Associated Press
Jrue Holiday is the Sixers' point guard of the future, but they need a vet there now.
- Bidding begins for Sixers to keep point guard Miller
- John Smallwood: Sixers need Andre Miller back, but not at any price
- Bidding begins for Sixers to keep point guard Miller
- GM's options on Sixers limited
- Sixers will talk with Andre Miller's agent
- Time for 76ers to drop bunny mascot
- Iverson among NBA free agents
- Photos: '09 Free Agents
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John Smallwood: Sixers need Andre Miller back, but not at any price
Seem like a no-brainer?
Not exactly. The Sixers want to improve, but no one yet sees them as a serious title contender.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, who had the best record in the NBA, and Orlando Magic, who reached the Finals, both made high-profile moves to improve their rosters, and the Boston Celtics get back a healthy Kevin Garnett.
Even with Miller, the Sixers won't likely be better than the fourth-best team in the Eastern Conference.
Signing a 33-year-old point guard at any cost under those circumstances doesn't make a lot of sense.
As bad as the Sixers' salary-cap situation is, giving Miller a contract for too much money for too many years would just extend the problem.
In 2 years, Samuel Dalembert's bloated contract will come off the books. Brand and Iguodala will be 2 more years into their deals, so even though they will be making big money, fewer years could make them easier to trade if the Sixers wanted to go in that direction.
Giving Miller more than 2 years would effectively negate those benefits.
Besides, in 2 years, the Sixers are likely counting on Holiday to be ready to guide this squad just as its core players should all be in their prime.
How does that look to you if you're Miller?
Wouldn't you want more security than a 2-year contract, especially with the heir-apparent just entering the fold?
The Sixers' advantage is that most of the top teams already are set at point guard or don't have salary-cap space, so the market for Miller could be limited.
Miller's advantage is that he knows not only that the Sixers need him, but that they also have other needs to fill.
With limited salary-cap options, however, they are effectively handcuffed until they figure out what is going to happen with him.
There are lesser point guards who can be signed with the veteran's exception, but that would hamper other potential moves the team could make with that money.
A decline at the point-guard position and fewer needs being addressed does not equate to improvement.
The Sixers need to re-sign Andre Miller, but they also need to do it on their terms. That's not going to be easy to do. *
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