Brackins: What you need to know
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Brackins: What you need to know
When the 76ers traded Willie Green and Jason Smith to the New Orleans Hornets for Darius Songaila and Craig Brackins, that deal was executed, in large part, because the Sixers thought they saw something in Brackins and wanted to evaluate him more closely.
In a way, that deal was similar to the one the Sixers pulled off before the 2010 trading deadline, when they acquired Jodie Meeks and Francisco Elson from the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Royal Ivey and Primoz Brezec. That deal was centered around Meeks, while the Hornets' deal was built around Brackins.
All of this begs the question: can Brackins burst onto the scene next season like Meeks did this season? In the last few days, we've been talking about the Sixers needs on the interior and questions have come up, repeatedly, about where Brackins stands heading into the 2011-12 season. Instead of looking for the answers outside of the current roster, is it possible that at least one player on the current roster -- Brackins -- might possess the skills to contribute on the interior and fill that gap?
I think the honest answer to this question is no. Brackins might, if he improves dramatically this off-season, earn some playing time in a reserve role, but he does not possess the skill set -- physical presence, toughness, rebounding, shotblocking, post moves -- the Sixers must acquire before the start of next season.
Just so we all have the same info, here are Brackins stats during the regular NBA season (quite limited sample size) and during his stints in the NBDL (much larger sample). Brackins is a 6-foot-10 forward from Iowa State, 240 pounds. He'll be entering his second season in the NBA. During the 2010-11 season, he appeared in three games for the Sixers, playing a total of 33 minutes. During those minutes he was 4 for 16 from the floor, 0 for 5 from three, scoring a total of 8 points, and grabbing a total of 4 rebounds. All of that spreads out to averages of 2.7 points and 1.3 rebounds a game. It's obviously a sample size so small that we can't draw any legitimate conclusions. During his 18 games in the NBDL, Brackins started 13 games and averaged 37.6 minutes a game. He averaged 20.1 points and 8.6 rebounds a game, shooting 44.4 percent form the floor, 24.7 percent from three, and 72.7 percent from the line. Listing these numbers gives you some idea of Brackins' game, but realistically we can't answer many questions looking at his NBA minutes. And we can't be too excited by his NBDL numbers because, quite simply, the competition isn't there.
The Sixers are committed to Brackins through next season, during which they will pay him $1.4 million. The following season, the 2012-13 season, the Sixers have a team option on him.
We'll try to explain the Brackins situation using gathered knowledge from during the season. And we quickly addressed this topic during last week's Live Chat (we'll be holding another this Friday at 1 p.m. after we get an idea of what's going down at the Chicago combine).
Here's what's good about Brackins: he has his head on straight. He mixed with the right crowd during his time up with the Sixers, hanging around Jrue Holiday, Meeks, Evan Turner, etc. He works hard and understood his role with the Sixers last season. He's not going to cause drama, but seemed to be a guy who would always be ready when a chance did come his way. In that regard, he reminds a lot of Meeks, who made the most of last season's early chances and parlayed that into a starting role. He easily picks up offenses and concepts, so, unlike a guy like Marreese Speights, you're not going to worry about him not knowing the play. He's a big guy who can really shoot from the outside and can get his outside shot off anytime he wants. He stretches the floor.
Here are the drawbacks with Brackins: He doesn't quite have a position as of right now. He can play both small and power forward, but he's got the same problem a lot of other guys on this roster have: he's probably too slow to guard an opposing small forward and might get out-bulked guarding an opposing power forward. He's getting stronger, but he's not strong enough and possesses no inside presence. While watching him play in 3-on-3 games toward the end of this past season, he always gets pushed off his spot. If he's trying to post on the block, he'd eventually be catching it at like the mid-post or the short corner, and then often the shot he's taking is a mid-range jumper. The Sixers already have a lot of guys (namely, Marreese Speights in a reserve role) that are playing the exact same way. He must improve on his defense because right now he's not especially good at any one thing: he can't guard the perimeter, he's still learning the pick-and-roll defense, and he's not an interior defender.
