Update: Workouts, Kaman, Ellis, etc.
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Update: Workouts, Kaman, Ellis, etc.
The 76ers have already held four pre-draft workouts and they announced today that they won't be holding anymore until next week because members of the front office are traveling overseas for a scouting trip. So we can all rest easy that this weekend won't produce an onslaught of draft prospect info. (Or am I the only one who will rest easy with that news?)
As for trade info, this is a busy time of year. As Sixers president Rod Thorn has said, he talks to "15 to 20" teams a week about potential trades. Some are more specific than others, some get leaked and some don't. Right now we're working with two specific trades the Sixers have (as confirmed by the Inquirer and Marc Stein of ESPN) discussed: swingman Andre Iguodala to the Golden State Warriors for guard Monta Ellis and Iguodala to the Los Angeles Clippers for big man Chris Kaman.
Both deals can be done straight up and both deals fill a hole -- one for a scoring guard, the other for a big man -- that the Sixers need filling. As we've said repeatedly here, the priority in trading Iguodala is landing a scoring guard. Filling the need at center can come in other ways: the draft, free agency, etc. If Iguodala is the biggest chip, then he has to bring back the most crucial need. Take from that what you will. We'll stay on both of these trades.
We caught up with Iguodala this week at the NBA Players Association's broadcasting school, which is held in affiliation with Syracuse University. He hasn't yet started working out because he's been resting his knee and his Achilles tendinitis that hindered him throughout last season. He leaves today (Thursday) to go over to China for a Nike program he does every year. He said when he returns from China, he's cleared to begin working out.
There's a lot of news out there: Sixers sale, potential trades, draft, workouts, lockout, etc. We'll be getting it on here whenever it's relevant. On Friday (tomorrow), we'll be holding our weekly Live Chat at 1 p.m. We'll be taking all questions about the Kaman trade, the Ellis trade, the potential sale, everything, so please join in if you have a few minutes. Also, this weekend is Part IV of our Sixers 2.0 Blueprint series. That will be in Sunday's edition of the Inquirer. As always, please follow on Twitter, that's where everything goes first: Deep Sixer.
--Kate
Each week, Kate will check in from the road and answer fan questions about the Sixers. Click here to ask Kate a question or e-mail her at kfagan@phillynews.com.
Why does Iguodala need to bring back a scoring guard? If he gets you a big man, couldn't they play Turner at the 2, Young at the 3 and then look to draft another scoring guard? Isn't a good big man harder to find than a good shooter?— dawk2020- Agree with you completely dawk2020-- Monta Ellis does not play defense-- I can't see him and Collins meshing. Kaman would be great if he wasn't injury proned. A trade for him scares me like the Moses for Ruland deal so many years ago. In a perfect world we would draft Enes Kanter and Iguodala would work on his game instead of saying he is trying to get away from basketball for the summer. I still say Craig Brackins might be just as good as anyone they can get at #16 in this draft. This draft is horrible.
— jojotr44 - It takes two to tango... A trade can only happen if the other team wants what your offering. Yes, I would love to trade Iggy for Andrew Bynum, or Iggy and others for Nene and JR Smith, or Iggy for D Wade!!! But do any of these teams want Iggy and his monster contract. So you need to find a dancing partner who actually wants to dance. Before we gave Iggy $80 mil for 6 years, the teams that wanted him and drove up the price was Clippers and Golden State. So that is likely why we are looking a Clippers and Golden State for a trade...they might want Iggie. Kaman played well with Brand and was actually an Allstar with Brand, but is injury prone. Ellis was targeted in the draft by Sixers when we had only a 2nd rounder but was taken a couple picks ahead by Golden State and the Sixers ended up with Lou Williams. So there is a reason things happen. But at the same time, Thorn has to get a agressive and ask other teams that maybe never showed any interest in Iggy. Focus on teams with needs for defense, and with several good pieces to bring back. Bynum would be great, Jersey kid, Long with a mean streak and just had a blow up with Lakers after they tanked to Dallas. But do the Lakers or any other team you suugest, want Iggy? That is the question???? — Fo Fo Fo
- Iggy played pretty well last year with achilles tendonitis. I've had it for two years now. It's unpredictable, chronic (it doesn't heal easily), and definitely limits what you can do. In some ways, snapping an achilles (see: elton brand pre-trade) is way more painful but easier to totally return from, apparently.— Leegles
- If you trade Iggs, Thad Young can play his natural 3 position. Then you have Jrue, Monta Ellis (who is a scoring STUD), Thad, Elton, and a center to be named later. Turner off the bench to spell Young when we go small because he's tall enough to play the 3 position against most other teams. Then get servicable big men to grab rebounds. Ellis, Holiday, Thad, and Brand should easily handle the scoring, as Ellis will take 25 shots a night if need be, and their not high arcing bricks like Iggy takes.— Clearly Ambiguous
- I'd love it if people would stop saying Thad's natural position is the SF. He's played well at SF any year. He doesn't play 4 because Iggy is in his way. It's out of necessity — dmanns
- Just get rid if Iggy PLEASE.....trade him for a water boy....with him around Young is out of place...and he's better than stinky...i mean Iggy
— mbutley - I dont usually gripe about a bad article but how about some info on Kaman since the article headline has him as the potential player to be traded for.— PhillyFever
- No, they should not explore Iggy for Kaman. A few yrs. ago Kaman was good, but due to injuries he has lost a lot and he's not enough of a defensive presence. If we do trade Iggy, we should get back a player who will have an impact and should be a front-court offensive WEAPON. I say we try to get Beasley. I see people saying they would rather Wesley Johnson, he's a "nice little" player, but he"s no unstoppable scoring force. He's the type of players we already have on our roster, he"s not and we don't have a late game difference maker. Beasley is Carmelo lite. I say we try to trade Iggy for Beasley. Beasley has star power.— Anguilla Al
- Not convinced that trading Iggy has to get us a scoring guard when we need both a scoring guard and a strong rebounder/defender. It seems to me that the draft could be used to get whatever Iggy doesn't get, since there are many scoring/shooting guards available in draft. I understand they don't bring the proven aspect, but neither do the prospective draftable forwards to fill our gaping rebounding/defending hole.— JohnFC
- I would rather Ellis than Kaman. Not a knock on Kaman's ability but they guy just can't stay healthy. I'm not sure I would deal Hawes for Kaman if the salaries matched!— FetchDixon
Comment removed.- This story scares me to death.— MrSmithTP
- Andre for Andrew--that is, Iggy for Bynum.— Romus
John Mitchell is in his second 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.
