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Sixers ship springing leaksDec 31, 2005 When the Philadelphia 76ers hired native son Maurice Cheeks to become their new head coach (and fifth in the last three years) before this season began, I suspected that, at some point, there could be trouble in the city of "Brotherly Shove." Little did I know that the griping, whining and backstabbing would begin before the ink on Cheeks' contract even had a chance to dry. Unfortunately for the Sixers, the more things change, the more they have stayed the same. Since the departure of Hall of Fame head coach Larry Brown following the 2002-03 season, the Sixers carousel of coaches has read like a virtual who's who of ex-NBA head coaches. Unfortunately, each new coach has produced the same old, dissappointing results. When longtime assistant Randy Ayers took the reins from Brown for the start of the 2003-04 season, Sixers management, and more specifically, general manager, Bily King, promised a transition to Ayers that would be very subtle because of Ayers' familiarity with Brown's system. However, after going 21-31 (.404) Ayers was "relieved "of his duties for the remainder of the season by another assistant, this time, former veteran head coach and Philadelphia native, Chris Ford, who promptly went 12-18 (.400) the remaining 30 games of the season while clashing several times with Iverson. Following that debacle, the Sixers hired former Boston Celtics head coach, Jim O'Brien another guy with Philly ties, for the 2004-05 season. O'Brien led the Sixers to a respectable 43-39 record (.524) and a return to the playoffs. However, all was not well. O'Brien, openly clashed with and struggled to find the right role for Chris Webber immediately after he arrived in Philadelphia via a trade with the Sacramento Kings, and realized that Iverson was not very fond of him either. The Sixers, and more importantly, once again, general manager, Billy King, decided to let O'Brien go once they realized their path to signing Cheeks - one of the city's most beloved athletes - was clear. Ultimately, they managed to sign Cheeks to a long-term deal to lead the Sixers back to respectability. When Allen Iverson unequivocally endorsed the hiring of Cheeks, my initial thought was, "I can't wait to see what happens when things start to go sour."Incredibly, the Sixers' season may have hit the skids before the regular season ever got under way. After a heart-wrenching loss to the Atlanta Hawks, backup combination guard, John Salmons, who missed three shots in the final 2 minutes, including two three's, said that he heard murmurs from his teammates about his shot selection. "I heard some things that really disappointed me," a dejected Salmons said. Which leads me to several other points. I sincerely like Maurice Cheeks and I always have but I don't think his mild-mannered persona is what this team needs right now. Besides Allen Iverson and Chris Webber, the Sixers roster is laced with young players who need to learn the basics of the NBA game in a strict setting. Rumors persist that some players have mistaken his kindness as a weakness both, in his previous stop in Portland, and now, it seems, in Philadelphia as well Another sign that the Sixers are lacking in the leadership area were some surprisingly candid comments by Webber shortly after Salmons' bombshell. "Everything is contagious, and we have to play together. It doesn't happen enough,"Webber said after that same loss to the Hawks in which the Sixers wasted an outsatanding 51-point performance by Iverson. The Sixers have truly been a Jekyll and Hyde type of team this season. There seems to be a lack of continuity in which every player, sans Iverson and Webber, have been unsure of their respective roles so far. Although young swingman Andre Igouadala seems to be blossoming as of late, the Sixers have some glaring needs that must be filled before they can even begin to think about competing with the likes of the Dtroit Pistons and Miami Heat. At the very earliest, I don't realistically see the Sixers challenging anyone for an eastern conference crown within the next three years - if then. I mean, it's not like the Pistons are going to disband anytime soon and as long as Dwayne Wade and Shaquille O'Neal reside in Miami, they'll be contenders. It also looks like the Cleveland Cavaliers are miles ahead of the Sixers in the contender-building process as well and don't get the Indiana Pacers whose franchise have been a model of consistency the last decade or so. Which brings me to another point. What do the Sixers do with Allen Iverson? At this point of his career, I'm certain Iverson wants the chance to truly have the opportunity to win an NBA championship.Well, if he stays with the Sixers for the duration of his career, barring a major trade, it's not going to happen folks. As great as Iverson is, he may only have another really good four years left on a body that has taken more than its share of poundings. He has caried this franchise since his arrival with little or no help and that load is almost as heavy as when he first began his quest for an NBA championship a decade ago. Which brings me to what I believe the Sixers should do to help speed along the rebuilding process that they are currently conducting - although they will deny the fact that the process is actually taking place. The Sixers and Iverson would both be better served if they could part ways amicably. Of course the Sixers must absolutely get back equal value in any trade, which could lessen Iverson's chances of being dealt to a contender. The Sixers obviously would need to bring in another all-star caliber player and a young starter or high draft pcik wouldn't hurt either. At any rate, I would consider moving Iverson if the price is right. The Sixers, as currently constructed, don't have a snowball's chance in hell of doing anything more than playing for a .500 record and one of the last playoff spots in the eastern conference. If King looks at the roster and thinks the Sixers have a bright future ahead, then he is only fooling himself - or worse yet - he's trying to pull the wool over everyone else's eyes. Whatever the case may be, even though the Sixers are currently still treading water, their boat is obviously filled with quickly-rising water. If and when the ship does sink, I can't wait to see who's still on board. Hopefully it won't be a case of every man for themselves, but I have to admit, nothing would surprise me. Previous EditionsAbout Eric WilliamsEric Williams is an award winning sports columnist and six year veteran writer for the Philadelphia Sunday Sun. Eric was born and raised in Philadelphia and has covered all four major professional sports in the Philadelphia area. He has also covered golf, track and field, soccer, tennis and bicycling. Lifetime Boston Celtics fan. Basketball and football are his favorite sports. Eric is married with five children and currently resides in Marshall, Missouri. Comments and feedback can be sent to eklass66@yahoo.com |
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