A few minutes with Andre Miller
Since I spent most of my morning waiting for the Portland Trailblazers to finish practice -- they practiced for about 2 hours the day before a game -- and then 75 more minutes waiting for Andre Miller to finish his extra shooting routine, I figured I should post the conversation with the 76ers former starting point guard. Last summer, the Sixers offered Miller only a 1-year deal. Miller wanted a longer deal. The Sixers said they didn't want to sign Miller, who is 33, to a longer deal because they wanted to see how Lou Williams would handle the point guard spot. And they drafted Jrue Holiday, also a point guard. Today, the Sixers maintained that reasoning for letting Miller walk away verifying that what they said this summer is exactly why they didn't re-sign him. Miller signed with the Portland Trailblazers for 2 years plus a team option for the 3rd. He's getting about $7 million a year.
A few minutes with Andre Miller
Since I spent most of my morning waiting for the Portland Trailblazers to finish practice -- they practiced for about 2 hours the day before a game -- and then 75 more minutes waiting for Andre Miller to finish his extra shooting routine, I figured I should post the conversation with the 76ers former starting point guard. Last summer, the Sixers offered Miller only a 1-year deal. Miller wanted a longer deal. The Sixers said they didn't want to sign Miller, who is 33, to a longer deal because they wanted to see how Lou Williams would handle the point guard spot. And they drafted Jrue Holiday, also a point guard. Today, the Sixers maintained that reasoning for letting Miller walk away verifying that what they said this summer is exactly why they didn't re-sign him. Miller signed with the Portland Trailblazers for 2 years plus a team option for the 3rd. He's getting about $7 million a year.
Per usual, Miller was soft-spoken and thoughtful with his answers. Here's the conversation:
Did you think this summer would transpire as it did?
"Nah, I didn’t. I figured I had two good years there; I figured they would want to keep me. But [as it went along] I could tell it wasn’t going to happen."
Why not?
"There wasn’t no money available to pay me. So that was the problem right there."
Who were the leaders, other than you, on last year's team?
"Everybody stepped up: [Andre] Iguodala, Willie Green. Everybody pretty much played off of those two guys, they showed leadership."
Have you paid attention to the Sixers this year?
"I know they have problems; I know they’re struggling."
For a guy who spent two years there, any idea why they're struggling?
"I think it’s just they’re playing under a new system. I think that’s it. Those guys are athletes over there and they want to get up and down the court and fast break and force turnovers and I think right now they’re getting taught, basically, how to play college basketball. Passing and cutting and stuff like that."
Is that a good system for them?
"I don’t know. It’s hard, some guys over there didn’t go to college. That’s a system that’s going to take time. That’s a lot of athletes over there. It takes time and you have to be a thinker at the same time.
Did you want to remain with the Sixers?
"Actually I did. Actually, that was the No. 1 priority because I felt the two times we made it to the playoffs we actually had opportunities to advance. So I just thought with a little bit more time to gel together you know we definitely had a chemistry when I was over there. I did want to stay if [Ed] Stefanski wanted to bring me back."
Is it odd to you that they brought back Allen Iverson, who's older than you?
"That’s their problem now. I showed durability in this league. My game hasn’t declined, you know, it’s gotten better over the years and I’m healthy. That’s just an excuse to say, 'The reason we didn’t bring him back was because we felt his years were behind him,' which is bull … it was just the money, that’s all."
Who would you think would be the leader of this year's team?
"I think Iguodala. He’s the one that’s shown leadership. He took some of that role last year and the years I was there. It’s tough when you’re a young guy with so many expectations and then there’s a coaching change and you have to sit there and take in the system that he wants to put in. And you’re trying to teach yourself at the same time."
So there's Andre Miller's take on a number of Sixers topics. I figured since I spent three hours waiting for Miller at the practice facility (an insanely nice practice facility, by the way), that I should at least post a video of Miller shooting with his son. You can check that out in the Deep Sixer video player below on the right. Also, if you missed the post from earlier this morning, scroll down, it's called "7-22".
That's all for today ...
