76ers president and General Manager Billy King: Grade: D- I don?t feel I?ll have to explain much for this grade, but I will do so anyways just for the love of the game of basketball. 1: Fired Coach Jim O?Brien Hired Coach Maurice Cheeks Granted, this was a good move, By firing coach JOB, the defense we thought could get better, and AI and C-Webb get their first training camp together. It didn?t pan out that way. While Webber and AI are having fantastic seasons, isolating 1-on-1 and finishing with ease on the season, MO has Webber take far too many clutch shots, and AI desperately wanting to improve his reputation can?t say a thing. If Mo can?t develop as a coach, and we?re stuck with mediocrity? Well That?s the 5th coach in 7 years, get used to it! Grade: C- 2: Re-signed Sammy Dalembert 6 yrs 70 million. The Inconsistant Sammy Dalembert, will look like Ben Wallace one minute, and Chris Mihm the next, and lately Stephen Hunter?s performing better then him. And all the inconsistancys, and the disappointments earn 10 million throughout 6 yrs? GRADE: D YOU OVER-PAID BIG TIME KING! 3: Re-signed G/F Kyle Korver for 5 yrs 25 million Grantged I hated Kyle Korver, his defensive game wasn?t all that strong, but it?s improved (See: Indiana game, where he saved Ollie from embrassment having been owned by Jackson in the 1st seven minutes of the contest). What?s also improved is an Mid-range Jumper, and is using his body. But he?s gotta get stronger, and it doesn?t look like he can improve. Grade: C (It?ll be really something special if Korver develops like we think he can) 4: Signed Lee Nailon Grade: F+ We signed Lee Nailon and as compensation Cleveland who had nothing to do with Nailon later gets the 45 pick of the draft (See the trade) 5: Signed Stephen Hunter As good as he is offensively, and has some hops in the blocking shot asset, he can?t rebound, but he makes less mistakes then Daly. Grade: C+ I understand what Billy King?s thinking: He needed a reserve to Daly but in this case, if Hunter develops he?s a starter. 6: Drafted G Louis Williams in the 2005 NBA draft The only A in the article for Billy King, these are Louis Williams?s stats in HS: Scored 3,338 points, 768 rebounds, 650 assists and 355 steals during his career at South Gwinnett High School (Ga.). Now let?s go a bit further in the process of analyzing this pick: Not many if any of you, know that Louis Williams competed in the Olympic games, let?s find out how he fared during the course of the Olympic games. Louis Williams: 30.4 ppg., and added 5.2 rpg., 6.2 apg., 2.8 spg., and shot 49.1 percent from the field. Finished the 2004 Youth Development Festival ranked first overall in scoring, third in assists, third in steals and 15th in rebounds. Overall: 5/5 56-114 .491 12- 44 .273 28- 37 .757 26/ 5.2 152/ 30.4 31 2 14 The only problem is: Maurice Cheeks doesn?t give him any minutes, and thus many are confused. But this kid?s for real, and possibly the best pick by BK in a while. Overall: C+ BK, we need you to have a vision for the basketball team, in particular for players like my man L Will to get better. If not, our overall team will suck. * Note: I?ll Rank the 76ers entire roster later*
First thing I don't really agree with is the Nailon thing, the Nailon trade was moreso an F than actually signing Nailon, which is more like a C-. And you'll actually be suprised, but I don't entirely agree with the Louis grade either. If anything, I'd actually give this a C also. While Louis will be a sure thing in the future, we COULD have used a guy like Ryan Gomes or Andray Blatche, which would have given us the help right away..which the majority wanted. But the plus side is that Louis will probably be playing a much bigger role when A.I truely starts to slow down. He honestly just isn't going to get minutes with Ollie and Salmons and soon to be Willie Green backing up A.I....he's just going to have to be brought along slowly.
The thing with Louis Williams is that the coaching staff and management drafted him knowing full well that they did not plan to have him playing in his first season. What they actually planned to do with him was for him to use his first season as a learning experience in practice, and try to learn from Cheeks, AI, Kevin Ollie, Johnny Salmons, and even Willie Green when he returns. Now, if he isn't getting at least 5-10 minutes per game next season, then there is a reason to be angry or frustrated. My overall grade for this team so far is an F. (Don't get me started on why). I think Avery will agree with me...
Cheeks is no PG, IMO for him to struggle this much in the clutch as a coach, and been recomended for the HOF? It just doesn't make sense. Allen Iverson's the only one who should be anywhere near Louis Williams. I want AI to put a scoring mentality in his brain, and for L-Will to stick with it.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Super_Sixer_Fan:</div><div class="quote_post">Cheeks is no PG, IMO for him to struggle this much in the clutch as a coach, and been recomended for the HOF? It just doesn't make sense. Allen Iverson's the only one who should be anywhere near Louis Williams. I want AI to put a scoring mentality in his brain, and for L-Will to stick with it.</div> Wait, so Cheeks' learning process as a coach automatically makes him a bad PG?
Why are we doing mid season grades this late in the season? Anyway, I think you guys are being way to hard on Cheeks. He is one of the best coaches in the NBA in my opinion. We have lost 12 close games this season that we should have won. Eventually you have to ask yourself is the coach the problem or the team. I mean can Ayers, Ford, O’Brien, and Cheeks all be bad coaches?
Cheeks is not "one of the best coaches in the NBA" ... he has a long way to go to get there, but he is a solid coach who will surely improve. People are expecting him to be Phil Jackson or Larry Brown, and that is unfair to the man. Granted, he's made many mistakes this season, but who on this team hasn't? If he isn't going to make mistakes, he isn't going to learn from them either.
i agree that people are being too harsh on cheeks. the guy is your average, everyday coach. he's never going to do anything spectacular, but usually gets things done. (notice is say USUALLY) as for the grades, i agree with most except that you are being too generous to BK. honestly, what has he done at all so far this season that makes him deserve a D-? he gets a fat F! the draft was BS IMO, there we could have gotten an instant contributor in gomes, but instead, we draft a project when we clearly are trying to win. (hence the webber trade)
