The Orlando Magic hope they have a star in the making in Maurice Harkless… The Virginia Beach Kings… Wizards get a win… Derek Fisher joining the Mavericks… NBA Chats at 10:30 and 3:00pm EST
Nov 292012
Nov 132012
Carmelo Anthony kept fighting for an opening, jumping into traffic and trying in vain to score over Maurice Harkless, the rookie from St. John’s. It was a futile exercise as Harkless, during one sequence in the third quarter, blocked Anthony’s shot three times. Yes, there were moments on Tuesday when the no-name Orlando Magic made things tough for Anthony and the Knicks. But in the end, they couldn’t stop the Knicks’ leading scorer and the NBA’s only unbeaten team.
Aug 232012
It was heartbreaking when the Sixers were eliminated from the playoffs at the end of last season—but it wasn’t devastating.
There was something charming about that final game last year. It wasn’t a win, but it wasn’t Michael Vick throwing a red-zone interception in the final minutes of a playoff game; it wasn’t Ryan Howard making the last out of the playoffs, again; And, it wasn’t Ilya Bryzgalov’s sloppy play when it mattered the most.
Rather, the culmination of last year’s season for the 76ers was an assertion from perennial bottom-dwellers and underachievers that said, “We’re for real.”
No one expected the Sixers’ postseason run to be as successful as it was. The media didn’t slam the coach, or call for the heads of any of the team’s star players (although Iguodala wasn’t exactly praised).
Instead, the city congratulated a team who, unlike any of its others, played as hard as it could until the final second…when the scoreboard said the team wasn’t good enough instead of the players giving up and saying the team wasn’t good enough.
Going into the offseason, the Sixers had a lot of question marks. But the fact that they could be taken seriously, remained.
Andre Iguodala had been the team’s centerpiece for years. But his inability to deliver ultimately led the Sixers’ front office to be take part in of one of the most significant NBA trades in recent memory.
In a blockbuster move, the Philadelphia 76ers acquired star center Andrew Bynum, along with SG/SF Jason Richardson, and dumped off Iguodala to the Nuggets. The only unfortunate part of this trade is that we’ll never know what Maurice Harkless could have been for the Sixers.
However, we do know that in a league deprived of the all-important big man, the Sixers just landed the second best in the game.
What this means for the future of the Sixers is that they can now compete with the likes of the other Eastern Conference superpowers. They’re a far cry from being in contention with the likes of the Miami Heat, but they are one giant leap closer.
It’s exciting to wonder what the addition of Andrew Bynum not only means for the success of the team as a whole, but more specifically for the development of Evan Turner. Could he now be able to reach the potential the team saw when they drafted him? Only time will tell. But the odds just got a lot better.
And if the team does lock Bynum up long term, which he has indicated that he would like, they’re probably one—maybe two—pieces away from being a legitimate NBA championship contender.
Some have questioned Bynum’s work ethic, attitude, etc. But we can speculate all we want. Regardless, he’s the man for the Sixers right now. He doesn’t have to defer to Kobe or Gasol. He’s not a role-player or someone who is a piece of a scheme. Rather, he’s Philadelphia’s go-to guy, whether he wants to be or not, and all indications point to the former.
In all, when the Phillies are out of it, the Eagles are struggling and the NHL is on the brink of obscurity, the 76ers just put themselves in the spotlight on the Philadelphia sports stage, which is somewhere they haven’t been in a very long time.
It’s more exciting being a Philadelphia fan when the Sixers are relevant. And this team, unlike the others, has given you plenty of reason to have hopes for the upcoming season.
Read more Philadelphia 76ers news on BleacherReport.com
Aug 032012
NBA trade rumors just don’t feel complete if Andre Iguodala isn’t involved somehow. If there’s a list of players on the trading block, the talented swingman for the Philadelphia 76ers is always present.
According to CSNPhilly’s John Finger, that might not be the case any longer:
Actually, it appears as if Collins and Iguodala are going to be together for the foreseeable future in Philadelphia, too.
