| Philadelphia 76ers: 2006-2007 Season Preview Authored by David Mintz - November 2, 2006 - 8:52 pm
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Now, six months later, the Sixers have not altered much personnel-wise from the team that won only 36 games a season ago. First round draft pick Rodney Carney should add some much needed offense at the small forward position, but the bottom line is that Iverson still does not have enough help. Carney will not be a game-changing player as a rookie, but he should still be an upgrade over the departed John Salmons.
One of the problems the Sixers will have is the improvement of teams around the league. While the Sixers added perhaps the 16th best player in the draft, other struggling teams such as Portland and Atlanta were able to add a higher draft choice or two, and perhaps an impact free agent. The Sixers’ salary cap situation prevents them from acquiring that impact guy, unless they can do so through the draft.
Another obstacle in the Sixers’ path is the difficult opening schedule. 19 of their first 30 games are on the road, where NBA teams have more difficulty winning games. The Sixers might be looking at 10-20 or so record after 30 games. The schedule does soften up as the season progresses, but the turmoil that can accompany a 10-20 record might send the Sixers into a downward spiral.
The upside is that this team needs a top five draft pick in next year’s draft which is predicted to be one of the best drafts ever. The Sixers’ record might just be bad enough to gain that draft choice. If the Sixers make the playoffs as anything higher than the eighth seed, they will lose their first round draft pick altogether.
Starting Five
Iverson is a player who will compete every night and his amazing point and assist production the last two years are proof of that. However, Iverson is not a young player anymore and his small frame has taken a lot of abuse over the years. If the Sixers find themselves out of playoff hunt after the first 40 games, they could shut Iverson down for the rest of the season.
Webber is not the player that he once was. In fact, Webber would not start at power forward on at least half of the teams in the NBA. He is too slow on defense, and most teams do not have a need for a 41% shooting big man. Webber’s tendency to shoot outside ignites the opposing team’s fastbreaks and makes it difficult for the Sixers to get back as a team.
Whether this season will be called a success will depend on the improvement of C Samuel Dalembert. Dalembert has had some bright spots in the preseason, but has been inconsistent on the court for several years. If this is a breakout season for Dalembert, Sixer fans can look forward to the next few seasons optimistically.
SF/SG Andre Iguodala is another player who could break out this year. Iguodala is a very nice defender who Iverson needs to provide more of a spark on the offensive end. Last season, it was not uncommon for Iguodala to take 8 or fewer shots per game. Considering the dearth of talent on the Sixers, Iquodala will have pick up more of the slack.
G Kevin Ollie is expected to be the fifth starter. Ollie is not a bad defender, however, he provides very little of anything on the offensive end. A player with a limited skill set like Ollie would not earn a roster spot on most NBA teams, much less a starting spot. Ollie is not a spectacular passer, and cannot make a shot outside of 15 feet.
The Bench
G/F Kyle Korver will once again provide 3-point shooting off the bench. Korver does what he does very well, but I disagree with the Sixers’ usage of him. Every team needs a 3-point specialist, however the Sixers seem to want to use him inside the 3-point line as well. Korver will never be a starting caliber player, but off the bench can be a valuable commodity filling the role where he is comfortable.
Carney will be a nice defender for the Sixers and should improve his offensive game as the season wears on. Second round draft pick Bobby Jones should also provide some much-needed defense. C Steven Hunter is a young athletic backup who has some starting experience in the NBA and could once again start for the Sixers if Dalembert continues to struggle. G Willie Green will add some scoring punch off the bench.
Ivan McFarlin, Steven Smith, Shavlik Randolph, and Louis Williams are all nice young players, however none of them are expected to make a huge impact this upcoming season. Randolph has a few nice games last season and will be expected to backup Webber. Alan Henderson should also get some minutes as a frontcourt backup.
Coaching
Maurice Cheeks, in his second year with the team, will struggle to keep this team focused for 82 games. Whether or not Cheeks is fit to coach this team cannot be determined until he has enough talent with which to work. One strategy that Cheeks has not utilized enough is playing Hunter with Dalembert on the court. Playing three quality defensive players along with Hunter and Dalembert could cause headaches for opposing offenses and could jumpstart the Sixers’ fastbreak.
Outlook
The Sixers are destined for a dismal record and it would be the best for the team. The Sixers need a player like Greg Oden, Joakim Noah, or Kevin Durant in the 2007 draft to replace Webber in the frontcourt. Losing is never easy to stomach, and for a player like Iverson, it makes him miserable. However, the losses the Sixers endure now could enable them to become a competitive team four or five years from now.
Prediction: 28-54, 13th place in Eastern Conference |
