Sixers: Trade Deadline/Player Updates & New Podcast

Now Departed Sixers: F Ilyasova (Left) and Nerlens Noel (Right).  Image Courtesy: SB Nation

      The 2017 NBA Trade Deadline has come and gone and the Sixers did not stand pat.  Philadelphia made moves to acquire assets and expand roles for players on the current squad.  With the 3rd worst record in the league, the Sixers were not looking to add any superstars such as Indiana Pacers SF Paul George or Chicago Bulls SF Jimmy Butler, but they were looking to help build for the future.  On top of the trade deadline, the Sixers made a couple of announcements within the past couple of days that will raise fan's eyebrows, and not for the better!

      But first with a Non-Sixers related point...I am happy to announce that last night, February 23rd 2017, The Small Ball Lineup made it's debut on Wildfire Radio!  You can catch myself, Keith Small, and Nick Granese live every Thursday Night at 9:30 PM on Wildfire Radio.  You can also stream/download every episode on our show's page in the link below.  Enjoy!

Wildfireradio.com/small-ball-lineup

Sixers Trade Ilyasova to Hawks

                 Philadelphia Sixers Receive                                 Atlanta Hawks Receive

                       F/C Tiago Splitter                                                 PF Ersan Ilyasova

                     2017 2nd Round Pick

              Swap of 2017 2nd Round Picks

•  The Sixers 3 games into this season acquired PF Ersan Ilyasova, and OKC's 2020 1st Round Pick for F Jerami Grant and ever since joining the team Ilyasova brought much needed veteran experience and made an immediate impact.  He played well most of the season, but my only true criticism I had of him was his shot selection late in games.  He has a short-term memory when it comes to missing a shot, but sometimes that can be a detriment late in games when a higher percentage shot is needed and hes taking a 17-foot jumper with :20 seconds left on the shot clock, but that's just me.  Anyway, the reason why he was parlayed to Atlanta was due to his upcoming Free Agency.  The move proved the Sixers were not willing to pay Ilyasova a big contract this summer that I believe will be in the range of $72 million over 4 years.  In return the Sixers receive Tiago Splitter, an aging, injury-plagued F/C who spent time with Head Coach Brett Brown from their days in San Antionio, and 2 2nd rounders.  The return isn't great, but it is a return as Splitter may never see the court and the 2 draft picks are back pocket assets.  The best part of this move is that the recently surging PF Dario Saric will see an expanded role and time as a starter, which I believe will be good for him experience wise but I see his best production coming as the 1st guy off of the bench who I predict will win the "6th Man of the Year" Award at least once in his career.  Trade gets PSS's Approval.

SSixers Trade Nerlens Noel to Mavericks 

                   Philadelphia Sixers Receive                                Atlanta Hawks Receive

                       G/F Justin Anderson                                               C Nerlens Noel

           2017 1st Round Pick (1-18 protected)..

              ...Most likely 2 2nds in '17 and '20

           C Andrew Bogut (Negotiating Buyout)

•  Essentially the beginning of the "Process", Nerlens Noel was the 6th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft where former GM Sam Hinkie made a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans that included G Jrue Holiday in exchange for NO's pick in which Nerlens was selected.  I loved most of Nerlens game; his speed, rebounding ability, defense, rim protection, and ability to run the fastbreak...his game, especially defensively, translated to the NBA, but his down-low shooting and scoring presence needed improvement.  The Mavericks get a great defender and rim protector in Noel and he will be missed in Philly.  Again, like Ersan, Noel was coming up on Free Agency and with C Joel Embiid, they have already identified him as the future Center of the team even with only 31 games of experience and they were not going to overpay Noel to be the back up Center, which he could get a deal in the range of $85 Million over 5 years.  Similar return as the Ilyasova trade but we just may see something out of the 3rd year G/F Justin Anderson who is said to be a great perimeter defender but needs work on his scoring ability.  I am very intrigued to see what he brings to the table.  PSS Approves of the trade.

Sixers Key Player Updates 

• GM Bryan Colangelo announced this morning that the 2016 1st Overall Pick in the NBA Draft G/F Ben Simmons will not suit up for the Philadelphia 76ers this season, due to the Jones Fracture in his right foot not fully healing as soon as they expected.  A crushing blow for the team, even thought most of the fans had a general idea this was would be the case when he didn't step on the court in January.  It took me a while to come to this point because I wanted to see him on the floor this season but it is better for him to get healthy and not rush coming back for this season when there is nothing to play for essentially.
• C Joel Embiid will miss "at least" the next 4 games with continued swelling in his left knee, which there is a slight tear to his meniscus.  They "target" a return to the court date of March 4th against the New York Knicks, but I see that as doubtful and would not be surprised if he was shut down for the rest of the season, because again in the Simmons case, there is nothing for the team to play for so treat this as an audition for players on the team who want to be here next season.