According to a source, a trade involving Iguodala “won’t happen” during the off-season. As a result of that, the Sixers’ off-season tinkering to their roster is complete and aside from a few free agents who get invitations to training camp, the team is set.
Moreover, a report on HoopsWorld.com indicates that the Sixers are actually building the team around Iguodala and that if any move is to come regarding the Olympian, it would be in the distant future.
After all of the moves the Sixers made during the offseason, this piece of news doesn’t really make much sense. It’s seemed as though everything has been leading toward an inevitable Iggy trade, but that is no longer the case, if Finger’s source is correct.
Philly used its top pick in the 2012 NBA draft to select Maurice Harkless, a swingman out of St. John’s who might develop into an Iguodala-type player. They also signed Dorell Wright, a sharpshooting small forward, and Nick Young, a ball-hogging 2-guard who can play small forward.
Did they move Thaddeus Young or any of the other forwards or shooting guards on the roster? Is Evan Turner still present and waiting for an opportunity to break out? No, and yes.
All of this should be leading to a move that swaps Iguodala for some talent that isn’t between 6’4″ and 6’8″, but now that’s not going to happen.
As long as Iguodala is the No. 1 player on the roster, this team isn’t going to win a title, no matter how deep they may be. He’s much more of a Robin than a Batman.
If the Sixers are trying to build around Iguodala, how is that any different than what they’ve been doing over the last few years?
Sometimes, it’s best to know when to call it quits and start over. With the Sixers, that time should be now.
Read more Philadelphia 76ers news on BleacherReport.com
Jul 242012
The Philadelphia 76ers signed first-round picks Maurice Harkless and Arnett Moultrie, who was drafted 27th overall and traded to Philadelphia from the Miami Heat.
Jul 142012
After unclogging 18 million big ones off of the financial records as a result of waiving power forward Elton Brand, the Sixers have vacancy at the power forward, center and backup point guard positions. Kris Humphries, Carl Landry, Derek Fisher and Aaron Brooks, among other talented players, were at the front office’s disposal on the free-agent wire, and the Philadelphia 76ers acquired Kwame Brown in a recent two-year deal.
Kwame Brown.
For about $6 million total over two years, Sixers’ president and GM Rod Thorn hired Kwame Brown in an effort to provide inexpensive depth to the roster that recently shed the veteran power forward Brand.
Brown was the first-overall selection of the 2001 NBA draft, joining the Washington Wizards directly from Glynn High School in Brunswick, Georgia. Coach Doug Collins of the Sixers was the coach of the Wizards at the time of the draft in 2001. Brown’s 2001 stat line in 57 games played looked bleak at best. He averaged 4.5 PPG and 3.5 RPG in 2001.
His career averages in 270 games started: 6.8 PPG, 5.6 RPG and 0.6 BPG.
The Sixers’ depth at power forward includes sophomore Lavoy Allen and rookie Arnett Moultrie, which could lead to a starting frontcourt that includes Brown.
After aggressively acquiring a true shooting guard who can create his own scoring opportunities in Nick Young and drafting long, athletic bodies who can easily mesh with the system, Moultrie and Maurice Harkless, this controversial move stumps basketball aficionados nationally, especially with all of the options previously—and still—available on the free-agent market.
A lone positive pulled away from the startling acquisition? The deal is very contractually friendly to the front office, leaving some to wonder if the deal arranged beholds a future acquisition—be it through a trade or a signing in the 2014-2015 season when the contract expires.
For a while now, Andre Igoudala and Elton Brand were the scapegoats of this city’s basketball troubles. But, for the time being, I think Philly has a new punching bag.
Read more Philadelphia 76ers news on BleacherReport.com
Jul 102012
The Philadelphia 76ers always seem to find their way into the playoffs by landing the seventh or eighth seed, which yields to the inevitable first round boot and middling first-round pick in the draft.
What am I getting at here? It is the stage of mediocrity that the Sixers are stuck in and have been stuck in since, well, Allen Iverson left Philadelphia.
