The Sixers really put a lot of eggs into the Andrew Bynum basket, didn't they? Granted, it was a really good move. Elite big men are hard to come by, and there is no big man in the league with a more complete skill set than Bynum. Andre Iguodala was solid, but they definitely upgraded in the trade. With that said, I am not sure how well the new look 76ers will click this year. They are young and inexperienced. They brought in veteran Jason Richardson to add some leadership, but his career is clearly on the downturn. He is 31 years old. The 11.6 points a game he averaged last year is significantly lower than the 21.8 he averaged in 2007-08, or the 19.3 he averaged in 2010-11. He is a wonderful role player, but not a superstar by any means. He is basically a replacement for Lou Williams, the teams' leading scorer last year.
This team has a bunch of guys who are talented, but not quite as productive as they should be. Evan Turner has not looked nearly as exceptional as this team would have liked since they drafted him #2 overall in 2010. It was a pretty thin draft (Derrick Favors and Wesley Johnson were the next two picks), but he has still been a bit of a disappointment for being picked so high. Spencer Hawes is a formidable big man, but 9.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game do not drop any jaws. Thaddeus Young does his job very well, considering that he averaged 12.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game last year. Lavoy Allen clearly has a nice upside, but it will take some time for him to live up to his potential. Jodie Meeks heading to the Lakers was a big loss. I do like the additions of Dorell Wright and Nick Young, who are both talented scorers. Last year this team was stout defensively, allowing only 89.4 points per game. I think losing Elton Brand will make a slight difference in this regard, but they will still be sound on the defensive side of the ball. From an offensive stand point, I always question teams who jack up jumpshots all the time. Teams like this are too inconsistent. This is why the team will still have its struggles despite having superb talent.
The x-factor for this team is point guard Jrue Holliday. I have always been a fan of his game since his UCLA days. He averaged 13.5 points and 4.5 assists per game last year, which is solid for a third year player. His upside is tremendous. With that said, he will have to make the leap to stardom this year if the Sixers wish to make any noise. I do not see that happening. His game is still a little too unpolished. Whether or not this team makes an impact in the East is contingent on the effectiveness of the new face of the franchise, Andrew Bynum. By exchanging him for Iguodala, they gained skill but lost leadership. Bynum is not a leader. When he feels like it, he can play like a absolute stud. But I have trouble believing that he will fire up his teammates. His persona is too lackadaisical. Also, he is injury prone. It seems doubtful that he will play most of the season.
The leader of this team is clearly coach Doug Collins. He is a exemplary coach, which was particularly evident last year. But he is not on the court. He can only do so much from the sidelines. I foresee this team having a similar season to last year, when they earned the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. They were really talented, but lacked a superstar. They have one now in Bynum, but they lack direction. Just like I concluded about the Golden State Warriors, this team is good, not great. Dr. J and A.I. ain't walking through that door.
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