would be less valuable but this is a fairly stacked draft.

Austinfan 2018-04-11 14:35:32 UTC #310

If James would come at a discount . . .
Sixers should avoid free agency other than strengthening the bench.

When you can roll out Embiid, RoCo, Saric, Simmons and Fultz, why overspend for a free agent who might screw up team chemistry when you can let this group grow together (along with the Laker 1st rd pick this summer).

There's a lot to be said for a group that will play unselfishly and hard on defense - and how many free agents are willing to do so (i.e. come here and be third fiddle to Embiid and Simmons).

James would be the one exception since he could simply replace RoCo and would be coming to get more rings and solidify his position as GOAT - but even then he'd have to understand it still wouldn't be his team, he'd just be the elder statesman. He wouldn't be the show the way he is in Cleveland.

bigegypt0417 2018-04-11 15:13:09 UTC #311

Come at a discount? Why would the best basketball on the planet come to the sixers on a discount? What possible reason would he have to do that?

If the sixers can add Lebron James to their roster and he's willing to sign then you pay him on a shorter deal (2-3 years) and you watch your team in the NBA finals. I'm amazed these words needed to be typed.

Lebron James on a discount?

LOL

phillychuck 2018-04-11 18:43:18 UTC #312

It's not that crazy, honestly. Brady plays at a discount in New England so that his supporting cast can be stronger. James might give a discount, but it won't be huge. And only if he really, really wants to play in Philly.

Squire 2018-04-11 18:51:03 UTC #313

Yeah, I don't think the discount discussion is out of line at all. I'd answer the question with another question. Why would a guy who is already making around 45Million annually in endorsements care whether his NBA salary is 15 or 25M for his last 3-5 years. I think he'd do it for the Best chance to win a title (wherever he thinks that is) though I think the Union and the agents wouldn't allow it. I'd love to have him here though I think Paul George would be a better fit.

xogfog 2018-04-11 21:02:44 UTC #314

With one game left, the Sixers opponent in the first round of the playoffs is still very much undecided.

As far as seeding, if the Sixers win vs. the Bucks tonight they get the 3rd seed. if they lose they get the 4th seed (unless somehow the Cavs also find a way to lose to the Knicks).

As far as who they play in the first round. If they finish with the 3rd seed, They could play the Bucks, Heat, or Wizards depending on how their respective games go, If the Sixers finish 4th they will play the Pacers.

I wonder how hard the Bucks are going to try to win tonight. If they win, they would have to play the Cavs in the first round. If they lose they got a shot at playing the hampered Celtics. Also if they win they guarantee that that their first round pick would go to the Suns, if they lose, they have a chance for the pick to fall back into protection (it is protected 17-30).and defer to next year.

bigegypt0417 2018-04-11 21:11:40 UTC #315

It is crazy when you he'll get a max deal and we would become an absolute championship team. We already have a supporting cast.

kikutaro 2018-04-11 21:13:50 UTC #316

I think you have the draft pick scenario backward. If they win, they get to keep the pick, if they lose they might move up to 16th and then lose the pick.

xogfog 2018-04-11 22:15:57 UTC #317

You're right I'm not sure I understand all the pick seeding at that stage of the draft right between the playoff and lottery teams.

phillychuck 2018-04-11 23:00:29 UTC #318

We can't afford our current supporting cast if we sign James at a max. Redick, Illasova, Bellinelli, and Bayless would have to go, and we would have very little left to bring in a shooter or two, which we really need with Simmons and Fultz in the supporting cast. Bodner and a couple other writers have discussed how much signing James at a max puts us up against the cap.

xogfog 2018-04-12 01:03:54 UTC #319

i think if anyone is going to give a discount, it will be Redick who after the one year $23 mil deal he signed for this year would probably be fine with the veteran exemption around 9 mil per, if I had to guess. Bayless can go, I'd be happy to help him pack. I think you can keep both Belinelli and Ilyasova, Illasova can sign the Mid-Level exemption and I don't think Belinelli will cost much. If you had to keep only one, I like them both a lot, but Belinelli is probably the better fit with James on the team. If Johnson wants to come back for a minimum salary, fine,otherwise he can go. I also move TJ and draft a backup point guard, be it Brunson at 26 or other. I'd also see if anyone would be willing to send a future second for Anderson.

You roll out a starting lineup of: C Embiid, PF Saric, SF James, SG Redick, PG Simmons

Your bench: C Holmes, PF Illyasova, SF Covington, SG Bellinelli, PG Fultz, SF Draft Pick, SG Korkmaz, PG Draft Pick, PF Bolden, SG Luwawu-Cabarrot, TBD.

Pasecniks probably will still need another year overseas.

phillychuck 2018-04-12 01:12:20 UTC #320

Bayless can't just "go"--someone has to take him in trade or you have to pay his contract. And you have to have 15 guys or so on your roster. 10 or 11 have to be able to play reasonably well so that you don't wear out your starters and lose ground while they're resting. This isn't the tanking years, you can't fill out your roster with D-league guys. It's a tight financial fit for James at max.

PS--that was the best half of basketball this season in Philly. Fultz, TJ, Anderson, Holmes were the stars. Fultz was special.