Philadelphia 76ers Blog – Page 51 – NBA Blog

Celtics and 76ers both in rebuild mode

That the Sixers and Celtics are on parallel paths back to respectability is nothing more than the reality of the NBA. The league’s salary cap and the impact of even a single superstar often force a franchise to gamble that, by breaking apart its roster and struggling for a season or more, it will increase the odds that it will draft a player who can change everything. (A simpler way to say all this is that the league encourages tanking, but that’s well trod ground.)

For too many years, the Sixers were unwilling to accept this necessary evil. They didn’t want to bottom out, so they lingered on the periphery of the playoffs, sometimes reaching the postseason, sometimes missing it, usually inspiring little more than a shoulder shrug from a frustrated fan base. Everything about them became stagnant and stale. It was only when their attempt to “go for it” – their misbegotten trade for Andrew Bynum – failed last season that they effected the sort of overhaul in front-office personnel and philosophy they needed.

“This year is going to be a lot about development – bringing some of our young guys along, try to change the culture, what hard work looks like, what expectations look like,” Sixers general manager Sam Hinkie said. “We’re looking as long-distance as we can, versus next month or next year.”

At least the Celtics got to lengthen their legacy before hitting the restart button. With point guard Rajon Rondo and their trio of eventual Hall of Famers – Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen – they won a championship in 2008, then reached the NBA Finals in 2010 and the Eastern Conference Finals in 2012 for good measure.

Reported by Mike Sielski of the Boston Herald

Royce White expected to make debut for Sixers tonight

Before the 76ers left for nearly a week to play two games in Europe, one of the players who made a favorable impression at training camp was Royce White.

The 6-foot-8, 260-pound power forward was acquired in the offseason from the Houston Rockets. But White didn’t make the trip to Europe. He has a well-documented anxiety disorder and an aversion to flying.

White will make his preseason debut Friday when the Sixers meet the Boston Celtics in a 7 p.m. preseason game at the Carpenter Center in Newark, Del.

“I look forward to playing Royce tomorrow,” Sixers coach Brett Brown said Thursday after his team’s first post-Europe practice at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Reported by Marc Narducci of the Philadelphia Inquirer

D-League: Open tryouts for Delaware 87ers

So you think you’re good enough to play pro ball? Got $200 to chase the dream?

The Delaware 87ers, the 76ers-owned squad in the NBA Development League, will be holding open tryouts the next two Saturday mornings.

If you think you’re better than Leo Lyons, Tyler Wilkerson, Jerome Randle or Hamady N’Diaye – all on the 87ers’ current roster – here’s your chance to prove it.

This Saturday, tryouts will be held at the Community College of Philadelphia at 8 a.m. If you are planning to walk up to walk on, get there by 7. To get on the court, it will cost you $200. The team will be accepting cashier’s checks and money orders. But if you register on line, at www.nba.com/dleague/delaware, you’ll save $50. The deadline for online registration is noon tomorrow.

Reported by Mark Perner of the Philadelphia Daily News

Sixers are young, but hopefully also fun

The overwhelming belief is the 76ers are going to be the NBA’s worst team. But based on two preseason games in Europe, it still might be fun to keep tabs on their maturation process.

The Sixers push the ball, attack the rim, and keep defensive heat on opponents.

“I’m very proud of my teammates for playing hard and playing tough,” veteran guard Evan Turner said Tuesday after a 103-99 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder at Phones 4U Arena in Manchester, England. “Any time you do that, you give yourself a chance to win night in and night out.”

But the Sixers roster wasn’t built to win night in and night out.

The team has only six players with more than two years of NBA experience. Veteran holdovers Thad Young, Spencer Hawes, and Turner are the squad’s core players. For the most part, they are surrounded by former first-round picks who were cast away and undrafted rookies.

Reported by Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer

Sixers sideline Lavoy Allen

The 76ers will play their preseason opener minus Lavoy Allen.

The reserve post player will be held out of Sunday’s exhibition game against Bilbao Basket at the Bizkaia Arena due to a lingering knee injury. He’s expected to play Tuesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Manchester, England.

Reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer

Sixers sign Gani Lawal, waive Solomon Alabi

The Philadelphia 76ers today announced they have signed free agent forward Gani Lawal (GONN-ee luh-WALL). The Sixers preseason roster stands at 20 players.

