Posted: Monday, October 27, 2008, 9:54 PM | 17 comments |
 

Speights could be odd man out
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Marreese Speights scored a team-high 18 points in the 76ers' 118-100 preseason win over the Nets, but could start the season on the Sixers' Inactive List. (Bill Kostroun/AP)

With the start of the NBA season one day away (read: season opens tomorrow night). The NBA released each team's Opening Day roster.

The Sixers Active List: Elton Brand, Samuel Dalembert, Reggie Evans, Theo Ratliff, Willie Green, Andre Iguodala, Andre Miller, Kareem Rush, Donyell Marshall, Royal Ivey, Thaddeus Young, Lou Williams.

Inactive List: Jason Smith, Marreese Speights.  

Yup, you heard it here first ... Or maybe you didn't. But Speights *could* start on the Inactive List. The Sixers can change this roster before tomorrow's home opener against the Raptors. 

(Note: This is my mistake to post earlier that Speights was a definite on the Inactive List. The NBA released Opening Day Rosters and it was my assumption that these were the solidified rosters for opening day. The Sixers can, and likely will, shift players around tomorrow.)

If Speights were inactive it would come as a surprise (to me at least ... check out previous blog). Also of note, Ivey is suspended for the first two games of the season because of a three-game suspension he received with one game left last season. Ivey must be on the Active List while serving the suspension. Technically, the Sixers will have 11 eligible players for the first two games of the season.

I tried, in vain, to fix the tabbing to post the complete list of opening day rosters on the blog. I couldn't. Here is the entire list of NBA Opening Day Rosters, as posted on insidehoops.com (It pains me to link you away from Deep Sixer): NBA Rosters.

Until tomorrow ...

-- Kate
Posted by Kate Fagan @ 9:54 PM  Permalink | 17 comments
17
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:15 PM, 10/27/2008
    i thought he was supposed to start. this guy is absurdedly better than marshall, evans and possibily dalembert
    — moose42
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:55 PM, 10/27/2008
    I agree moose. This is Cheeks mismanaging a roster. It took Ed last year to order him to play the rooks.. had to trade a player and put Cheeks on his heels. Maybe Ivy will be deactivated after the suspension and reactivate Speights?
    — Wise_Owl
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:16 AM, 10/28/2008
    In all honesty, Ivey would've started the season on the IR if he could've. Blame this on the NBA Rules. I mean. Marshall had a good pre-season, and Rush is hot right now. And the rest of the guys are from last year. Someone had to go on the IR, and Theo is still a good reserve for 15 solid minutes. When the Ivey suspension is over(Read: When you can put Ivey on the IR), Speights will be in there.
    — Sixers4real
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:33 AM, 10/28/2008
    Speights played well in a couple of pre-season games mostly against back-ups. Everything tends to get over-magnified in Philly. A guy can have a good game or two and suddenly everyone thinks he's a hall-of-famer. Ivey has to be on the active roster for his suspension to run, as the article points out. I'm sure Ivey will be inactive for Speights once the suspension is over since we already have 3 other guards on the bench - Williams, Green and Rush.
    — JimG
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:41 AM, 10/28/2008
    It is still a bad decision since Speights will be the key to how far the Sixers go this season. The weakest link for the current team is the Center position. That's not a knock on Dalembert, but Sam is an average Center statistically, and a team with Championship aspirations needs more out of the position. That isn't to say that Speights is the answer, but all the evidence available suggests that he has the potential to become that player. As a rookie learning the toughest position, what Marreese needs the most is playing time. I agree with Sixers4real, I figure it will be Ivey or Rush who stays on IR, once the suspension is over. What bothers me about this is that even without Rush and Ivey the Sixers have 4 quality guards, one average Center and one below average backup at the 5 (Sorry Theo) Sam has shown to be injury and foul prone as well. Not having Speights on the bench as an insurance policy is not a smart move.
    — ricky
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:48 AM, 10/28/2008
    Bottom Line: Speights has completely outplayed Ratliff in the preseason...and Theo's value would be if/when the 76ers make it to the playoffs. Speights should get some of Sammy's minutes, so we don't have to force Brand to play Center.
    — swktke
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:03 AM, 10/28/2008
    Before we get too upset, let's keep in mind the Sixers can update that roster and shuffle things around before tomorrow's game. While Ivey is definitely not going to be on Inactive, Cheeks could bump Speights out of that spot.
    — Kfagan
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:52 AM, 10/28/2008
    Yeah, didn't I read an article just yesterday that Speights might be a starter?
    — Philly Keith
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:40 PM, 10/28/2008
    interesting speculation but agree that once ivey's suspension is up, it is logical to assume he'll be the one in IR. speights will be on the bench and probably be in the rotation but it's unlikely the season (at least in the beginning) will hang in the balance based on his playing time. we need the starting 5 and the key rotation players to start off fast and the raptors are a very good first test. brand v. bosh and dalembert v. o'neil are critical.
    — 127sixer59
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:58 PM, 10/28/2008
    Philly: I think that article, if you read it (it was by Phil Jasner) said Speights should be in the rotation ... different than starter.
    — Kfagan
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:39 PM, 10/28/2008
    The Raptors are a bad basketball team. Let's understand that. So are the Cavaliers. They were 0-4, before they needed LeBron James to be superman. Both teams will be on the brink of the playoffs, but that's it. Ricky: Dalembert's perfect for this particular basketball team. Dalembert's main problem was the Howards/Bynum's of the league. But Elton Brand has the body strength and the wingspan to deal with those players. Allowing Daly to roam the paint and guard bigs he's comfortable guarding. And then to have Ratliff, Evans, Speights coming off the bench. It's about the TEAM, not one particular player. Few front courts in the NBA(Read:Houston, LA's and Maybe Boston's). Will match the Sixers this season.
    — Sixers4real
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:51 PM, 10/28/2008
    If Cheeks doesn't have M. Speights in the rotation from day one, then I will not spend a dime of my money on tickets this year until that error is corrected. If he gets playing time, he could end up being one of the 5 best players on this team by year's end. Who will join with me in protest of not attending games until M. Speights gets his time on the floor? Maybe this will make Stefanski smack Cheeks' hand again and order him to play the young guys again. No Speights, no ticket money. Who is with me?
    — datruth4life
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:54 PM, 10/28/2008
    So Kim did you mistakenly start this rumor or what?
    — The Greek
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:16 PM, 10/28/2008
    datruth4life you're already starting a protest? Chill
    — svedka
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:40 PM, 10/28/2008
    Sorry meant Kate. Like i posted this morning on a post that suddenly dissapeared I am going to the game tommorow. Hearing the news from Kate that Speights the Great wont be starting was very dissapointing. If this is true then I hope that this isnt the case of cheeks clowning us again like he did with Willie Greene all of last year. Do we really need that fossill Marshall starting?
    — The Greek


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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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