| CAP RELIEF Authored by Jim Serratore - January 30, 2005 - 2:17 pm
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Glenn Robinson’s chronic ankle problems, bad elbow, and gluttonous contract have been like a black cloud over the 2004-05 season. Ever since O’Brien announced prior to the start of the regular season that he was inserting rookie Andre Iguodala in the starting lineup, in place of Robinson, questions surrounding Big Dog’s status with the Sixers have swirled like the winds of hurricane Frances. On the bright side of things, Big Dog hasn’t barked to the media about being left out of this year’s festivities. In fact, he should be commended for remaining silent and not making himself a distraction to the rest of the team. The situation could have been a lot worse if Big Dog was more intent on telling the world his side of the story- a story most NBA fans would probably have a great interest in hearing, by the way. He hasn’t said much at all and that’s been a big plus from the Sixers point of view. On the other hand, until the issue is resolved and Big Dog is either traded or set free at the end of the season, the Sixers will continue to be a work in progress with a wait-til-next-year sign tattooed on their forehead. The current roster has been good enough to rise to the top of the worst division in the NBA, but we all know they’re not good enough as is. One more key player, particularly someone who could strike fear in the hearts of opposing coaches, in addition to Iverson, would most definitley help the Sixers get back to being legitimate contenders in the less-than-impressive Eastern Conference. Big Dog is being paid like the kind of player the Sixers sorely need. Unfortunately, due to injury, and for other reasons we may not yet know, he hasn’t been able to produce like King hoped he would.
Thankfully, as soon as next season, the Sixers should have a full roster again. But long as Big Dog is sitting at the end of the Sixers bench in street clothes, the Sixers will only be a fraction as good as they should be when he’s gone. Every true contender in the NBA has at least two bona fide super stars on their roster. The Sixers have only Iverson. That needs to change, and soon it will.
In addition to Big Dog’s monster contract coming off the books this summer, the Sixers will also be able to relieve themselves of Kedrick Brown’s contract. Brown has spent most of the season in street clothes looking like the runner up to Big Dog for the Sixers Least Valuable Player award. For the two million dollars they’re paying Brown to watch games from a front row seat at the Wachovia Center, they could be paying someone who will actually be given a chance to contribute. Technically speaking, Brown will become a restricted free agent at season’s end. But if and when the Sixers decide they don’t want to keep him around, by not matching his qualifying offer, he’ll be free to leave. Considering the writing on the wall, it looks like a safe bet that the Kedrick Brown era in Philadelphia is going to be nothing more than a one year stint.
Samuel Dalembert is officially the most important free agent the Sixers will need to re-sign this summer. The good news is he’ll be restricted and the Sixers can match any offer he receives from another team. The bad news is there figures to be a long line of potential suitors at Dalembert’s door, interested in prying him away from the Sixers. As long as there are GM’s out there who think it wise to pay top dollar for anybody 6-11 or taller with a pulse and an ounce of potential, as has been the case in recent history, Dalembert can be assured of signing his name to a contract this summer with a whole lot of zero’s at the end of it. He’s the kind of player who should continue to evolve into a major force one day down the road. The secret is out on Dalembert, even though he has yet to fully mature into a consistent player, and NBA GM’s are notorious for overpaying big men based solely on their potential. Just ask Michael Olowokandi and Rasho Nesterovic. By the way, Dalembert will only be 24 years old next season, which only increases his value around the league. All in all, you get the feeling he’s going to receive at least one outrageous offer that the Sixers will be forced to cringe and match. In my opinion, he’ll be worth every penny though.
Kyle Korver and Willie Green are both unrestricted free agents at the end of the season, free to sign with any team in the league. Both are likely to return, assuming the Sixers are interested. King will definitely be interested in locking Korver up long term. He’s done nothing but impress this year. The jury’s still out on Green though. His minutes have been extremely inconsistent this year and even though Jim O’Brien has spoken highly of him in the past, the possibility still exists that the Sixes will look elsewhere to fill Green’s spot on the roster when push comes to shove. While Korver’s already paying huge dividends on the court, Green is still basically a work in progress. Neither player will command a contract big enough to break the Sixers bank, like Dalembert, but they’re both going to command significant raises over their current salaries.
The only other Sixer who doesn’t have a contract for next year, besides Big Dog, Kedrick Brown, Dalembert, Korver and Green is seldom used rookie forward Josh Davis. Whether he returns to the team next year with a new contract or not, it won’t impact the Sixers salary cap situation much at all. Davis has shown that he belongs in the NBA, but his chances of commanding anything more than the minimum level salary next year are slim to none.
With only nine players under contract for next year, and a lot of money coming off the books at the end of the season, Billy King must feel like a kid in a candy store when he thinks about the options he’s going to have available to him this summer. So without further adieu, let’s take a brief look at some of King’s possible targets in free agency (player’s age next season listed in parentheses):
Ray Allen (30)
Michael Redd (26)
Jason Richardson (24)
Bonzi Wells (29)
Flip Murray (26)
Mike Miller (25)
Bobby Simmons (25)
Shane Battier (27)
Antoine Walker (29)
Shareef Abdur-Rahim (28)
Donyell Marshall (32)
Vladimir Radmanovic (25)
Tyson Chandler (23)
Eddie Griffin (23)
Stromile Swift (26)
Troy Murphy (25)
Dajuan Wagner (22)
We know the Sixers are building their roster around players who can flat shoot the rock and defend at a high level. That sounds kind of obvious, but the emphasis that the Sixers of Jim O’Brien place on shooting ability is unusually high. O’Brien has said countless times that he envisions a team with four shooters and one big man on the court at all times to create a wide open offense with snipers galore. The current Sixers roster is close to fulfilling that vision, but it’s not quite there yet.
Looking forward to the rest of the 2005 season, the Sixers know they’re due to claim a big prize at the end of the year without having to do anything in the meantime. That prize is the cap space. If they trade Big Dog before the season ends it would have to be a perfect deal that doesn’t compromise the cap flexibility Billy King has been so desperately awaiting for the last few years.
Sixers Salary Cap Situation at the end of the season:
Under Contract:
John Salmons (one more year)
Marc Jackson (two more years)
Corliss Williamson (two more years)
Brian Skinner (two more years)
Aaron McKie (three more years)
Kevin Ollie (three more years)
Allen Iverson (four more years)
Andre Iguodala (four more years)
Kenny Thomas (five more years)
Restricted:
Samuel Dalembert
Kedrick Brown
Unrestricted:
Glenn Robinson
Kyle Korver
Willie Green
Josh Davis
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