The hierarchy of Philly sports is as follows:

1. The Phillies
2. The Eagles
3. The Flyers
4. Union (Just kidding)
5. The Sixers

Its too bad for the Sixers, but its true and well-deserved. Each of the other Philly teams went to the playoffs this year with a decent chance of a title. That opportunity doesn’t exist for the Sixers, at least not this year or next. Even though these rankings might not change very soon, the Sixers shouldn’t give up yet because ten years ago the rankings looked like this:

1. The Eagles
2. The Sixers
3. The Flyers
4. The Kixx (Same joke, different soccer team)
5. The Phillies

The Phillies, kings of the city today, were a miserable franchise back in 2001. The team hadn’t played a meaningful game in years. The roster was UGLY, the fans were apathetic, and the franchise seemed to be going nowhere. Over the next couple of years the Phillies started to come together, they added some pieces that worked: Howard, Werth, Hamels, Chooch, and some that didn’t: Milwood, Eaton, Bell etc.

In the end the Phillies turned the franchise around, brought the fans back, and conquered the city. The Phillies then used the revenue generated by that excited fan base to establish themselves as a fixture in the elite of MLB. So not all hope is lost Sixers fans, but keep in mind that this turn-around didn’t happen overnight.

So with an off day today, let’s go back to the pre-dynasty Phillies and see what parallels can be drawn to our current Sixers team.

Doug Collins=Larry Bowa

The hard-nosed coach comes back to manage the team he started his playing career with. Doug Collins, like Bowa, is very well-liked among folks who remember him as a player. The hiring of both men was very well received by the fans at the time. Like Bowa, Doug made several all-star teams despite not being among the more physically gifted athletes in the league, both used smarts, hustle, and desire to get to the most out of their abilities as a player. That quality, in theory, should make both men into great coaches. If they could get their players to maximize their talents the way Bowa and Collins both did when they were pros, then any team they coach should be become greater than the sum of its parts. Unfortunately, Bowa didn’t always connect with young players, often confusing a lack of talent or instincts with a lack of desire or effort, and over time it became apparent that Bowa couldn’t coexist with his players. They resented him, and his belief that they just didn’t work hard enough. Doug Collins faces a similar road, he has a roster that needs to learn how to win, and one that has to be held accountable for mistakes both physical and mental. Can Doug avoid Larry’s mistakes and keep both the players’ attention and their respect, or will we have to bring in a ‘nice guy’ in two years to repair Doug’s damage.

Andres Nocioni=Aaron Rowand

Just a quicky here, both guys are gritty, the play hurt, they play physical D, and hustle every play. The crowd appreciates both, but neither is anything more than a role player. I like both guys though, so thought I’d include them.

Elton Brand=Jim Thome

Elton Brand was the big money free agent the Sixers signed amidst a huge media buzz to turn their franchise around and be the superstar the team was lacking since Iverson‘s decline. Jim Thome played the same role for the Phillies, as his signing was also supposed to usher in a new era of winning. When Elton left LA, much like Thome in Cleveland, he left behind a very disappointed fan base that was upset at losing the face of their franchise. Although in both instances the signings failed to live up to expectations. Thome was very good in his Philly years before injuries slowed him and a young kid named Ryan Howard made him obsolete. Brand, on the other hand, started his time slowed by injuries, playing just 105 of a possible 164 over his first two seasons in Philly. Although Brand has played very well this season, it appears that like Thome, Brand will have moved on before the team actually makes the deep playoff run he was signed to lead.

Thaddeus Young=Jimmy Rollins

Back in 2004, Jimmy Rollins took the next step as a player, already a touted prospect and gifted athlete, that was the year Jimmy finally cut out all the strikeouts that plagued his first few seasons. After Rollins learned to play the game smarter and stop making the same mistakes (swinging at the high fastball, Jesus he used to drive me crazy) Rollins became one of the game’s elite players at his position. Just a few years later Jimmy was NL MVP and his team had won the division, the next season he led them to a title. This is all a lot for Thad Young to live up to, but Thaddeus is a dynamic young player with as much physical talent as just about anyone in the league, but poor decisions, especially in his shot selection, are holding him back from being an elite player. Thaddeus needs to mature the way Jimmy did, play smarter, and begin to be a leader on this team. Thaddeus, like Jimmy, will be the one guy who will be a contributor throughout the entire rebuilding process. Hopefully, like Jimmy, Thaddeus will become an All-Star who learned to avoid the mistakes that stifled his game early on.

