Posted: Sunday, May 4, 2008, 2:03 PM | 85 comments |
 

Memphis' Miller Heads Reporter's Wish List
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One thing that the Detroit Pistons series showed the 76ers was that they still have a long way to go to get to that next level. Which is why the offseason will be interesting.

There have already been many great suggestions from the fans of this blog and to my e-mail on what the Sixers should do. For the next few months we will be dealing a lot with this topic.

If this reporter had one player he would try to land, it would be Mike Miller of Memphis.

As mentioned in Sunday's Inquirer, Miller has two years and almost $19 million left on his contract. He is 28, in the prime of his career and if I were coach K, he'd be on my Olympic team.

Miller gives the Sixers something they desperately need - perimeter shooting.

Memphis almost dealt him to Miami at the trade deadline. The key question is whether the Sixers have the players or draft choices that Memphis would desire.

To be fair to both teams, this is all speculation. We know the Sixers like Miller's game, but do they like it enough to pursue a trade?

And if Memphis is no longer looking to dump salary as it did in the Pau Gasol deal, then the Sixers may not be the best fit.

We know the need the Sixers have for a low-post presence. But after seeing Rasheed Wallace connect on more three pointers than the entire Sixers team during the Pistons series, the lack of a perimeter game has to be addressed.

And who better to address it with than somebody who shot 50.2 percent from the field and 43.2 percent from three-point range for a team that finished tied for the third worst record in the NBA?

