Player or GM?

The first round of the 2006 Playoffs are over and I am neither dissapointed or extremely happy. I am numb. The reason for my numbness is the 76'ers and their recent exercise in futility. They finally had a team with fire power for the first time since Larry Brown wandered into the Spectrum. Finally Iverson had people that could help him fill up the nets. He averaged 33points and 7.4 assists and1.9 steals per game. That is a feat that probably hasn't been achieved since Wilt or Oscar Robinson played. Too bad he didn't have anyone to play defense for him or the other scorers. Now the Sixers have to right this wrong and change the teams make up.

Everytime the Sixers experience a setback the media collectively cries that the only way to get better is to trade Iverson. All the sports radio experts are saying that is the only way to do it. I'm sure the team could trade Iverson, but what will they get for him? Lets look at the past trades of Sixer superstars. First we go back to Moses Malone. Who did the Sixers get for Moses? I believe they got Jeff Ruland and Roy Hinson. Not only did they trade Moses they traded the #1 pick in the draft. They traded an All Star and a future All Star for good stats from bad teams. If you know anything about the NBA a bum can score 20pts per game for a team with a record of 20-62. Most of the games they play in are extended garbaged time.

After the horrendous trade and Jullius Irving retired the Sixers only had Barkley and Sir Charles played his heart out. Many times putting the entire team on his back and carrying them. They didn't get him any help and he asked for a trade. The team obliged and they recieved Jeff Hornacek, Tim Perry, and Andrew Lang. Hornacek played well for awfull teams. I don't remember Lang or Perry in Sixer uniforms. I'm sure they played but they didn't do enough to make me remember them. Oh yeah, Clarance Weatherspoon was hyped as the next Barkley and by drafting him they were able to part ways with the only real version of Charles Barkley. The only problem is that Clarance Thomas got his shot blocked more than hockey players.

The Sixers also have a problem with overpaying for glorified role players. The most notable in recent history was Scott Williams. I believe playing with Michael Jordan can make it easier to do well. All of the attention that Jordan got around the basket made it easy for him to make hustle plays. That split second the defenders were looking at Jordan made it easier to gain position for the next rebound. The Sixers paid out of the nose for this kid, he got the money and dogged it. Steven Hunter fits this mold he was garbage in Philly. All Hunter had to do is run up and down the court with Phoenix all of the action had to add a lot to his numbers. Wide open playing styles lead to more statistics because there are more possessions and more shots.

Now lets look at Billy King. I'm all for a brother in a GM role but Billy King was truley out of his league. He has a tempermental superstar and an owner (Ed Snider) that doesn't want to spend on his basketball team but will pay out the ass for his hockey club. Ironically neither has won anything thing. If you look throughout the league a lot of former Sixers are playing the role that the Sixers so embarasingly miss, defense. Look at Raja Bell, and Bruce Bowen they will man up all day long. Even if they can't stop the other teams superstar they make them work. Billy King has to realize that in building a team you have to bring together the correct pieces. If you look at the current roster of the 76'ers it doesn't look as if he could assemble a preschool puzzle. If the Sixers orginization wants to win, they have to do so by obtaining new management. The franchise won't be able to get anything for Iverson, and the fans deserve to see his spectacular play until he retires. Management is a dime a dozen, superstars aren't that easy to find.