Andre Iguodala=Bobby Abreu

A great player that can’t be one of the two best guys on a championship team. A player that has the stink of 10 years worth of their franchise’s failure on them. Bobby and Iggy both made/make money on par with MVPs and superstars. In the fans eyes, they are both players whose caliber of play is a level below their pay grade. In the end, Iggy and Abreu both may be guys who were traded for fifty cents on the dollar in order to clear them out and bring in the next generation. I like Iggy, but can’t imagine other leaders emerging while he remains on the roster and in the locker room, so like Abreu he should go, and let the knew generation of leaders take over.

Jrue Holiday=Chase Utley

The 1st round selection from UCLA, that was the first of the ‘new guys’ to make it into the starting lineup. Jrue has to be one of those leaders I was referring to if Iggy were to go. Hell, even if Iggy stays Jrue has to be a leader. Jrue has the talent to stand out among his peers much as Utley has established himself among the game’s elite middle infielders. The early version of Jrue has some rough spots to work on, as did Utley (not always a great defender), and hopefully Jrue can stay healthier than Utley has. Jrue also needs to live up to his potential, which is something Utley never fully has. Injuries play a major part, but Utley is a bit overrated in my eyes. Utley sure gets a ton of MVP votes every April, and not very many in October, why is that? (Chase I love you, and I’m really criticizing the perceptions of you, not your actual performance) Anyway, for the Sixers to become a perennial contender, Jrue need to be every bit the leader, defender, and offensive producer that Chase Utley is for the Phillies.

Evan Turner=????

It is still way too early to know, but this one could go one of two ways:

ET=Pat Burrell
A top draft choice that was touted as the next big thing, but never lived up to it. A guy that struggled mightily at times and never lived up to his draft status. The thing about Burrell is once he started to struggle, his relationship with Bowa crumbled, and since I already noted how Bowa and Collins are quite similar, I am afraid of Doug souring on ET. Like Burrell, I don’t think ET could ever be a total flop, but instead of being THE guy, like he was drafted to be, ET may end up as just A guy, which would be a great disappointment. Let’s not forget that Burrell was a main contributor on the championship team, so bust or not, Burrell helped us win a title and because of that he is well liked among the fans here. Also, like Abreu the fans considered Burrell to be outrageously overpaid, so that should spare ET some of the ire Burrell drew, at least for now.

The other option for Turner:

Evan Turner=Ryan Howard

Evan Turner has been among the very best at every level he has played at. He has in him the talent and instincts to be among the game’s very best, we think. Like Howard, Turner is a little old for an elite prospect, debuting in the NBA after 3 years in college. Also like Howard, Turner has his at-bats (so to speak) blocked by older, higher paid vets, specifically by Iguodala, much like Howard was blocked by Thome. ET has shined at times when Iggy is out, although not on the level Howard did during Thome’s stints on the DL. By proving himself during the usually durable Iguodala’s absence, the rookie has shown he deserves (in my mind) the chance to start in this league and see if he can live up to his potential. Like Thome and Howard, it is tough for the Sixers to play both guys together, without a partner on the wing that stretches the defense with outside shooting, neither ET or Iggy is as effective offensively.

Right now, whichever way ET goes, so goes the franchise. If he becomes an elite power hitter (a fairly efficient high volume scorer) then the team has the punch it needs to compete. If ET ends up being a good guy that never quite made it, then the team still has pieces to find before we can move forward. I just wanted to remind everybody that there is always reason for optimism, even when your team is as bad as the Sixers are, or the Phillies were.

Sixers-Wiz T&O

Thoughts and observations from tonights Sixers-Wizards game

-Nick Young is the Sixers' Rod Barajas. Every time they play he seems to light them up, but he blows against everybody else.

-Spencer always plays better when he has product in his hair. He is going natural tonight, that isn't a good sign.

-There never is any D early for this team. It feels like every night its 20-20 after 7 minutes.

-Do we have to suck at the end of every first half. First Nola, now this.

-Jrue is playing real well on offense. It'd be nice if he could stay in front of Wall though.

-Whitey Mc Tighty is playing a nice little game out there.

-I love my buddy Mook, but his theory of replacing Collins with Mike Brown, and attempting to make Turner into a LeBron-esque wing that controls the offense seems a bit far-fetched. Ignoring the fact that Collins has a ton of money due him, is Turner that guy? Mook is crazy high on Evan, which is weird because Mook is the biggest front-runner I know. Anyway, I wish Turner showed even a sniff of being capable of carrying a team.

-Since Turner has has two good scoring nights this season in 4 months, his next big game should be March 4th against Minnesota.

-Did Jrue just rip off that move from Steve Nash where he dribbles under the basket without looking at the basket and then he makes a pass or a short turn-around jumper? I can't remember him using it before, but ever since the Phoenix game he's done it a few times every night.

-Anybody remember the movie "Sixth Man". I think that ghost is in the house tonight, why else does Lou Williams keep shooting fadeaways when he is open? Either there is a ghost defending him that I can't see on TV, or he's being flashy for no reason.

-Why is it close? The Wiz are 0-16 on the road.

-Lot of foul shots for us tonight.

-The triple honky look is new, any chance Songaila gets to take off his sweatsuit?

-Jrue and Lou have had it going on.

-Wall already getting phantom 'Star Calls'

-3 of 19 over the last two games for Evan Turner.

-OMG! why have I never called this dude ET? He looks and talks like an alien!! How did I sleep on this?

-Great second half tonight. The 4th quarter was especially nice.

-DNP for Battie. I know you play him for D, (and maybe to grab Orlando's attention for a back up big) but he has zero upside. They need to let Hawes and Speights sink or swim, Battie DNPs need to be a lot more common.

-Can't wait for Rose and the Bulls on Friday. If this team has any balls or heart, they better come out strong on Friday. It's ok if they lose to Chicago, a team that is a LOT better, but they were embarassed in Chicago so they better come out and play hard.

Be back Friday with a live Twee-cap from the Wells Fargo Center.

PS. Mook just turned on ET! He texted me that he thinks he might be a bust! That took two months longer than expected, but hardly a surprise.

The Blueprint

The 76ers suffered their worst loss of the season Wednesday night, falling to the lowly Toronto Raptors at home. If the Sixers are unable to handle the Raptors at home, then I think we can agree they are incapable of winning 30 games this year. A return to the lottery is not necessarily a bad thing, it is a chance for your team to add a piece that can get them into contention in the future. The future for this team could be a bright one if the team can makes the right front-office decisions, the problem with that notion is that there are a ton of options and enigmas associated with the current roster. What members of this rosters are building blocks, which are trade chips, which are deadwood to be excised? What can we hope for in the upcoming draft, should we jettison that pick now in an attempt to sweeten a trade proposal? The team has 14 players under contract and a top-5 lotto pick looming, lets break down how they all fit in the 76ers future plans. The Blueprint


The Keepers:
The one thing about a team that is on pace to win 16 games, is that there probably isn’t a ton of sure fire, can’t miss type guys that need to be retained in order to become a contender. By my count there are only 2.

Jrue Holiday PG: I am very high on Jrue Holiday, and while he still commits too many turnovers, he is definitely a special player and a keeper. Since a shaky start, Jrue has come on to average 16 points and 9 assists in the month of November. Jrue is very young at 20, so you can expect that he will mature both mentally and physically. The physical maturity is especially exciting, because as his 6’4” frame fills out over the next few years Jrue will become a monster of a point guard that can abuse other points with his size. Jrue could become a Deron Williams type mismatch for smaller guards if things go the right way for him. His keeper status shouldn’t be a surprise, and I wouldn’t move him unless I was getting one of the top 5 point guards in return (Rose, Rondo, Wall, Paul, and Deron.)

Evan Turner SG: The number two pick in the 2010 drat is a keeper for obvious reasons. Turner is young, big, smart, and hustles on the court. Turner needs to develop a scoring touch in order to become an all-star, but you can expect him to have a long successful NBA career. Turner leads all guards in rebounding, snatching nearly 7 per contest. That type of production on the boards is going to lead to Turner dropping triple-doubles on his opponents several times a year. Also, with Turner and Holiday the 76ers will have the biggest backcourt in basketball, which if the frontcourt is ever properly developed could help the Sixers become an elite defensive team, which all champions must be.