 
Posted by Marc Narducci @ 2:03 PM  Permalink | 85 comments
85
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:42 PM, 05/04/2008
    Completely agreed Marc. I've been hollering for Mike Miller since before the 2008 trade deadline. It addresses the Sixers' complete lack of outside shooting AND allows Iggy to play the 2 on defense to which he is much more suited than the 3. Miller is definitely big enough (6'8, 220) to guard the 3 spot on defense. If you could get Mike Miller for Sammy D (questionable at best), I'd do that deal first, which would allow you to keep Andre Miller as more attractive feed at the '09 trade deadline. However, I'd also try to include Kyle Lowry for Rodney Carney in the deal; if necessary, I'd throw a 2009 #1 pick into the mix. Then, you need to get Roy Hibbert at all costs in the draft as Sam's replacement. As a backup plan (if Memphis doesn't want Sam), I'd move Andre Miller (and his expiring deal) for Mike Miller and Kyle Lowry. Either way, the Sixers take care of two of their three upgrades (outside shooting and PG of the future) and still have enough bullets and cap space left to offer the Clips some combination (2 of 3) of a re-signed Lou Williams, Rodney Carney, and / or Jason Smith + a future #1 for Elton Brand. That would be my plan this offseason.
    — Dean1
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:26 PM, 05/04/2008
    Dean I agree with just about everything you said except on Roy Hibbert. Did you watch him play at all in his college career? He sucks and the Philly fans would eat him alive the first time he goes up with weak and gets his lay-up punched into the 3rd row (he rarely goes strong and dunks on ppl). At his size he was an average rebounder at best in college and I hate his passive nature. I don't think he will be a good NBA center and I think we get considerably worse defensively inside with him as well.
    — ReclinerGM
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:07 PM, 05/04/2008
    Marc, it seems E.S. likes what Sam gives defensively, and probably won!t trade him. So the only way to get Brand and M.Miller is to trade A.Miller and use our cap room. But if he doesn!t want to move A.Miller than I don!t see any way we get both.Memphis is gonna want Draft picks or young players. If L.Will. has value and is considered by management as only a 3rd guard than he may have to be moved.
    — seude
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:36 PM, 05/04/2008
    Marc, I look at M.Miller as more than just a shooter, he may be our best player if added. After the playoffs I think a scorer of any kind is a welcome addition. If Brand and M.Miller is not an option than get a lower level 4 [D.Gooden ] as an example. A rotation of Gooden,Evans,J.Smith,Sam and our pick [R.Lopez, D.J.White] would be a solid rotation at the 4 and 5 positions.
    — seude
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:44 PM, 05/04/2008
    I want Chris Wilcox.
    — rayzoe
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:34 PM, 05/04/2008
    I think I saw or read that Ed like Mo peterson or Micheal Redd I am not sure which one. But I think it is Redd who ed likes. I won't be surpise to see one of those guys here next year! So that leaves out Mike Miller! I just can't visualize Miller, being a Moe Cheeks type of player. What is the difference between Kyle Korver and Mike Miller? Miller can score more points, I guess. Miller don't fit this team!
    — cosmic
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:39 PM, 05/04/2008
    What is more important an out side shooter or inside scorer, for the sixers?
    — cosmic
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:03 AM, 05/05/2008
    BOTH, but the inside post threat probably trumps the outside shooter in most situations. We have no semblence of consistent scoring from the 4 / 5 positions, so in the Sixers' case, you need to get the best available post threat as the #1 priority. An inside post threat is always a viable option even when an offense is not working so well; add'l, it opens up shots and lanes for the 1, 2, and 3 positions. In terms of the lefty 2 guards you mentioned, Michael Redd is who Ed S. likes...for the record, at over $14M per season, Redd is not worth the $$. His defense is suspect at best and he gives you less size than M. Miller; add'l Iggy would then have to start at the 3, which is not where you want him to play going forward. Mike Miller, at $8.5M per season, is exactly what this team needs in terms of an affordable, deadly outside shooter that possesses big-time size and can board. No thanks on Michael Redd.
    — Dean1
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:47 AM, 05/05/2008
    Haven't seen M. Miller play too much but doesn't he have a reputation as a bad defender despite his size? I don't want him unless he can defend. 3 point shooters are the last piece to a good team and if he can't help on defense then he isn't worth it. If he is a good defender though he could be a nice addition to this team and give them a little help on the half court offense as long as we don't have to give up too much for him.
    — bball
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:52 AM, 05/05/2008
    As far as the debate over post presence or outside shooter, I'll take post presence any day of the week. A team with good post players can get open 3 point looks and shoot a good percentage despite not having great a 3 point shooter. Most guys in the NBA can knock down a wide open trey. Bruce Bowen is the perfect example he hits open 3's because of Duncan.
    — bball
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:29 AM, 05/05/2008
    M.Miller is not Korver. He is a good all round player that fills a stat sheet. He got 7 rebounds a game this year. Defense keeps being brought up, and I stress it as much as anybody but this is one instance when if a guy is an average defender at least than he is a viable option. We need a #1 scoring option. If a guy is a 20 to 25 pt. player and a very good defender he won!t be available.Dean, some good scouting reports on N.B.A. players being run in a series on DRAFTEXPRESS.COM covering both ends of the court on players. Redd is said to be average defensively. As long as he is not a statue on defense than he has to be considered. I also like Miller over Redd for the reasons Dean listed above but like I said earlier, how can we get Brand and Miller if A.Miller is not moved.
    — seude
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:52 AM, 05/05/2008
    To me, it seems like Sam would be the more natural fit in Memphis, but that's from a Marc Ivaroni-system perspective. From other perspectives, including mentoring Mike Conley and even more cap relief in 2009, Andre Miller makes more sense. In terms of getting Brand without using Andre Miller, the only way it's feasible is if you get Mike Miller / Kyle Lowry for Sam / Carney and then do a Lou Williams / Jason Smith / 2009 #1 (if necessary) for Brand in a sign and trade (assuming Brand signs the extension). However, in that scenario, you're losing 3 young, potential key, contributors down the road AND a 10 and 10 Center. Personally, I'd rather move Andre Miller and Carney to Memphis for M. Miller and Lowry, and then move Lou, Jason, and a #1 to the Clips for Brand. Next year the team would suffer a bit initially re: the continuity of the offense with a new, more inexperienced PG than Andre Miller and we'd lose some depth, but this plan would solve all of the Sixers' issues in the long run (dominant low-post force, outside assassin, PG of the future). I'd still draft Roy Hibbert also; a 4 / 5 rotation of Brand, Sam, Evans, and Hibbert is deep and bruising. And, even though Hibbert played soft in college, I gotta think that practice sessions every day with Brand and Reggie would toughen him up in a hurry.
    — Dean1
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:07 AM, 05/05/2008
    Sixers cannot win with Dalembert and his muddle-headed ball playing; don't care who's surrounding him. Likes the attention of differentiation, even if it costs games. Needs to go for forward progress - team's, and perhaps his own.
    — jjg
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:24 AM, 05/05/2008
    Miller? Good shooting stats, but is he a team player? Will he play hard at other end? Can he catch and shoot - minus dribble - quickly? I think of him as a drive right, flex knees and pop guy; one who needs launch time and space. Maybe I'm wrong there.
    — jjg
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:27 AM, 05/05/2008
    I disagree. Sam hasn't had a all-star caliber type player next to him that can put him in his place. As much as Reggie Evans is a hard worker, bruising rebounder, etc., he's still a role guy. Elton Brand is a respected all-star in this league and can show Dalembert in both a nice and not-so-nice way how things are supposed to be done. Generally, when eccentric guys like Sam are allowed to do their own thing, they don't focus as well as they should and drift off (look at Dennis Rodman). However, when Rodman was placed in a situation with a bunch of all-stars and a championship caliber team, he towed the line and played exceptional basketball. Now, I'm not comparing Sam to Rodman or the Sixers to the Bulls of the '90s, but the premise is the same.
    — Dean1


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About John Mitchell
John Mitchell is in his first year covering the 76ers for the Inquirer after joining the paper in November 2011. He covered the Washington Wizards for the Washington Times from 1998 to 2008. He's also worked at the Philadelphia Tribune, the Wilmington News Journal, Courier-Post, Trenton Times and Elmira Star-Gazette.

Born and raised in West Philadelphia - not too far from Will Smith - he graduated from Overbrook High School the same year the 76ers won their last championship. He's a proud graduate of Howard University and the proud father of two sons, Jared and Jordan.

ABOUT MARC NARDUCCI

Marc Narducci has served in a variety of roles with the Inquirer since beginning in 1983. He has covered the 76ers as a backup and a beat writer. In addition, Narducci has covered everything from the Super Bowl to the World Series and a lot in between. Narducci also has a true passion for South Jersey scholastic sports, which he has covered for many years.

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