PhillyArena

As has become a regular occurrence, Ed Stefanskiconducted a conference call with members of the Sixers blogging community, with representatives from ReclinerGM, LibertyBallers, Sixers4Guidos, PhilaDunkia, The 700 Level, DepressedFan. My main purpose of the call was for an article on RealGM, but I'll post my quick thoughts here. I'll have the full audio, or at the very least a transcript, available tonight.

Thoughts:

• Stated that he did make an offer to Warrick, but Warrick felt the opportunity in Milwaukee was better. When followed up on whether they would have had any interest in Sessions, he felt that he is a good player, but especially with the drafting of Holiday, feels that Sessions would not have been a good use of the money.
  
• He expects to make the playoffs. Every year to goal is to win a world championship.
  
• They were looking to make a trade to acquire a veteran backup guard, but the players they were after didn't materialize. He said, with the way Holiday has progressed this summer, he's happy the trades didn't happen.
  
• Speaking of Holiday, he said if he can defend and not turn the ball over, then there's no reason to think Jrue can't get some minutes this year. He said he's tall, strong, his shot's getting better, but that he needs to work on getting his shot off quicker.
  
• Did say he didn't know if Jrue could do enough in camp to oust Williams as the starter, but that it's not impossible for someone to come in and outplay someone in camp.
  
• Mentioned how happy he was with the character of guys on the roster.
  
• Sounded very high on Jason Smith. Said Smith has been given full clearance to resume all basketball activities in July and he's out there working hard. He mentioned that he has gotten quite a bit stronger as well.
  
• Similarly, he said Brand is 100% healthy and received total clearance in July as well. Said Elton Brand is on a mission.
  
• When asked about the struggles offensively last year at the beginning of the year when Iguodala/Young/Brand/Dalembert started together, said he felt that the strength of the team will still be the fast break, and that it is imperative to force turnovers. He said Eddie Jordan's half court offense should help improve our efficiency there. Mentioned that no matter what offense you run, you're going to have to make shots, and that getting Kapono and Carney should help in that regard.
  
• He did mention that the Princeton Offense isn't always the easiest to learn, and that wrinkles could be added throughout the year, and that the team should become more efficient with the offense as the year goes on.
  
• Mentioned that Willie Green (and Iguodala) could have more ballhandling duties this year, similar to the way Lucious Harris and Kerry Kittles did in New Jersey. Said that Andre Iguodala was a point guard in high school, and Iguodala is willing and able to handle more of the ballhandling duties, and will play whatever position coach Eddie Jordan asks of him.
  
• Also insinuated that he thinks Eddie Jordan is a better defensive coach than he's given credit for. He said because of the offensive system that Jordan uses, he gets labeled an offensive coach, but that with the personnel he has here that here that he's stressing defense, forcing turnovers, and getting out on the break.
  
• Finally, mentioned that if there was an offer that was interesting and intriguing for Andre Miller at the deadline, then he would have had a lively discussion. However, all the offers for Andre Miller they received at the deadline and for a sign and trade were offers that wouldn't have made sense for the team.
  

Thanks again to Ed Stefanski, Michael Preston, and the rest of the bloggers who took part in the interview.

Originally posted at baseball.realgm.com.

The Sixers have reportedly come to terms with Rodney Carney on a 1 year deal for the veterans minimum. Carney, originally a 1st round draft pick by the Philadelphia 76ers, was traded last offseason to clear cap space in order to sign Elton Brand.

While certainly nothing that will change the landscape of the Eastern Conference, I do like the move more than most "end of the bench" signings. Carney has flashed ability on both ends of the court, including 6 starts during the tail end of last season where he averaged 14.8 points per game on 45.6% shooting, 45.2% from downtown, in just over 31 minutes. Not that I particularly expect him to develop and reach his potential, but at the price of a minimum contract, that's a risk I'm willing to take. Even without much development, he's a nice change of pace at the wing positions off the bench to go along with Green and Kapono, bringing skillsets neither of them have (a long range jumpshot in Green's case, and defense for Kapono).