I hesitate to say the Sixers have to keep anybody else, not that there isn’t talent, but everybody else on the roster has questions about their skills, position, age, or money. Turner and Jrue are young, big, talented, and cheap (for now) everybody else is lacking in one of the areas if not several. The majority of the roster can be debated about, so before we get there, lets cover the guys who can go away without affecting the future.

The Deadwood:
Nothing personal here, this section is simply the guys who have limitations based on age/ money/ skill that don’t fit into any possible future plans for the Sixers.

Jason Kapono SF, Tony Battie C, Darius Songaila PF: Three vets in the final years of their contract who are either past their prime, or never really had a prime. (looking your way, Darius) These guy can be dumped and they wouldn’t be missed, although it should be noted that Kapono and Songaila make a combined $11.4 million, so although they are not a part of the future they still could be considered assets as they could end up being used to acquire talent in a trade.

Andres Nocioni SF: Andres is a good player, but he is about to turn 31 on November 30, so to count on him to contribute two or three years from now would be foolish. Andres also is a little overpaid for my tastes, so I’d prefer they trade him now rather than let him walk away after playing out his contract. I believe at the trade deadline a contender will absolutely pick up a scrappy SF who can shoot a little and defend. Also, and I’ll cover this later, Craig Brackins is a raw 6’10” SF who can shoot and was drafted in 21st overall in the 2010 draft, let’s clear out guys like Kapono and Nocioni and see what the kid has.

Elton Brand PF: I am not by any means a Brand hater, but Elton will be 34 when his contract ends in the summer of 2013, and at that point it will be near over for the former all-star. Elton is certainly overpaid, so if an opportunity to trade Brand comes along I’d jump at it. Trading Brand may seem like a long-shot now, but Brand has been giving you quality minutes, and with a lockout looming the team that acquires Brand this year may get to skip next season and then have Elton as a big ol’ expiring contract. In theory, this means Brand contributes 25 or so bench minutes to a contender this year, then becomes a trade chip again after not getting paid for 2011-12.


The Maybes:
Here is where it gets difficult, lose the wrong guys and you end up with a roster full of holes, but sign the wrong guy for too much money and you end up crippling your franchise for years. (I am extremely proud that I wrote that previous line without stopping and swearing about Billy King, Willie Green, Sam Dalembert, or Elton Brand.)

Craig Brackins SF, Jodie Meeks SG: These two are linked for obvious reasons, they both have potential to be successful rotation guys, but they both need to be given minutes to determine if they fit in with the future. Jodie was a talented scorer in college and could end up as the third guard in the Sixers rotation behind Jrue and Evan one day. Meeks’ ability to shoot from three-point range and get points in bunches will determine if he ends up as a role player or as the Sixers sixth man of the future. Brackins on the other hand is blocked by Iggy, Nocioni, and Kapono, so he won’t see minutes this season unless moves are made. Brackins is 6‘10“, which means if he ever develops into a starter it would give the Sixers another oversized player to go with their giant backcourt. He also has nice range and shoots well from outside, which will be required since he probably will get his minutes at Kapono and Nocioni’s expense and they are among our best outside shooters. Brackins needs to be more aggressive defensively to make it in the league, being tall just isn’t enough at the pro level. Still, when he was acquired from the Hornets he was regarded as the player with the highest ceiling involved in that deal.

Marreese Speights C/PF, Thaddeus Young F: This pair is linked based on the fact that both players have looked tremendous for stretches and then lost for even longer stretches. Young seems to be finding a groove lately as a reserve, and sits in the top 10 in FG percentage. Thaddeus was horrendous in 2009-10 under Eddie Jordan and appears to be on the way back to relevance under new coach Doug Collins. At just 22, it seems like there is a lot of room for Thaddeus to grow, but I can’t call him a keeper because of his financial situation. Young will be a restricted free agent after the season, and I feel like it may end up in the teams best interests to let him go. Amir Johnson, an inferior PF, just got a 5 year $35 million contract from Toronto, which kind of sets the minimum Thaddeus could get offered on the open market. Now if a team had stars to build around I’d be ok with paying Thaddeus that kind of money, but to do it and hamper your ability to fill needs seems counter productive. Let’s not forget that Thaddeus doesn’t shoot well enough to be the starting 3 next to Turner, and he doesn’t have the body to be a starting 4. You can not pay a man without a position that kind of money unless you already have stars to build around. Ultimately I need more time to determine what to do with Thaddeus, if the Sixers end up at the top of the lottery and end up drafting somebody who projects as a star, then I am more likely to keep Thad around as a backup. If they don’t get a top pick, I think you may have to let him go in an attempt to get under the cap once Brand’s deal expires in 2013 so we can land a star via free agency. I feel Speights deserves a similar holding pattern. Marreese is signed through 2012, so we have time to figure out what he can do in the league, but I can’t commit any type of big money to him unless I have my superstar-type centerpiece in place.

