The Sixers have quickly faded into the background due to the city's preoccupation with Chooch-Mania (not to be confused with Bundy-mania), and the consistent popularity of the Birds and the Flyers.  By my estimation, the Sixers are the 7^th most popular entity in the city behind the other three sports teams, Big 5 Basketball, the Mummers, and EZ Pass. In basketball, a lousy season and a high draft can salvage your franchise (See Allen Iverson), but consistent mediocrity will leave you with floundering attendance numbers and a first round playoff exit each year.

The biggest mistake this franchise made was not rolling over and playing dead back in back in the '06-'07 season when they traded Iverson. The stars were aligned for us. We trade Iverson. Lose eighty percent of our games, and draft either Durant or Oden (in hindsight, we would've drafted Durant).  In fact, on January 17, 2007, we were a perfectly lousy 10-29, after a loss at Memphis. Willie Green played 40 minutes and hoisted 23 shots-the perfect recipe for a high lottery pick.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200701170MEM.html

And then we started winning. Andre Miller displayed a little too much pride and willed us to 35 wins. It wasn't a complete loss, however. We did draft Thad Young and Jason Smith that year, but the Sixers quietly became the 'hovering around .500 in the East with no all-stars, whose playoff games are always aired on NBA TV' team.

We signed Elton Brand to provide a low- post presence, but gave him an absurd 5 year/80 million dollar contract. GM, Ed Stefanski, had to deny rumors that they were shopping him around the trade deadline in the worst case of buyer's remorse since this:

 

The Sixers did convert back to their old-school uniforms, seen here:

This is a welcomed change from the mess they were donning the past ten years or so. Now if only they would retire Hip-Hop, we might be on to something.

Off-Season Transactions

Sixers trade Reggie Evans for Jason Kapono

The Sixers dumped Reggie Evans and his 3.3 points and 4.6 boards/per on to the Toronto Raptors for jump-shooting specialist, Jason Kapono. Evans was pretty popular in town for a guy who was completely incompetent on offense. Evans was a banger, a horrific foul shooter, and he patented the one-man, full-court press. Despite always being amazed when he got called for a reaching foul 75 feet from the basket, he was a decent enough bench player to have. One last note on Reggie Evans from his wikipedia page:

That's one less pervert off the streets of Philadelphia.

Jason Kapono was brought in to give the Sixers someone who can put the ball in the basket outside 18 feet-a novel idea for a team who consistently starts Willie Green at the 2. Kapono is the Sixers' second Three Point Shooting Contest winner, the other being Eric Snow. I kid. I kid. Jeff Hornacek is the other. I have no idea if Kapono can do anything else well, but if this acquisition means less Willie G, then giddy up.

The Sixers draft Jrue Holiday with the 17^th pick

Here is why I don't like Fast Eddie Stefanski. When you give a max contract to a 30 year-old Elton Brand, you're telling the fans that you're trying to win now. So when the Sixers entered the draft without a point guard on their roster, wouldn't the obvious choice be Ty Lawson? He was by far the best player in the NCAA tournament last year on the nation's best team. He was perhaps the quickest player in the college basketball last year-a natural fit for the Sixers' up-tempo style. Lawson is mature and ready to contribute now.

But alas, he wasn't available with the 17^th pick....wait, what's that you say? He was available? We could've drafted him? We instead choose Jrue Holiday? A freshman who averaged 8.5 points and 3.7 assists/per game? A guy who didn't even play point guard at UCLA? A guy who looked absolutely dreadful against Villanova in the NCAA Tournament? Surely, you jest. Ty Lawson is going to be a great fit for this Sixers' team.

Let me put your mind at ease though, Sixers fans. ESPN's John Hollinger described Holiday as a "mystery meat."

(http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/players/hollinger?playerId=3995).

So we have that going for us.

Sixers sign Rodney Carney

To borrow a line from my buddy: How can we miss you if you never left?

The Sixers sign Primoz Brezec 

Sixers: "Primoz, we need to fill out a roster, but we have very little money in our budget."

Primoz: "That's fine. I wasn't even in the NBA last year."

Sixers: "Great. You can play for us."

End scene.

The Bigs

Elton Brand

I like Elton Brand. I do. For most of his career, he's been a walking double-double. A couple of unfortunate injuries, however, and now straddling the wrong side of 30, leaves his future marred in uncertainty. This team could realistically get a 5 seed if he plays well (and a full season) or battle the Nets for the 11 seed if he sustains another injury. Brand played in just 29 games last year, and averaged a pedestrian 13 and 9. We can't get past the first-round without him, but can't improve our team further because of his anchor of a contract.

I think Brand will bounce back with solid numbers this year. Let's say 18 and 10. However, I also predicted that Shawn Respert would be the best player from the 1995 Draft Class.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1995_NBA_Draft

I'm not exactly Nostradamus here.

Marreese Speights

A nice young, very athletic player. Considering we had past back-up Bigs like Calvin Booth, Reggie Evans, and Orioles' pitcher Mark Hendrickson (Ok, a bit of a reach there), Speights is as refreshing as October baseball at the Bank. He can definitely score, and has shown the ability to knock down a fifteen footer. I'm not sure he can defend-yet-but he's only 20. The minutes that Reggie Evans was given last season should be gobbled up by Speights this year, which will make Chris Kaman feel much more at ease when the Clippers come to town.

