Latest Iguodala trade rumor: Chris Kaman??

Please tell me this rumor is completely made up. According to Marc Stein of ESPN, the Sixers and Clippers are discussing a possible Andre Iguodala for Chris Kaman swap. Stein reports that no deal is imminent but the two teams have discussed a possible deal, which could be a one for one swap since their salaries match.

This would be a great deal for the Clippers, who are an up and coming team and could really use a small forward like Iguodala to round out their starting five. As for the Sixers, the deal makes little sense. I know that they are targeting big men but they have to be able to do better than Kaman, who can be best described as oft-injured. While Kaman was an All-Star in 2010, injuries slowed him down last season and he was only able to play in 32 games. The deal would allow the Sixers to shed Iguodala's salary and replace it with Kaman's deal that expires after next season but it really doesn't give them much value on the floor. Is Kaman really that much of an upgrade over Spencer Hawes?

I'm all for the Sixers trading Andre Iguodala as long as they get something of value in return. Shedding Iggy's salary and giving more minutes to Evan Turner and Thad Young are both good things in the long run for the Sixers. Maybe I'm overrating Iguodala but I think the Sixers can do a lot better than an average NBA center. I'd rather they made the Monta Ellis deal than this one, though I'm not a fan of that deal, either.

Rumor: Sixers and Warriors discussing Iguodala for Ellis swap

In a move that may delight many fans, it looks like the Sixers are looking to deal their supposed franchise player, Andre Iguodala. According to Ric Bucher of ESPN, the Sixers and Warriors have had discussions about a deal that would send Iguodala to the Warriors in exchange for big-scoring guard Monta Ellis.

While he makes it clear that nothing is imminent, Bucher argues that the trade makes a lot of sense for both teams, though I don't see why the Sixers would make this deal. I'm all for the Sixers trying to get some value for Iguodala but Ellis only does one thing on the basketball court and that's shoot the ball. While he's very good at filling it up, Ellis doesn't bring anything else to the Sixers should they add him to the mix. Perhaps the Sixers are trying to re-live the Allen Iverson years by acquiring the player most like him in the NBA?

Say what you will about Iguodala's leadership but he brings a lot more to the table than Ellis. Even if Iguodala never becomes the big-time scoring threat we all hoped he would be, he is still a lock-down defender who can guard the best player on the floor night in and night out. Trade Iguodala if you must, Sixers, but please get more than just a volume shooter in return.

Sixers discussing Iguodala for Carmelo trade?

In a story that is likely too good to be true, Philly.com is reporting that the Sixers and Nuggets are in discussions regarding a trade that would send Andre Iguodala to Denver in exchange for Carmelo Anthony. The trade would of course include other parts, likely another quality piece or two being shipped out of Philly and something from Denver to get the salaries to match. Before the deal would be agreed upon by the Sixers, they would also have to negotiate a long-term deal with Anthony, something that would be tricky considering he has never shown any interest in coming to Philadelphia.

Call this deal a longshot at best. From the Sixers perspective, the deal is a slam dunk as long as they get to hold on to Evan Turner. Anthony is an elite player and would immediately take them from a fringe playoff team in the East to a contender for a top 4 seed. Considering Anthony has a say in where he goes and he wants to go to New York, New Jersey or Chicago, even if the Sixers put together a good package of players, that doesn't mean a deal will go through.

I suppose we can all still dream, however. How does a starting five of Jrue Holiday, Evan Turner, Carmelo Anthony, Thaddeus Young and Elton Brand sound to you?

Time for a shakeup: Andre Iguodala to the Cavs?

The time to shakeup the Sixers is now. The only thing falling faster than the Sixers are in the standings are their ticket sales, which has the team hemorrhaging money left and right. The return of Allen Iverson, as expected, only made the Sixers a temporary novelty in Philadelphia and now they are simply an afterthought in a city counting down the days until pitchers and catchers report.

With the team realizing that this season is a wash, rumors have begun to swirl that every veteran Sixer has been placed on the trading block. While the Sixers would love to find someone willing to take Elton Brand off their hands, basically the only valuable commodity the team has is swingman Andre Iguodala. Iggy is "the man" in Philly but would be a great third option on a team with championship aspirations.

Enter the Cavaliers. Apparently the Cavaliers are dangling a package that would include former All Star Zydrunas Ilgauskas and a young player (J.J Hickson?) for Iguodala. Iggy would be a perfect fit for the Cavs as he is a solid defender and he could play a complimentary offensive role to LeBron James.

