OT: Philadelphia 76ers (NBA)

[deadhead]

This is why most players in most sports, even the most talented, struggle their first few seasons. Look at Wiggins on Minnesota. Heck, Porzingis has fallen back to earth this year, subpar defense, no offense other than a 3 point shot.

Okafor is struggling with the knee, which kept him from getting into shape over the summer, there's something wrong there because he shouldn't be having knee soreness this far from a "routine" operation.

Holmes played 3 years in college and has the same issues with blocking out, some is coaching, some is probably innate. Noel can't block out and tries to outquick to the rebound. Embiid doesn't need to block out, he can just stand there and be a Cameroonian wall.

 

[Embiid]

This is why most players in most sports, even the most talented, struggle their first few seasons. Look at Wiggins on Minnesota. Heck, Porzingis has fallen back to earth this year, subpar defense, no offense other than a 3 point shot.

Okafor is struggling with the knee, which kept him from getting into shape over the summer, there's something wrong there because he shouldn't be having knee soreness this far from a "routine" operation.

Holmes played 3 years in college and has the same issues with blocking out, some is coaching, some is probably innate. Noel can't block out and tries to outquick to the rebound. Embiid doesn't need to block out, he can just stand there and be a Cameroonian wall.

Big men take time to develop no doubt. Okafor should have a decent career just not with this team. Noel is in the same category...

Yeah the knee was no minor injury...and not helpful with his development nor trade value. Hopefully, somebody will bite and give us decent value back considering the current version of Okafor is pretty lame...

 

[Jack Straw]

This is why most players in most sports, even the most talented, struggle their first few seasons. Look at Wiggins on Minnesota. Heck, Porzingis has fallen back to earth this year, subpar defense, no offense other than a 3 point shot.

Okafor is struggling with the knee, which kept him from getting into shape over the summer, there's something wrong there because he shouldn't be having knee soreness this far from a "routine" operation.

Holmes played 3 years in college and has the same issues with blocking out, some is coaching, some is probably innate. Noel can't block out and tries to outquick to the rebound. Embiid doesn't need to block out, he can just stand there and be a Cameroonian wall.

The thing is, arthroscopic surgery for torn cartilage may be a routine operation, but the aftermath is far from routine. I know from personal experience, having had 50% of the cartilage in my left knee removed. Torn cartilage doesn't "heal", they can't "fix" it. All they can do is cut away the torn pieces, and it doesn't grow back. So the surgery is minor and the recovery is usually pretty quick. But the effects don't go away until you have knee replacement surgery. Depending on how much they cut away you're compromised to some extent forever. For me, no more soccer or basketball (other than just standing around shooting), I could play some hockey as long as I didn't push it too hard.

I suspect Okafor's knee will always be an issue for him. The fact that his recovery took so long suggests that either there was a lot of cartilage damage or that there was damage to something else in there.

 

[JojoTheWhale]

Embiid shows up randomly in goggles and no one, including team PR, has any idea why. He's fantastic.

 

[Embiid]

on bolded part

Also as far as Brown saying he has to look at who he is....umm yeah...a bench player who doesn't fit into the Coach's scheme and is on the trade block

"We remind him, 'Go read your resumé,' " Brown said. " 'You go have a look at who you are.' And he's got a lot to be proud of on the court."

Brown was proud of Okafor's performance against the Pistons. Perhaps it had something to do with auditioning for NBA teams looking to trade for him. Maybe it was just a matter of being in better shape, or his right knee is feeling better.

Whatever the reason, Okafor was perhaps the most active he has been as a Sixer. He finished with 16 points on 7-for-11 shooting. He also ran the floor well, constantly moved around, and attempted to provide some resistance on defense.

"I was just going out there giving 100 percent all night," Okafor said. "Just giving effort, trying to help this team win. That's what I've been trying to do every day, and I'm going to continue to do that."

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports..._Okafor_handling_trade_rumors_like_a_pro.html

 

[Jack Straw]

Embiid shows up randomly in goggles and no one, including team PR, has any idea why. He's fantastic.

Red goggles. Why? Because he can.

 

[JojoTheWhale]

ESPN just became huge fans of Joe Dumars.

I'm normally a go get paid kind of a guy, but after all the venom Woj spewed over the years, this is hilarious.

 

[Hiesenberg]

Well it seems like everybody's hopes got up for a pending Okafor trade. I hope BC doesn't **** it up.

 

[Sniped]

Embiid not playing tonight against the Spurs or against the Magic either.

 

[Schwarbomb]

Well it seems like everybody's hopes got up for a pending Okafor trade. I hope BC doesn't **** it up.

Woj reported the Sixers and Pelicans were talking. After that every writer and their grandmother write speculation pieces on how a trade is "close", "far apart", "dead in the water" or "still negotiating". Lots of click bait this time of year. The only thing we know for a fact is the team is shopping the black hole.

 

[JojoTheWhale]

Oakley going after Dolan is the second best thing this entire season after everything Embiid.

 

[Jack Straw]

Nice to see Rasheed at the game. Sixers hanging in nicely.

 

[sabremike]

Oakley going after Dolan is the second best thing this entire season after everything Embiid.

as a person whose childhood heroes were the early 90's Knicks and who is sickened by the embarrassment the team has become I wish he had broken Dolan's ****ing jaw.

