Keep Andre Iguodala in Philly unless…
January 29th, 2010 | by Kevin Hanson |With the NBA trade deadline looming (February 18th), rumors and talks surrounding Andre Iguodala — and other Sixers — will likely intensify over the next few weeks. Two of the latest rumors surrounding AI2 involve the Rockets (and “All-Star” Tracy McGrady) and the Cavaliers.
If an NBA team needs one superstar to carry them to a title, Andre Iguodala isn’t that guy compared to the likes of Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade or LeBron James. And he never will be. But in a Pippen-to-Jordan way, I have always felt that Iggy could be an elite second (or 1a) option to a legitimate top dog.
With a 15-30 record, so little has gone right this season with the Sixers. In turn, general manager Ed Stefanski says that nobody on the team is untouchable.
“Anyone can get traded in this league, and we’ve seen it over and over. But we don’t trade a player unless we get value back, basketball-wise,” Stefanski said.
For me, that last part is key and simply moving Iguodala, who just turned 26, for an expiring contract and the additional flexibility isn’t worth it.
“I wouldn’t be surprised. . . Nobody wants to be on the losing end, but when you are on the losing end, you have to make changes,” Iguodala said on Wednesday.
The Sixers have a lot of financial inflexibility. But that stems more from the deals given to Samuel Dalembert and Elton Brand and less from Iguodala’s deal.
After this season, there are three years and $56 million on Iguodala’s contract in addition to a player option on a fourth year.
On the season, Iguodala is leading the Sixers in scoring (17.4 points per game), assists (5.7 assists per game) and steals (1.9 steals per game). He’s second on the team in rebounding (6.8 rebounds per game).
For the Sixers to move Iguodala, it should only be part of a package deal where they can unload some of the other overvalued contracts and players. Otherwise, they wouldn’t gain that much flexibility in exchange for their best player.
Tags: Andre Iguodala, Elton Brand, Samuel Dalembert, Tracy McGrady
By nbafan on Feb 2, 2010
the sixers should look in their own backyards…i found and have been followin a kid that played at phila U and was D 2 national player of the year and is now playing in germany lighting it up. Christian Burns is his name and hes 6 foot 8 250 pounds and can shoot run and jump out of the gym
check out this article on him
http://www.classactsports.com/the-future/c.-burns-lights-up-europe.html