However, as impossible as it may seem to free themselves from this stage, there is still one solution that can free them from this: rebuilding.
The Sixers currently have five guys under contract, and assuming they give contracts to rookies Maurice Harkless and Arnett Moultrie, every player on the roster will be 24 years old or younger. That is, with the exception of Andre Iguodala (we’ll get to him in a little).
A lot of these guys mentioned still have high ceilings to fill. Holiday has displayed flashes of what it takes to be a good player in the league and came through hitting big shots when the Sixers needed them.
Turner especially is someone the Sixers have not fully given the keys to (the Iguodala case just keeps unintentionally coming up). The only way we will find out what his full capabilities are is if he is given more responsibilities.
Plus, with competition such as the Miami Heat and the Chicago Bulls, as well the up-and-coming Nets—who potentially may land Dwight Howard—the Sixers won’t be able to get passed the second round of the playoffs. They simply are not ready to compete with those types of teams right now.
They still do not have a legit starting center (sorry, Spencer Hawes) and they are still experimenting with the power forward slot. These are the types of problems they face. Until they overcome these early stage issues, winning now is just something too premature to conclude as a possibility.
And yes, rebuilding also means trading Iguodala.
If the Sixers keep Iguodala (unfortunately what it seems like they are leaning towards by the day), it would be completely worthless. What is the point in keeping a player who is built to win now on a team that is built to win five years from now?
Basically, everything that Iguodala would be doing that is productive wouldn’t exactly matter because we already know that this team cannot win with what they have now.
Rebuilding involves trading Iguodala for young talent and expiring contracts that will give Philadelphia young guys with potential and also put them in a good place financially, so will be able to compete in free agency for young and emerging players.
They made the mistake of not trading him in the draft, by the way. Let’s just hope they learn from it.
Their state of being just shouts mediocrity, and since bringing in another superstar to play next to Iguodala is predetermined as unrealistic, the only way to get out of it is by rebuilding.
Read more Philadelphia 76ers news on BleacherReport.com
Jul 092012
Rookie center Andre Drummond will shine during this week’s 2012 NBA Summer League action from Orlando, Fla.
The seven-footer was drafted No. 9 overall by the Detroit Pistons last month, and for good reason. With a 7’6″ wingspan, Drummond is a long and athletic big man who can elevate and get up and down the floor with ease.
Despite turning 18 just months before his first season with the Huskies, he averaged 10 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocked shots per game last season with Connecticut.
You can bet that skill set will be on display this July in Orlando, along with several others.
Fab Melo
Much like Detroit’s Andre Drummond, Boston Celtics rookie Fab Melo is a seven-footer with the ability to alter a game on the defensive end of the floor. The Brazilian averaged nearly three blocked shots per game last season at Syracuse, and blocked 113 shots total in two seasons with the Orange.
Although Melo won’t consistently dominate on the offensive end, he is still a deadly weapon on the break via lob passes, as well as in the pick and roll game on occasion. Melo shot around 58 percent for his career at Syracuse, but his bread and butter is clearly defense, swatting shots and igniting the fast break.
Maurice Harkless
The Philadelphia 76ers will likely enjoy what they see from their first-round pick from a month ago. Small forward Maurice Harkless is still young, just 19, but boasts a frame perfect for the NBA game. Harkless is 6’9″ with a 7’0″ wingspan. His length makes him a versatile scorer and ideal rebounder.
Harkless averaged 15.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game last season as a freshman at St. John’s. If Harkless doesn’t settle for jump shots in Orlando and is determined to attack the rim on most possessions, he will steal the summer league show.
Orlando Johnson
The Indiana Pacers made one of the more underrated steals of the draft when they traded for UC Santa Barbara guard Orlando Johnson on draft night after he was chosen in the second round with the 36th overall pick by the Sacramento Kings. Johnson is 23 years old and already much more experienced than most of the rookies entering the league this summer, giving him a slight edge over most.