--Kate
From watching the Sixers last year, Miller was the only leader on the floor. Dre Dala hardly ever took a big shot with the game on the line. Time and time again the offense flowed through Miller in crucial moments of close games.— Flock- That is more than I heard from Miller than at any time during his 2 1/2 years here. I though the guy hardly ever speaks to the press?— tktk
- Miller did play well last year offensively, but I did not disagree with the Sixers not bringing him back for two years, as they needed to play Williams and Holiday. Had Miller signed, of course, I wonder whether they would have drafted Holiday, instead leaving Miller at the point and moving Williams to the two. In any event, my problem was bringing in Jordan, a huge mistake, as virtually everyone has regressed. Miller's synopsis about the type of players on the Sixers vis-a-vis the Princeton System is spot-on. Too bad Stefanski, who will be out the door ere long, failed to see it.— chuckw
- Good luck to a class act now playing for a class organization and a good coach. "Sixer organization" is an oxymoron.— kjsherman
- All Andre Miller was was the best player on the team for two years - he would fix the sixers in a week— osuphan
Comment removed.- HOW DO YOU SIGN GUYS LIKE BRAND AND IGGY TO LONG TERM DEALS,AND NOT BE ABLE TO FIND ENOUGH MONEY TO SIGN ANDRE.THAT'S WHY WE'RE NEAR THE BOTTOM.— MJOLLNIR HAMMER
- Williams and Holiday have the smell of career NBA bench guards on them. Andre Miller was and is an NBA starting point guard. You are talking apples and oranges Chuckw.— JonKap
- JonKap: obviously, we disagree on the future of Holiday and Williams but the key was a two-year deal for Miller, who at present has started only 16 games for the Trail Blazers, is shooting 40 percent from the field, with 4 assists per game. There was little demand for him from other teams as a free agent, and he is not a good defender. Don't overrate him at 33 years old. Before he got hurt, Williams was putting up much better numbers from the point. The problem has been Jordan and his use of the players on this team. Even without Miller, they should have a far better record then 7-22. I like apples and oranges in any event.— chuckw
- Listen everyone- the only way the 76ers are going to improve long-term is to have 3 very bad years. The difference between, for example, a #5 pick and a #13 pick is huge. By keeping Miller, they would have won more games, but it would delay what they need to improve as rapidly as possible. This team needs to get very bad before they can get very good. I truly appreciated Andre Miller because it is great to see that a true point guard can make everyone better. Unfortunately, having Andre Miller on the 76ers right now just serves no purpose- regardless of money.— rwolffd12
- Sorry, but I don't believe in the we have to lose games and suck for awhile so we can get high draft picks theory. That goes against the very nature of sports. If you're not playing to win, then you're just developing a losing culture for your team. There have been plenty of good NBA players who were drafted late 1st round or 2nd round or even undrafted. There have also been plenty of top 10 draft picks that were complete busts.— JimG
- Comment removed.
- Kate, I usually enjoy reading your blog, however, Andre Miller is gone--let it go please. He was an alright player at best. I look at how the Sixers are doing this year and are they better off without him, probably no, but Miller's services were no longer needed. Who cares Kate? 1phillycat/Afghanistan— 1phillycat
- @ Jim G-name the players--this isn't the NFL, when you can take a Hall of Fame QB in the 7th round--look at all of the past Reg. Season/Finals MVP's--all top 10 picks--LeBron, Duncan, Garnett, Shaq, Howard, Wade, Paul, even going back to Malone, Barkley, Jordan, etc--Kobe orchestrated his going to the Lakers, and if he had gone to college even for a yr or 2, he would have been a top 5 pick...the only player not drafted in the 1st rd currently who's an All Star Caliber talent is Arenas...and look as Wash's record--bottom line--you HAVE to stink in the NBA for a yr or 2 to get better— phillyguy12
- Comment removed.
Keith Pompey has been an Inquirer reporter since September 2004. He takes over the Sixers beat after covering the Temple men’s basketball team for the past three years and Temple football the past two seasons. Pompey also previously covered the Penn and Drexel men’s basketball team and Villanova football team after initially focusing on high school sports.
Pompey is a native Philadelphian and a University of Pittsburgh. Follow him on Twitter @PompeyOnSixers or reach Keith at kpompey@phillynews.com.
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.
