It is fair to say that it has been a largely forgettable season for Philadelphia. In a nutshell: It’s been pretty horrific viewing for fans of the Philly franchise. Not only were the Sixers without All-Star center Andrew Bynum, but they played boring, inefficient basketball based on long 2-pointers and an inability to get to the foul line. With that being said, let’s grade each players individual performances over the season.
Lavoy Allen: D+
For the 50th pick out of Temple, Lavoy Allen garnered some recognition for somewhat nullifying Kevin Garnett during the second round of last season’s playoffs. One year later and Allen was expected to continue his growth as an NBA player. Simply put, that hasn’t happened. Allen’s production has been very small — at just 5.7 points per game. However, he is somewhat afforded a hall pass due to the fact he’s been played out of position a lot this season — with Collins deploying him at the center position when he is more suited to the power forward role.
Kwame Brown: D
What did we expect from Kwame? Not a lot. What have we had from Kwame? Next to nothing. He has only played in 22 games this season and was ineffective when on the floor, averaging a meager 1.9 points per game. The fact the Sixers gave him a player option boggles the mind.
Andrew Bynum: F
When the Sixers traded for Andrew Bynum, optimism was high. Philadelphia had a new star in town; the first since Allen Iverson. This optimism quickly turned sour. Bynum has scored the same amount of points for the Sixers as me: zero. At least we got to see his cool hairstyles.
The long-bodied center that is as soft as marshmallow; Spencer Hawes once again failed to produce anywhere near the level required. Despite averaging 11.1 points per game, he did so averaging less than 50 percent from the field — which is poor for a 7’0’’ player. He takes too many inefficient long 2s and has trouble setting screens with any kind of force.
Jrue Holiday has been the breakout star for the 76ers this year.
(Photo via Keith Allison/Wikipedia)
Jrue Holiday: A-
The shining light among the darkness that has been the 2012-13 Philadelphia 76ers, Jrue Holiday has turned from a solid NBA player to an All-Star. Averaging 17.9 points per game and 8.2 assists tells you all you need to know. Holiday is perhaps the only player with his spot on the roster guaranteed.
Justin Holiday: Incomplete
It would be hard to label a grade on Justin Holiday. He’s been with the Sixers for less than a month. Having said that, he has showed flashes that he could perhaps be a solid rotation player. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Sixers kept him around next season.
Royal Ivey: D
Royal Ivey hasn’t played a lot, and when he does, it is usually playing minutes that do not matter. He was brought around as backup point guard and has only seen 13.2 minutes per game. Perhaps it is a little harsh to give him a low grade, but his 3.2 points per game do not give me any indication that he is a player worth keeping around. The Sixers must cut him and move on.
Charles Jenkins: C-
Jenkins is another player that rarely gets game-time — he has only played 12.5 minutes per game on 12 occasions. From that small sample size it is hard to judge how good he could have been. Having said that, it’s hard to imagine he would have had a positive impact on this average roster.
Arnett Moultrie has only played 10.8 minutes per game, despite showing that he could be a good contributor if given the chance. Moultrie takes good shots and shoots better than 50 percent from the field. He also rebounds the ball well; 2.8 rebounds in 10.8 minutes is a very solid amount. Hopefully he will see more minutes next season.
Jason Richardson: D+
An afterthought in the Andrew Bynum trade, Jason Richardson was meant to stretch the floor, provide solid shooting form beyond the arc and be an all-important leader in the locker room. Unfortunately, injury has left him on the sideline for most of the season. However, when he was fit, he averaged a poor .341 from 3-point range. Richardson will remain in Philly next year and it is up to him to reinvigorate his career.
Evan Turner: It is to time to become more consistent. Photo Credit: Keith Allison, Flickr.com
Evan Turner: C+
Evan Turner is perhaps the most frustrating player on the Sixers roster. He is skilled at nearly all facets of the game: dribbling, passing, rebounding and shooting — yet he isn’t amazing at any single one. Add in his inconsistencies and you have an awfully frustrating player. However, you have to give him credit, he’s upped his scoring numbers — it’s just not progressed at the level we expected coming out of college.
Damien Wilkins has provided experience and a solid option off the bench. He is not an amazing player by any stretch of the means — but his per 36 minutes numbers are not too bad: 12.9 points and 3.5 rebounds. Wilkins could perhaps stay next season, on the veteran minimum.
Dorell Wright: C-
At the time of his arrival in Philadelphia, many were excited at the prospect of Wright joining the Sixers roster. He could stretch the floor, providing a constant 3-point threat while being a solid-enough defender. The 3-point stroke has been OK (37 percent), but not the 40 percent you’d hope from a shooter. With that being said, he’s only had 22 minutes per game. I hope this can change if he stays around next year.
Nick Young: C
Swaggy-P was meant to be the replacement for last year’s Sixth Man Award runner-up Lou Williams. However, it just hasn’t worked out. Young has been in and out of the lineup under Collins and it looks as though his short stint in Philly will be exactly that.
Aside from Jrue Holiday, Thaddeus Young has been the Sixers’ most reliable and competent performer. Young has averaged 14.9 points per game while also averaging a career-high 7.6 rebounds. Young has emerged as a very good player for the Sixers at the 4. Young, Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner — if kept together — provide a small glimmer of hope for Philly. It’s time to build on them.