The 6’5″ shooting guard averaged 18, 21.1 and 19.7 points per game in his sophomore, junior and senior season at UC Santa Barbara. During those three seasons, Johnson was also hitting at least 40 percent of his shots from beyond the arc. We have seen scorers take over NBA Summer Leagues in the past, so expect Johnson to make a huge impression in Orlando this July.
Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter For More Reaction on the 2012 NBA Summer League Action.
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Jul 022012
Heading into the 2012 NBA Draft, two of the Philadelphia 76ers’ biggest needs included finding a shooter to improve the team’s 22nd ranked points per game average, and adding a scoring presence to the frontcourt.
With the 15th pick in the first round, the Sixers drafted a player who seemingly has similar attributes to the current players on the roster, in Maurice Harkless.
However, any initial confusion or even frustration felt by fans lessened when the Sixers acquired their second player in the draft.
After passing on him with the 15th pick, the Sixers acquired Arnett Moultrie, the 27th pick, from the Miami Heat in exchange for a second-round pick and a future lottery-protected-first round pick.
While Harkless’ talent makes him an intriguing selection, Moultrie’s presence fits a need that the Sixers had to fill this offseason in order to improve on last season. The Sixers’ acquisition of Moultrie adds depth to their frontcourt while also giving them a potential scoring presence in the post.
After initially causing fans to scratch their heads with their first pick, the Sixers addressed an immediate need with their second acquisition.
Here are five ways the 76ers treated their fans by picking Moultrie.
Jun 292012
The Orlando Magic will once again host a five-day summer league in July. It’s a chance for the NBA‘s young players to gain some valuable experience in a competitive environment as they look to improve their chances of making an impact next season.
Eight teams will participate in the event, which is the second largest summer league behind the NBA-run league in Las Vegas. It will begin on Monday, July 9 and run through Friday, July 13. A total of 20 games will be played.
Any player with three seasons or less in the NBA is eligible for summer league action, but fans are mostly waiting to see their favorite team’s newest rookies take the court.
Keep checking back to this page as we’ll update it with complete rosters from every team once they become available. For now, let’s take a look at the teams involved and some players that we may see in Orlando.
Orlando Summer League Teams
1. Orlando Magic
5. Utah Jazz
7. Indiana Pacers
8. Detroit Pistons
Players We’re Hoping To See
Andre Drummond (Pistons)
One of the most intriguing prospects in the entire draft, Drummond was selected by the Pistons with the ninth pick. He’s still a raw talent with a long way to go before reaching his sky-high potential, but that’s what these games are for.
He has a terrific combination of size and athleticism, which should make him an elite post defender, and did show good offensive efficiency during his one season at Connecticut. Now it comes down to elevating his level of play to an NBA level.
Having endured a disappointing season, Detroit will likely be hoping Drummond can make his presence felt right away starting this fall. The best way to prepare for that would be having him test his skills against the summer league crowd.
Andrew Nicholson (Magic)
The hometown Magic would be wise to have Nicholson take part in the event. He had an impressive career at St. Bonaventure, scoring 19 points and grabbing eight rebounds per game in his senior season.
That was against small-school competition, though.
Getting him out there against a bunch of players fighting to impress their coaches should give Orlando a better look at what they have. Nicholson has a really nice low-post game and can also stretch the defense by knocking down mid-range jumpers.
His defensive ability will receive its toughest test to date. He has good enough athletic ability to stick with most post players, but he might lack the strength necessary to guard against power moves.
The Magic should use the summer league to find out.
Maurice Harkless (76ers)
Taking Harkless in the middle of Round 1 was a risk by the 76ers and now they’ll start finding out if it will pay off. His athletic ability allowed him to stand out from the crowd, but it’s impossible to know how that will translate to the next level.
His best attribute on offense is a willingness to attack the rim. Some young players become more tentative when they make the NBA jump, however, so using the summer league to help him build confidence would be the right move for Philadelphia.
At the very least he should be able to hold his own on the defensive end. He has good quickness and length, which are key at the power forward position. There’s plenty of developing left to do, but he has all the tools a team looks for.
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