 

[deadhead]

Well, Jah outplayed Nerlens by a wide margin, despite having to ice the knee in the second half.

Nerlens is a good defensive center who lacks the bulk to ever be elite, and he's a bad offensive player with limited skills.

Jah is potentially a great offensive player (if he develops an outside shot) who could eventually be an average defensive player and rebounder.

Neither is a fit here because they can't play the 4, however, it's looking like they're gonna let Noel walk if anyone makes a ridiculous RFA offer, he's not worth 4yrs/$80M off the bench for 15 minutes a night. But other than the Nets, I can't see anyone making that kind of offer for a guy who isn't a starting center for a playoff team.

I don't think Jah gets traded if they don't get offered real value, BC can always wait until this summer, a few more games like this and his value goes up because you can see the potential.

 

[Schwarbomb]

Classic Okafor game tonight and last game against the Pistons, he puts up his shots, does nothing else, and the team pays dearly for it.

Last two games:

Noel -1.4 Net Rating (102.3-103.7)
Okafor -28.3 Net Rating (95.4-123.6)

Okafor is the definition of "hallow scorer". Gets his shots and infects your team like the plague in the process. If Colangelo doesn't get rid of him by the deadline he will be as much to blame as Hinkie for allowing this **** show to continue. Dumping him for literally anything decent would be addition by subtraction.

 

[deadhead]

Noel's +/- numbers are totally fake, all about the shooters around him. He's not a center, he doesn't challenge anyone with size. For some reason guys on Liberty Ballers are stupid enough to think he's special, but I doubt anyone in the NBA agrees. He can't defend true centers and he can't play any other position - he's best off the bench where you can match him up against backup centers.

Jah is limited but he has more upside than Noel. He's learning to pass out of double teams, but one on one there are few who can handle him, once he learns to shoot outside he'll be an easy 20 point player in a rotation. He's not a centerpiece, but Randolph who isn't as athletic has had a better career than Noel will have.

Jah will get a real return, Noel will probably walk as a RFA if anyone offers real money, they'd be nuts to pay him $20M a year, even $15M is pushing it. Noel is an off the bench defensive specialist with no upside at this point as he's maxed out physically (and he lacks the eye to hand coordination to ever become a plus offensive player, in fact he lacks the hands period, he struggles handling the ball).

 

[Schwarbomb]

Noel's +/- numbers are totally fake, all about the shooters around him.

Same trend last year and this season so far. Ball movement and defense are good things.


How's this for upside. Okafor is a non rebounding, non defending, non shooting, non passing, ground bound 6'9" old school power forward with a bum knee that doesn't fit in the modern NBA. He hasn't shown an iota of improvement since last year. Watch what happens to the Pelicans if they're stupid enough to trade for him.

 

[sa cyred]

More excuses for Okafor then anything in the world.

 

[Hiesenberg]

Jah seems closer to Greg Oden's career than Embiid does at this point.

 

[deadhead]

And Noel is looking like Biyombo II, an overpay that has left his new team with buyer's regret. He had a nice rookie season on a team full of defensive specialists where opponents played conservative (inflating defensive statistics) because the Sixers couldn't score. Last year when Jah went down Noel showed nothing as the starting center, this year he's pretty much the same player. A backup center.

Unfortunately, no one wants to give anything for Noel, they may get something of value for Jah.

 

[Schwarbomb]

Sound familiar? https://okafortheory.wordpress.com/2015/02/27/okafor-theory/

 

[deadhead]

Sound familiar? https://okafortheory.wordpress.com/2015/02/27/okafor-theory/

Jah is a bad fit for the Sixers on defense, but it's not like Noel has been much better the last two years (and this year he's played primarily against backups, when he goes against starting centers it's plum ugly).

Neither player is a true starting center in today's NBA, both should be used in roles with the right package of surrounding players that play up their skills and hide their deficiencies (Jah needs wings who can play defense, Noel needs a true scorer who can compensate for playing 4 on 5 on offense).

 

[Schwarbomb]

Lineups with Okafor are trash no matter who he plays with or against. He even managed to make Embiid look like garbage in their time together this year. He's the common denominator in most Sixer related problems the last two years.

 

[deadhead]

Lineups with Okafor are trash no matter who he plays with or against. He even managed to make Embiid look like garbage in their time together this year. He's the common denominator in most Sixer related problems the last two years.

The Sixers are a 30 win team with Embiid, a 20 win team without him, whether Jah or Noel start.

The common denominator is the lack of talent at the wing positions, TLC is the only wing with NBA athleticism and he's a year away from being NBA ready. The rest are limited, RoCo is a good defender, but struggles with quick guards, Henderson is OK, McConnell tries hard but is an average athlete at best, Nic and Sergio are horrible defenders, but at least they ditched Issh, Hollis and the other trash from last season.

They also lack a winger who is a true scorer, and a wing who can hit the 3 at an elite (40+%) level.

Even Embiid can't overcome those deficiencies. Simmons will help at SF, and TLC growing up, and the Turk may give them a true shooter, but they need a couple more talented guards to be a true playoff team.

 

[Ruck Over]

Sound familiar? https://okafortheory.wordpress.com/2015/02/27/okafor-theory/

Thank you for sharing an awesome read. Everything Nokafors say, but from Duke fans. Suck it Prokafors.