State of the Sixers: Lack of Transparency

Sixers C Joel Embiid dancing at Meek Mill show last night in WFC. Image Courtesy: Philly.com / Twitter @Owlpress

• Good Morning Philadelphia!  The Sixers are in the spotlight early Saturday morning without the team playing a basketball game on Friday night.  Center Joel Embiid shined on the stage where Philly native, Meek Mill,  performed as he brought the 7+ footer out to dance to Future's "Wicked".  Everything would've been fine with the Rookie Center dazzling the Wells Fargo Center crowd had he not been missing his 9th straight game tonight against the Miami Heat with a bone bruise to his left knee.

• Embiid has not played since the Sixers' nationally televised 5-point loss to the Houston Rockets in Philadlephia, in which after Embiid admitted to having some pain after one of his best games of the season.  On this same night, Joel admitted he had to convince the Sixers Medical Staff to play as he suffered the bone bruise exactly one week earlier against the Portland Trail Blazers.  Embiid has been selected to play in next Friday's NBA Rising Stars Game and Saturday night's Skills Competition, but new Sixers GM Bryan Colangelo says Embiid will not be able to participate in the festivities unless he plays in at least one game before next weekend.

• The Sixers have been on the uptick this season, mostly to Joel Embiid's debut in the NBA and his impact it is having on the rest of the team; the Sixers next win will double their win total from a year ago(10-72) with 29 games left to play, so they have that going for them.  But besides Embiid injuring his knee against the Trail Blazers and only playing once since, the first overall selection in this past June's NBA Draft, Ben Simmons, has not stepped on the court in an NBA regular season game due to a fractured foot on the last day of Training camp in September.  Simmons' injury usually has a recovery time of 6-8, but the Sixers, who have plenty of experience being cautious with injury, would not rush the rookie on to the floor so add at least two weeks to that.  Well ,we are now 18 weeks removed from the surgery and questions about the rookie are now intensifying and GM Bryan Colangelo is feeling the heat.

• As we rewind back to yesterday afternoon, Colangelo was a guest on 94.1 WIP Sportsradio Philadlephia's Carlin and Reese Afternoon Show and it seemed as if Colangelo was close to hanging up the phone as Carlin and Reese piled on the questions about the lack of answers regarding Embiid and Simmons' injuries.  Joel Embiid, who has been held out of games by the Sixers organizaiton because he is "hurt", dancing on stage only about 6 hours after the heated interview does not look good for the Sixers.

• Here is my problem with it all...The NBA stepped in on the Sixers situation with former GM, Sam Hinkie, who essentially tanked and kept a lot of information regarding the team close to his chest, as they [NBA] thought it was bad for the game, yet he really exposed the NBA for the flawed product it was and is.  So Hinkie was forced out and Jerry Colangelo was convinced by the league to intervene by bringing in his son Bryan Colangelo, who I feel is a meddling-middle of the road GM that in the past has lead his teams to mediocrity and nothing more, to fill Hinkie's shoes.  Yet, besides bringing in a couple middle of the road veterans, who have somewhat helped, Colangelo is not so sneakily conducting business as Hinkie did.  Such acts include; making moves to get the team as close to the cap floor as possible, sitting out Embiid and Simmons for longer than need, and not being upfront and transparent with the fans/media as to what the team is doing.  Now I ask, are Embiid and Simmons really as injured as the team is making it seem to be? OR...Is Colangelo pulling off the mid-season tank since the Sixers won too many games in July?  This upcoming draft in June has the potential to be one of the best drafts in years with a ton of talent at the Guard position which the team really needs, so I have no problem with the mid-season tank as long as there is more transparency from the organization.  The bottom line is speaking for myself, and I believe many others, the city will be behind this team when everything goes right because the most important thing is to win and all of the malarkey in the middle will pass, but I just don't see the point in keeping everything close to the chest, when Colangelo was brought in to be the "Anti-Hinkie".  As you can see with Colangelo's appearance on WIP for example, there is growing frustration with the organization as a whole that could be avoided by being straight forward and not throwing Head Coach Brett Brown under the bus to have to answer the questions that should be being asked by Colangelo and ownership.  The Sixers are by no means the New York Knicks right now as they go through turmoil on many different fronts, but I don't want to see the promise of this team and what could be be demolished by a lack of transparency when all this city wants just a little bit more honesty and not to feel as if they are being left in the dark as we all want to enjoy the ride that could come.