From the Cavs perspective, this deal makes a ton of sense. Ilgauskas has an expiring contract and, with Shaq, is part of the Cavs two-headed monster at center. While the Cavs would hate to part with Ilgauskas, they hold out the hope that whatever team they trade him to buys his contract out so the Cavs can simply sign him up again in 30 days.

So, does this deal make sense for the Sixers? The trade wouldn't be about getting Ilgauskas, they have no use for him on a team that has no hope for the playoffs. The deal is all about unloading Iguodala and getting some cap space that could be used down the road. On paper, the trade favors the Cavs by a landslide but the Sixers still might consider it if they feel that Iggy isn't going to be part of their next rebuilding project. Personally, I would hope the Sixers could get some kind of usable talent or draft pick in the deal but they almost have to take the best deal they can find if they throw Iggy out on the market.

Expect a ton of Andre Iguodala rumors to bubble up over the next few weeks. The rest of the NBA smells the blood in the water in Philly and they are hoping to swoop in and get some talent on the cheap. It will be up to the Sixers to try to get as many draft picks, cap space and young talent as they can for whatever pieces they ship out of town. Sixers GM Ed Stefanski has one last chance to save his legacy in Philadelphia, let's see if he can fix some of his mistakes with a few smart moves.

Sixers considering Iverson? No thanks

When I heard that Allen Iverson was retiring from the NBA, part of me was sad because I always though AI would return to Philly to close out his career. It would have been nice to see him in a Sixer uniform one last time just for the rush of memories and the sense of nostalgia. Well, now that word has come out that the Sixers are considering bringing Iverson back, you would think I would be happy about it, right? Wrong. The Sixers should want no part of bringing Iverson back to Philadelphia.

The Sixers are a 5-11 team right now and have lost 5 games in a row. Simply put, they are a bad basketball team. What would be the point of bringing Allen Iverson in? An aging AI wouldn't thrust the Sixers into one of the better teams in the East so it has nothing to do with being a contender and everything to do with money. As the Sixers sag in the standings, attendance will continue to plummet as the team fades out of the collective consciousness of the city. Bringing in AI would make the Sixers relevant again and would bring the money in as everyone would want to see him play one last time.

So, from a financial aspect, bringing AI back makes a lot of sense. From a basketball aspect, however, everything is wrong about this move. If you have a team that isn't going to contend for a title, what should you be doing with that team? Developing it for the future. How do you develop a team for the future? Play the guys that will be there in the future, or at least play the guys so you can see what kind of future they are going to have. Signing Allen Iverson would take 30 minutes away from guys that are trying to learn the game and giving it to someone who is going to shoot 20 times a game. As we all have heard, Iverson needs to start in the NBA or he won't play, so you really want to take a raw rookie like Jrue Holiday and slice his minutes in half? And what happens when Lou Williams returns in a few months and Holiday finds himself glued to the bench? Who are you developing then?

The other part of this move that doesn't make any sense is the Sixers would end up winning a few more games and earning themselves a worse draft pick. Now, I'm not one who believes in tanking in the NBA to get a better pick, but if the Sixers are a bad team they deserve to have a high draft pick. Signing Iverson will hinder the Sixers chances of drafting a true difference maker in the 2010 draft.

There is really no point in the Sixers signing Allen Iverson. Sure, it will be fun for a few games and the Sixers will make some cash but in the long run it is will do more harm than it will help. While I hope that Iverson's career isn't over, I hope the Sixers are smart enough to stay away. AI deserves to have one last shot at winning a title, anyway, and that's not something he's going to be able to do in Philly.

Point-less: Andre Miller bolts to Portland

West Coast here he comes. After the Sixers pulled their offer off the table, the obvious became fact: Andre Miller wasn't coming back to Philly. The veteran point guard wanted a multi-year deal, something the Sixers weren't willing to give him, and he made it clear he wanted to go back West and leave Philly in the dust. Miller got his wish today, signing a two or three year deal with the Portland Trail Blazers worth somewhere between 6 and 8 million dollars. Despite all the rumors of possible sign-and-trade deals for Miller, the Sixers will get nothing in return. The Blazers were far enough below the salary cap that they didn't have to move anyone.