Those are the basics surrounding Brackins, which I think are important to understand as we move forward in the off season. Next season, he'll likely enter with an opportunity to pick up minutes in a reserve role. Realistically, earning reserve minutes is his ceiling. Because, unlike what Meeks did this year, the Sixers have no glaring need for a 6-10 big man with a sweet outside shot. Like we said earlier, that's pretty much what Speights brought to the table. Brackins brings better basketball IQ and, likely, a more disciplined attitude, which means he could pick up some of those minutes, but he's not the answer to the big man question.
In addition, Brackins and Speights seem to overlap far too much. There won't be minutes for both of them, which means as the trading season nears, either one would be an easy piece to include in a trade.
As this week's Chicago combine nears, we'll just be touching on some of these smaller Sixers' issues so we all know the lay of the land as the 2011 NBA Draft approaches (June 23) and the NBA's trading season nears. If anyone has a specific topic they want addressed, shoot me an email, kfagan@phillynews.com, or post it in the comments section below (yes, I read the comments, which is occasionally a painful thing to do).
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--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.
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Really appreciate the analysis. Been wondering why Brackins couldn't crack the lineup this year. Please dump Speights for something and maybe hope Brackins can add some bulk and a mean streak for next season.— tripleplay83- "mixed in with the right crowd", ok, so whom on this team should he be avoiding?— BlackFeet01
- I feel completely up-to-date on Brackins. Thank you.— fritztastic
- I hate to be that guy but, Brackins? Really? Craig Brackins? Its clear most people have no clue how build a team. Brackins is a bench player at best. He has no defense which is a critical flaw for a post player. What I will give him is his heart and rebounding.
We need a star not a bench player. You build a bench after you get the stars. Nice try tho.— Casin055 - They should have Brackins slim down and lean out to 220-225, while building some strength and just make him a SF. He doesn't have the shoulders and width to ever be a post presence or a defender in the paint.
The Sixers have this bad habit of trying to make guys things they aren't. Brackins is a SF, let him be a SF. Thad Young is a PF, keep him at PF. Speights is not remotely a center, he's a PF. Evan Turner is not athletic enough to play either SF or SG, his game is that of a PG, make him a PG, then decide later whether he or Holiday is your PG of the future and trade the other.
Brackins has a nice handle, he's got a pretty jumper, he needs to play reserve minutes at the SF spot and then let his height for the SF position be an extra benefit, rather than having his lack of strength be a detriment at the PF spot.— PhilaPhans - i agree with you totally except young being a PF. Bosh is nothing to be scared of in the post but thad had problems with him because of his lengtgh. He can be a reserve PF but i doubt that's the role he wants and definately not what the sixers or any team willing to give him $11M will be paying him for.
- Brackins is learning the pro game, and has his head on straight. What's bad about that? Nobody can predict whether he will always be an end of the bench guy or will post NBDL type numbers in the NBA someday. He may be a matchup nightmare for other teams if he truly has 3 point shooting range and stands 6-10. I look forward to seeing what Collins can get out of him next season.— Paul SoTX
- Great post Kate. Let's hope the Sixers trade Speights and give all those minutes to someone who understands what's going on.— Boy Howdie
- Always was surprised that Doug gave up on Jason Smith.— JBP
- Brackins Schmakins. Barkley was right. It makes no difference as the Sixers will be no more competitive next year. They will get another weak pick resulting in another "nice little player" and will stay in NBA purgatory. This is the NBA. Unless you get the perfect top 3 pick in a year where there just happens to be a difference maker in the draft than you are just out of luck.— Sewellmatt
- The Sixers will be behind the Celtics and Knicks next year and the next and the next. — JonKap
- i can't stand the lakers or Kobe Bryant but he was taken at number #13 in "96" & is one of the greatest to ever play the game while A.I. is at home probably posting like us. Darko was taken #2 behind lebron & in fron of melo and wade in "03" and boy what a difference he has made. i just can't wait to purchase his jersey because i know they are selling like hot cakes in MN. my point, we can't predict zip from the draft. While durant is the future of thr NBA, hopefully oden can redeem himself from plagues of injury.
- Nah, he's in West Phil shopping on 52 street, eating at club mcdonalds on 40th and going to check out a flick at the bridge... get at him BigVil,lol
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.