Jason Smith

Another productive, young player. Smith had a decent rookie year in 2007-2008 before tearing his ACL and missing the entire '08-'09 campaign. It would be nice if Smith could add an outside shot to his game, ala Matt Bonner, but I'll take solace in knowing that he is the only white, non-Mormon, from the Mountain West Conference in the NBA today. Wait, is he Mormon? Does anyone know? Until further notice, the Sixers' Mormon count remains at two, with Shawn Bradley and Tom Chambers. Yes, Chambers had the proverbial 'cup of coffee' with the Sixers. It was a very small cup, however. He only played in one game.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/chambto01.html

This should also bring back memories. Fast forward to the 0:52 mark (Side note, I love how the kid "goes small" at 0:34, and slides Chambers to the 5.)

Thaddeus Young

I'll put him in with the Bigs, because he seems to fluctuate between a 3 and a 4. Billy King drafted him in 2007, even though I was calling for Al Thornton. (Side note, I haven't correctly predicted a Sixers draft pick since Iverson.) Billy King was right with this pick. If you think about it, King had a pretty decent draft record (Iggy, Young, and Korver and Lou W in the 2^nd round), but the absurd contracts he handed out are the reasons why he isn't a GM today. Kenny Thomas is still collecting money from his Sixers contract, and making a grotesque 8.75 million this year.

Thad Young is arguably our best player, and almost certainly our most efficient. Athletic and left-handed, he does a nice job scoring without demanding the ball. He only shot 34% from behind the arc, but I expect that to improve this year. He is only 21 after all. I would scrap this Princeton offense, put Brand at the 5, Thad at the 4, and just push the basketball...but what do I know? I can barely figure out the "comments section" of this website.

Samuel Dalembert 

"If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at---"Ok, I'll bite. Dalembert stinks. I attended the last Sixers game playoff game last season-an absolute beat down at home at the hands of the Dwight Howard-less Orlando Magic. I'm glad I was there, though, because I saw a first. I witnessed a home crowd booing when one of their own players wasn't ejected from the game.

Salary

Sammy D is making $12,025,694 this year. I'll give you a second to let that sink in. He is the third highest paid Sixer. He would be the second highest paid Phillie, and the third highest paid Eagle. He averaged 6 and 8 this past season.

Sammy D's contract is the gift that keeps on going. Thanks Billy.

Attitude

First, a few truths:

-Team Canada didn't even want him. Team Canada, who is currently ranked #19 in FIBA said, "Thanks for your services, Sammy, but here's your passport back. Buy yourself some cologne at the border's duty-free shop."

If you're scoring at home,

Matt Stairs>Alanis Morissette >Allen Thicke>Sammy D> Russell Martin.

-He wants to be traded every year. Like it's that simple, Sam. Stefanski couldn't trade Sammy D if he came with a free subscription to Bang Bus.

An assumption:

-Does he even like basketball? Seriously. I always hear from my Haitian contacts that Dalembert is always playing soccer, which makes sense because he has terrible hands.

An analogy:

Dalembert is like dating a girl that you despise for 6 years. You want to break-up with her, but then you remember that you're paying this girl an accrued annual salary totaling $64 million dollars through 2011. So you just shrug, and wait for her to get in foul trouble.

The Guards

Andre Iguodala

The second AI is a year into a massive max contract signed before the '08-'09 season. Andre did have a pretty solid year, averaging 18/5/5, but the on-going question is whether or not Iggy is worth all that money. He improved last season in big spots, most notably, hitting a game winner at Orlando in game 1 of the playoffs.

Andre's contract may be a problem for this team, but his talent is not. One of the league's most underrated players; he's probably the best current player in the NBA never to make an all-star team--which is as back-handed of a compliment that a good player can receive.

If you look across the league, the teams that contend year in and year out all own an absolute stud. Cavs/Lebron, Celtics/Pierce and Garnett, Lakers/Kobe, Spurs/Duncan, Magic/Howard.

In the mean time, we wait...

Lou Williams

Lou Williams has been pretty effective the past few years as a scorer off the bench, who has no intention of passing.

And now he is your starting point guard.

Lou W was made the starting point guard by default, because Fast Eddie didn't have enough money in his piggy bank to sign another one. Andre Miller wanted more money and years than we were offering (which I agree with-an aging point guard who can't shoot shouldn't be given a 3 year deal). In the short-term, however, Lou W is our point guard until Jrue Holiday can take over.

Lou W is a nice complimentary piece, but I feel there will be a lot of growing pains this year. He averaged just about 2 turnovers/per in just under 24 minutes last year as an off-guard. The Sixers' success this year will be strongly hinged on his play at the point.

Royal Ivey: The New Seduction

I remember watching a movie on Cinemax once called Royal Ivey.

Oh wait, that was Poison Ivy.

Sorry.

Willie Green

Willie Green is in the 6^th year of a 17 year/$51 million dollar contract.

This is another guy, like Sammy D, who has been on this team for what seems like forever. As long as Willie Green is penciled in the line-up, we will continue to be trotting out the worst starting two-guard in the league.

Let's delve further, shall we?

Willie Green shot 41% from the floor and 31% from three-point range last season. He doesn't contribute on the boards. He can't pass (or doesn't pass), and the verbs most associated with Willie G are: hoists, stinks, and blackmails, because I have no idea how this man continues to start.

An analogy:

Willie Green is like a girl you're dating who you gave a 17 year/$51 million dollar---

Oh hell, you get the idea.

Prediction

The success of the Sixers will depend on the health of Elton Brand, the maturation of Lou Williams, and the timetable to learn Eddie Jordan's Princeton offense. But seriously, what is this team's ceiling? Could we beat Cleveland, Boston, or Orlando in a 7-game series? Are we better than Miami? Atlanta? Toronto or Washington even?

I think the Sixers ho-hum their way to 42 wins and sneak into the playoffs, but this year, like years past, ends with the same predictable result.

#1 Cavs defeat #8 Sixers in 4-1.