Miller's story is much like the recently departed Flyer Martin Biron, he was a solid player that the team really liked, but he wasn't worth the money or the years that he wanted. Miller was a great veteran presence who will be sorely missed by the Sixers, who now face an immediate future of Lou Williams and Jrue Holiday at point guard. It will be interesting to see if the Sixers will be able to function as well offensively without a heady point guard like Miller running the show.

By all accounts, it's a pretty good signing for the Blazers, a solid team that isn't quite elite. They may not win a championship with Miller, but he's certainly an upgrade over Steve Blake. For the second time this week, the city of Philly loses a good guy and a good teammate. The Flyers at least had a plan for how to replace Biron, I'm less confident that the Sixers have any idea what they are doing.

New Poll: Do you think Ed Stefanski is doing a good job as Sixers GM? Vote in the poll to the left!

Do the Sixers know the offseason has started?

Someone wake up Ed Stefanski, I'm afraid he's napping through the offseason. The Sixers, coming off a .500 season and a few good playoff games, seem to have forgotten that now is the time to improve their team. Now, I know that the Sixers are hampered by the huge contracts they gave out last summer to Elton Brand and Andre Iguodala, but if this team wants to improve on their medicority of the past few seasons they need to actually get some better players.

So far this offseason, the Sixers have made two additions to the team: Jrue Holiday and Jason Kapono. Also, you can add in a new coach in Eddie Jordan and the changing of their logo. As for losses, the Sixers will be without starting point guard Andre Miller and role players Theo Ratliff, Donyell Marshall, Royal Ivey and Kareem Rush. That's a lot of veteran players going, and not a whole lot coming to Philly.

So, what's the deal Stefanski? Letting Miller go was probably inevitable, he wanted more money and more years than he probably deserved. But what's the plan at point guard now? The only two players on the roster that can play point are Lou Williams and Holiday, neither of whom are ready to be the consistent presence you need running an offense. If the Sixers have no other plans to bring in a point guard this offseason, then why draft someone who is two years away from being a solid NBA contributor?

Like I said, I understand that the Sixers are loaded up with big contracts, making adding quality players difficult. Still, outside of the longshot possibility that they manage to pull of a sign and trade with Andre Miller, the Sixers might already be done maneuvering this offseason. Yes, the addition of Jason Kapono will give the team a three point threat, something they lacked last season, but is the team truly better today than it was at the end of last season?

Listed below is the Sixers current roster. I would say, besides a point guard, the Sixers also need to add another big man to the mix. This team is also loaded with too many quasi-shooting guard/small forwards.

Guards:
Jrue Holiday
Andre Iguodala
Willie Green
Lou Williams

Forwards:
Elton Brand
Thaddeus Young
Jason Kapono
Marreese Speights
Jason Smith

Centers:
Samuel Dalembert

There is still time for the Sixers to wake up and do something to upgrade their roster. It may take a trade, but it's time for Stefanski to get creative and get something done before this offseason is over, or it could be another long, mediocrity-filled season for the Sixers.

Click here to see How they were built: Sixers, a complete listing of salaries and how each Sixer was acquired.

The Warriors are interested in Lou Williams

The Golden State Warriors have some cap space to play with, so they are honing in on a Sixers guard who is a restricted free agent. No, they don't want Andre Iguodala, but, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com, they apparently are looking into signing Louis Williams to an offer sheet.

While the Sixers have publicly said they would match any offer sheet given to either Williams or Iguodala, the Warriors might have enough cap space to offer Williams a bloated contract that the Sixers would think twice about matching. Williams makes plenty of sense for the Warriors due to the instant offense and no defense he provides, sort of like a very poor man's Baron Davis.

Expect the Sixers to hold on to Williams if the contract offer is reasonable. Williams is a key bench player and could eventually take over at point when Andre Miller leaves.

Elton Brand opts out but intends to stay in L.A.

Elton Brand has officially opted out of his contract with the Los Angeles Clippers, but Sixers fans shouldn't get too excited. While it has been rumored for weeks that Brand would opt out of his contract and that the Sixers would pursue him, Brand made it clear that he plans to continue playing for the Clippers:

"We're opting out...... it definitely doesn't mean I'm leaving the Clippers. We're trying to work it out. My intention is to stay."

It appears that Brand and the Clippers are trying to work out a deal that won't handicap the franchise from signing more players. Sounds like the Sixers might need to look for other options to spend their free agent money on.