Prior to signing with the Sixers, Lawal (6-9, 234) was a member of VEF Riga of the Latvian League and last season, he averaged 14 points, eight rebounds and two blocks for Virtus Roma of the Italian League.

Lawal was originally an early entry candidate for the 2010 NBA Draft following his junior season at Georgia Tech and was selected with the 46th overall pick by Phoenix. He was on the Suns roster during the 2010-11 season and was also assigned to the NBA Development League.

A McDonald’s High School All-American, Lawal was twice named All-ACC Third Team while with the Yellow Jackets. The 24-year-old is also a member of Nigeria’s senior national team and competed in the 2013 FIBA Africa Championship.

In a related move, the Sixers have waived center Solomon Alabi.

New 76er Royce White not on overseas trip with team

New 76er Royce White tried last week to dispel any speculation that air travel would hinder him from playing for the team this season.

However, the 6-foot-8 forward, who has an anxiety disorder, wasn’t among the 14 players who flew here [Spain] Thursday. The Sixers will face Bilbao Basket on Sunday at the Bizkala Arena at Bilbao Exhibition Center. On Tuesday, they will face Oklahoma City in Manchester, England.

“It really was just based on our team doctor giving me and [general manager] Sam [Hinkie] and the club advice that it may be best for him to remain at home,” Sixers coach Brett Brown said of White’s absence. “You know we are with him. We will support and help him.”

Reported by Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer

The plan was to have Royce White accompany the team on the European trip that includes two games and stops in Bilbao, Spain and Manchester, England. As late as Wednesday, a day before the team’s departure, that plan was still in place. In the hours before the flight, however, the plans changed, and White didn’t go.

White, the 16th overall pick by the Houston Rockets in 2012, didn’t play at all in the NBA last season because of a battle with the team over his anxiety disorder, which makes it difficult for him to get on a plane. He said last week at media day that he would fly to games when necessary and drive to others when he could. But the team decided to let him sit out the trans-Atlantic flight at the last minute after conferring with White’s doctors.

“He was given a hall pass,” is what one team executive said yesterday.

Reported by Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News

Sixers coach Brett Brown faces a tough challenge

The coach left for Europe yesterday for two preseason games armed with a 15-man active roster that features six players who haven’t played a game in the NBA (Vander Blue, Michael Carter-Williams, Hollis Thompson, Royce White, Rodney Williams and Khalif Wyatt), four others (Solomon Alabi, Darius Morris, Tim Olbrecht and Tony Wroten) who have experience in the league but have combined to play just 131 games, and a starting shooting guard (James Anderson) who has averaged 3.7 points on 39.1 percent shooting in his 116 games. Veterans Thaddeus Young, Spencer Hawes, Evan Turner and Lavoy Allen round out the group. Mac Koshwal will not make the trip because of visa problems.

That lack of experience causes Brown to teach, teach and teach some more. While something is explained, demonstrated and explained again, it is not always reaching its intended target. So before the new coach can move forward with another part of the offense or a different set of rotations on the defensive end, he must stop for further and repeated instruction often. Kind of like telling a 5-year-old to pay attention in the outfield.

“We’ll compete,” said Brown with a “if nothing else” sort of tone.

Reported by Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News

James Anderson could get his chance with Sixers

James Anderson didn’t know what to expect when the 76ers plucked him off the waiver wire back in July.

Two months later, the San Antonio Spurs’ 2010 first-round pick finally has a chance to become a full-time starter.

The 6-foot-6 swingman has started alongside Michael Carter-Williams, Evan Turner, Thaddeus Young, and Spencer Hawes during the first two days of the Sixers training camp at St. Joseph’s.

“He finds ways to score,” Turner said after Sunday’s morning practice. “He’s really calm. He knows how to play.”

Reported by Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer

Sixers owner says team is staying in Philly

Managing owner Josh Harris reiterated Sunday that the 76ers are not moving to North Jersey.

“My answer to the fans is I love the Sixers in Philly. I’m committed to it,” Harris said during his state-of-the-Sixers news conference.

Harris’ keeping the franchise in Philadelphia isn’t a surprise to people who know the billionaire businessman. They will tell you the surprising thing is that he’s on board with the Sixers’ tanking this season.

“I want immediate results and immediate upside,” he said. “But I think that the reality of professional sports is that things don’t change overnight.”

Reported by Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer