Hawes eager to join Sixers
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Hawes eager to join Sixers
Bob Cooney
The acquisition of center Spencer Hawes from Sacramento last week in the Samuel Dalembert trade gives the Sixers yet another young player. Hawes, a first-round pick in 2007, just turned 22 in late April.
He joins Jrue Holiday (20), Jodie Meeks (23), Thad Young (22), Lou Williams (23), Marreese Speights (22) and Jason Smith (24). The leader of the group, Andre Iguodala, is still only (26) and Thursday the team will probably add 21-year-old Evan Turner with the second pick in the draft. The thought of coming east and joining this group of players excites the 7-1 Hawes.
“You look at the team on paper and you see a boatload of talent,” he said. “Their athleticism really jumps out at you. Any time you have that kind of talent, it’s a huge advantage. With coach (Doug) Collins and his staff, we can really start focusing in and translate that into more wins.”
If it plays out the way the Sixers hope, Hawes will be solid and consistent – much unlike his predecessor in Dalembert.
“I don’t really think of this as a second chance,” he said of the trade. “It sort of caught me off-guard, then I had a chance to look at it and evaluate it. I’m coming to a great organization in a great city. I have an opportunity here to try to take my game to the next level.”
More on Hawes in tomorrow's Daily News.
well at least he's saying the right things. that's a start...— bboybeballin
if they could only unload brand.....— the tru 1- Throw Doug C in and you may have the makings of positive change.— lerze77
- sixers gon be nicce in my fab loso voice in a year or two mark my words jus get rid of dat manager and dey be even better....— uptown1990
- Hope just may be on the way...........Join "Sixers Fans For Change" on Facebook.— ArtMooney
- Nobody is gonna give ...whats his name... last years coach...to put us in position to draft Turner.— bigphillydad
- He'll bring the mid-range jumper and high-post passing to open up the floor and create more spacing, obviously none of which were part of Sammy's game. Now it's up to Collins to get this kid to shake the soft label and instill some toughness. I'm cautiously optimistic, but this city won't stand for a 7-footer getting bullied around the rim
- Im glad they got a prospect for Sammy. Sammy was such a disappointment. King signed him to that crazy contract too made it unbearable.. we need to get rid of Willie Green now.— Wise_Owl
- I have being tell everybody this team is not that far away. Not from championship but second round of playoffs. Let's go Sixers!!!!— ddstman
- Let's just hope they all can play good together. I am a philly fan for life. Go Sixers. I wonder wat if___________— I M Jim
Agree with stikolaboloni....all those people frustrated with Sammy and his lack of basketball skills etc...will also feel frustrated when Hawes (or anybody else) doesn't defend or alter/block shots. But I guess that defense will become more of a team emphasis. I am looking forward to seeing how things work out...still some moves to come I think. But if you want to be a great defensive team...wouldn't an elite shot blocker in the middle be your biggest asset? So wouldn't Sam seem to be the perfect piece to a defensive minded team, putting all the other issues aside and just from a purely basketball perspective? I think the emphasis defensively will have to shift to team defense and keeping people from driving the now softer interior defense....but won't that expose our already leaky defense of the three point shot???— srvdove- been with this team forever, i dont want to see anyone of you sixer haters hop on our bandwagon.— bro man dude
smith will beat him.— combocancer1975
How can anyone miss Sammy's Defense when it was only there half the time anyway. Hawes will easily be his equal in the big picture, and can be a better teammate by providing consistency to an important position. He doesn't have to be great - just consistent. That way the "stars" can play their game.
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Bob Cooney has been at the Daily News for more than 20 years, working in the sports department for the past 15. This is his third season on the Sixers beat. He has covered just about everything, but mostly college basketball, where he was the La Salle beat writer for six seasons. E-mail Bob at cooneyb@phillynews.com and follow him on Twitter.