Spencer Hawes C: How does a 22-Year old, 7’1” center with shooting range nearly end up in the deadwood category? Hawes is big and young which I love, but he just doesn’t produce. Hawes doesn’t score a ton (just 8.6 points per game for his career), he can’t rebound (5.4 rpg), and his defense is suspect. On top of it all the Kings traded him for Sam Dalembert, which says more about his potential then anything I could write. Still, he is 7 feet tall and you can‘t teach size, or underestimate its value. There are 70 games left this year for the big guy to show something, if there’s any hope there I say keep him around with a two or three year deal and see if anything develops. Just remember to keep it cheap, we overspent on Dalembert waiting for him to develop and it never happened.

Lou Williams G: I like Lou a lot, and he is way too good and affordable to go in the deadwood category, but I’m not sure he fits as a long term option. First of all, Lou is blocked from big minutes by your two best young players in Jrue and Evan. The fact that he is undersized is ok, because he has a big PG next to him in Holiday. I just think I’d rather trade Lou to somebody that needs bench scoring and try get shooting/youth/picks. I also wouldn’t mind seeing Jodie Meeks get more minutes, but Lou’s presence blocks that from happening. The timing of Lou’s contract also doesn’t help, it expires after 2012-13, just as you expect to be turning the corner, so if Lou is going to be around when you are good then its going to be a much higher price tag, losing a lot of Williams’ appeal to me. This isn’t a knock on Lou, I just think if you can get a young big, a sniper, or a high pick for him, it is something you need to move on.

Andre Iguodala SG/SF: The sentiment seems to be that we should dump Iggy just to get his contract off the books, and I have to disagree. Trade offers like Iggy for Peja Stojakovic, or Iggy for Tayshaun Prince have been floated around, but I don’t see the logic. Why get worse now without gaining any long-term assets? I think Iggy should only be traded if it brings back a long term piece, ideally a young big man. For example, I’m ok with the Prince deal if the Pistons include Greg Monroe, the young center they drafted this spring. I’d also be thrilled if they could revive the talks of a three team deal centered on Iguodala, Carmelo, and Favors. (Especially if we could also get sharp shooter Anthony Morrow from NJ) It seems to be forgotten sometimes that Iguodala is a dynamic player miscast as the centerpiece of a team. What we really need is a superstar to lead the team, because Iguodala could absolutely be the second best player on a contender. So I say keep him and see where the draft takes you, maybe you end up with a quality big man for Iggy to partner with. Then again, maybe you end up with North Carolina’s Harrison Barnes, and Iggy really does have to go.

So what’s the blueprint?
Ultimately, the plan has to be an effort to free up money and to stockpile draft picks in hopes of landing a true #1 superstar. You do not win championships without a legitimate superstar (except Detroit) so acquiring that player is the top priority. Maybe you can draft one, Harrison Barnes has all the buzz currently among the college kids. Maybe you can shed salary and sign one from somebody else, my dream would be Dwight Howard in summer of 2012, but that’s the longest of long shots. Dwight aside, you do need a strong big man to compete in this league, and I‘d give a long look at Tyson Chandler, Kendrick Perkins and Yao Ming this off season. I would listen to offers for anybody other than Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner, I would give Hawes, Meeks, and Brackins more minutes and see what these guys can give us long term. I would refuse to give out any contract that commits big money past the expiration of Brand’s current deal, except for locking up the backcourt.

Ultimately the biggest tool needed for a Sixers resurgence is patience. We need to avoid being overaggressive in the trade market, so we can maximize the return we get on our assets. We need to see what our young players can really bring to the table, but we can‘t spend too much to keep role players or we‘ll paint ourselves into a corner. First and foremost, we have to be focused on attaining that true superstar and leader, so attaining cap space and high draft picks are definitely the priority.