Maybe it’s the red uniforms…

… that I have always liked and pushed for, maybe it’s the fact that they are all smiling, and their smiles look for real… but the fact is that I am starting to like the Sixers 2007 draft picks more and more.

Actually, if we talk seriously, some other things made me slowly change my opinion, and starting to see some light. The draft initially left me scratching my head, like Rando Freeman wrote in his Sixers journal but then I took a deep breathe, stopped for a while and realized that:

1) many knowledgeable journalists, fans, posters in the Sixers board and fellow bloggers I trust (see also Jon from Passion & Pride, Brian of Depressed fan) like the picks, and explained very well in their breakdowns that this might turn out to be a very good draft for the Sixers. Even if we couldn’t get the top PF that we need(ed?) and that I’ve been asking for? Yes.

2) to BK credit, he didn’t make a Ainge-ish kind of move, like trading the #5 pick in one of the best drafts in recent years to get a 32 y/o injury prone All star, and this only to please the other complaining 30 y/o injury prone All star… It’s true King didn’t manage to trade up and that the “We have three offers on the table” was another BS of his, but at least he drafted on potential and didn’t go for the quick fix, mortgaging our future.

3) at the end of the day, I am always an optimistic guy so to me the glass is always half full… not your typical Sixers fan, uh? Being a guido helps here…

Hey, I prediced 44 W even in the Big Dog year and 43 W last year. Ok, this is also an evidence that I’m not that good at forecasting, but, again, see the half full part: I always believe in my team… 

So I imagine a Andre Miller, Andre Iguodala, Thaddeus Young, Jason Smith/Steven Hunter and Sam Dalembert starting line up, with Korver, Carney, Hunter/Ja. Smith, Byars and Louis Williams (no Willie Green please) coming off the bench.

Some posters on the philly.com Sixers board say that even this Herbert Hill guy might be a steal, but I am not buying it, maybe I am just not optimistic enough to believe it, LOL.

Anyway, right now I see this group perhaps missing the playoffs also next year  – say: 38-41 W in a stronger Sadlantic division – but making some real noise in two if they can gel and grew together.

I have the 2004 Pistons in my mind, a team I really LIKED, and I think we can look at that model and try that way to reach the success: no superstar(s) but a core of talented guys more or less at the same, high, level that play as a team, that play defense, with a deep bench. We are 3 yrs (and a good coach?) away from that, I hope. Now if only a Jerry Sloan would move to Philly…

The key if course are the coach and the two new young studs – I assume that Iggy and Dalembert will go on improving, while Miller, Korver & co will have their usual efficiency.

I’ve seen some Thaddeus Young clips, I’ve read some reports and I can’t wait to see him play a whole game. I am curious to have a 19 y/o lefty SF that can shoot and post up (Tayshaun Prince?) and I just hope he develops all of his potential. Together with Iggy he can be a beast, for sure the 2007-2008 Sixers would be fun to watch.

Jason Smith is probably not ready to be a starter in the League but I’ve heard he has real talent. So the question is: is it better to put him immediately in the arena – in Italy we say: “thow the baby in the water so he will learn swimming”- to bang with the league’s best big men, or get an experienced PF (Joe Smith, that I would like to keep, or similar type of player) and patiently let him grow in a back up spot? I would tend to go with option #2.

Actually there’s another option, which is the most likely: leave Hunter AND Dalembert as starters, like we did in the second part of last season, and have J Smith (+ Shav, Hill etc) ready to come help them.

Honestly I am not a big fan of the two seven footers solution, mainly because Hunter is a poor rebounder and we have few low post scoring, but numbers told us that it worked.

Sixers minicamp just started and Rodney Carney, at 23 y/o is the veteran. The Mutombo, Snow, Mc Kie era seems definitely over.