Here we go again Sixers fans, the horrible trend continues. In an infuriating Billy Kingesque manner, the 76ers management has once again overpaid a non-deserving player and as a result set themselves up for future financial troubles. League sources told ESPN late last night that the 76ers had “agreed to terms” with restricted free agent Andre Iguodala to, in my mind, a ridiculous 6 year deal worth an even more ridiculous $80mil. I had thought for all intensive purposes, that Billy King had been fired and thrown out of Philadelphia (and the tri-state area for that matter) last December after making a plethora of bonehead decisions that undoubtingly screwed this franchise. These decisions included, but are not limited to, signing such un-phenomenal non-superstars such as Kenny “K9” Thomas and Brian “The Winner” Skinner to long-term lucrative contracts as well as trading away our beloved franchise player, “The Answer” Allen Iverson (I’m still very salty on this one…I hate you Billy King!)
When Ed Stefanski took King’s throne as the 76ers president and general manager, we as Sixers fans rejoiced since there was a new face at the helms of basketball operations in Philadelphia. What I’ve seen with this restructuring of Andre Iguodala’s contract, however, is much of the same antics that have ruined our team since the glorious 2001 NBA Finals run. Let me preface the next portion of my rant by saying that I love watching Andre Iguodala in a 76ers uniform and playing ball. In each of his first four seasons as a Sixer this young, exciting, and athletic 6’6 forward out of Arizona has not only graced the courts of the NBA with his myriad of high flying spectacular dunks, but has also improved his scoring average annually. The Sixers therefore did have a responsibility to compensate Iggy, but I don’t think that $80mil over 6 years was justified. It is my opinion that Andre Iguodala is in no shape or form a $15mil per year player. This opinion can be proven in one statement. It goes like this…The guy cannot shoot, at all! This was very evident in the first round of last year’s NBA Playoffs against the Detroit Pistons. Iguodala shot a dismal 33% from the field and embarrassingly turned the ball over more than four times a game. A $15mil per year player in this league does not and cannot perform in this fashion. Some of you may be thinking, “But Jay, he was being guarded by Tayshaun Prince”. That rebuttal, which many of you think is smart and witty, is not smart and witty and I completely discard it. Look, Tayshaun Prince does play for an Eastern Conference team we play many times a season and is a great defender, but so are many other players in the NBA (i.e. Bruce Bowen, Chris Paul, Raja Bell, Ron Artest, etc.). By paying Andre Iguodala more money he isn’t going to miraculously transform him into an offensive juggernaut. If you are a realistic Sixers fan, you can come to grips with the fact that Iggy is nothing more than a great above the rim player in this league. In the long run, being that type of player does not, and will not win you the big games. Therefore in essence, I believe that that Stefanski and the Sixers paid Andre Iguodala, seemingly to just dunk the basketball a couple times a year, $3-5mil more than what I would have categorized as sufficient and justified.
The last thing I want to do is come across as a “hater” on Andre Iguodala and/or Sixers Management. In fact, I am so stoked and elated that Stefanski and the front office were able to land a big time name like Elton Brand here in Philadelphia. I am simply “hating” on the way that the Sixers do business with disgruntled players; they cave and they pay. As a result of overpaying this year, and in years past the Sixers are sure to find themselves in financial problems in the coming years. The 76ers current roster is full of young players with great potential. Louis Williams (who recently got a deal) and Thaddeus Young are the core of these emerging stars not only on this team, but in the NBA itself. My question to you fans who think I’m making too much of all this is, what happens theoretically when these young guys on our roster play exceptionally well in the next season or two and thereby demand big(ger) money to remain with the team the following season? The answer is simple. They won’t remain with the team and opt out of their contracts, since we overpaid players such as Andre Iguodala too graciously in the years past. This my friends is a crying shame for a team destined for success in the Eastern Conference for years to come and as a loyal, die-hard Sixers fan it sickens me.
– Jay Vaidya
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