Kobe Bryant should consider sitting out for the rest of the 2013-14 NBA season

Check out the original article which ran on Philly.com, here.

'There can’t be many things much more difficult or frustrating for a professional athlete than missing significant time to battle back from an injury, only to return and get injured again.

Derrick Rose suffered that fate unfortunately at the start of the season, and now Kobe Bryant, fresh off of returning from his Achilles injury, is out again. The tagged six-week recovery time that comes with the fractured bone in Bryant’s knee would see him returning sometime right around February’s All-Star Break, at the earliest.

The Lakers, currently tenth in the West at 13-14, are fighting to stay in the playoff picture. An extended absence from Bryant, coupled with all of the other injury issues the team is facing, may well sink the season.

Bryant will do everything in his power and then some to get back out on the hardwood as soon as possible to help keep his team on track, as is his way. You know, pray for the bear, and all that.

But, by that point the Lakers season may well be lost.

Regardless of a request, it's time for the Sixers to trade Thaddeus Young

Rumors all around. Regardless of if Young actually asked for a trade or not, his tenure with the team is likely nearing an end. Thad could be a great contributor to a contender and the Sixers could (hopefully) get some young value back for his versatility. Win-win.

Check out the original article from Philly.com, here.
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Thaddeus Young’s reported request to be traded by the Sixers, as first publicized by SB Nation’s Jake Fischer, doesn’t come as a big surprise, except for maybe in the fact that Evan Turner didn’t do it first.

Young’s reported request is reasonable, and will more than likely be obliged by the organization, as it should be.

I keep saying ‘reported request’ because Young denied the report Friday morning at Sixers shootaround.

“I just think how it’s all funny that it’s ‘sources’ said I asked to be traded,” Young stated.

When pressed further about the initial report from Fischer, and if he had indeed asked to be traded, Young replied, “no.”

Regardless of whether or not he did in fact ask to be traded, Young deserves better than the current Sixers’ situation. 

No Omar Asik, or Dion Waiters for Philadelphia

Lots of rumors, no results. 

Over the past couple days, the Sixers have been involved in a couple of rumors that were circulating through the league's online following. 

After all of the commotion around Omar Asik, not only are the Sixers not involved in any potential trade for the center, but he isn't even going anywhere at this moment. 

So no Asik for the Sixers, and no Dion Waiters either, as I wrote about yesterday for Philadunkia. Check out the original article here. 

From Philadunkia: 

"Don’t expect to see Dion Waiters in a Sixers uniform anytime this season.

Despite the fact that the rumor has stayed surfaced, there seems to be little merit in a move that would ship Evan Turner and his talents to Cleveland for the former lottery pick.

Hollis Thompson developing decently under Brett Brown and the Sixers

Check out the original article from Philly.com here.
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"One of the positive aspects of the Sixers’ lack of dependable depth - and the resulting struggle this season - is the opportunity it provides the organization to try out talent.

Since the team isn’t aiming to make a playoff push this season, it can afford to focus on the future and give guys an opportunity to see if they fit with the franchise going forward, or if they could at least be developed into a tradable asset.

Tony Wroten, a castaway from Memphis, has already demonstrated in the first month of the season that he has an NBA-level skill set. That was far from a certainty heading into the season.

While he may be better suited for an off-ball bench role rather than the back-up point guard position he has been playing, Wroten has taken advantage of his extended opportunities and shown the league at large that he can contribute. With continued development, Wroten could turn into a rotation player for the franchise going forward, or at least a player that other teams would trade for. That, too, is a far cry from where he was just this past summer.

Now it’s Hollis Thompson’s turn.

Michael Carter-Williams and Nerlens Noel could form a dynamic duo for the Sixers

The 2013 NBA Draft might end up having been a great one for the Sixers. If Noel can come back to the level that is expiated, and he continues to develop with Carter-Williams, then they really could develop into a dynamic duo, on both ends of the floor. Check out the original article, from Philly.com, here.
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Last Tuesday night, the night of the Sixers' 126-125 double overtime victory over Orlando, I was invited to play some pick-up basketball. After some deliberation based on the fact that I don’t usually like missing live Sixers action, I decided to deviate from watching others play basketball and actually play some ball myself.

My pick-up game was scheduled to start at the same time as the Sixers showdown against Orlando, but thanks to modern technology (how great is the DVR?), I had the Sixers game set to record before I left for the court, and planned to watch it in a state of post-playing soreness when I got back a couple hours later.

I was careful not to check social media after pick-up play had concluded, since about three quarters of my Twitter timeline is basketball related; I didn't want to know what happened in the tank-off between the Magic and the Sixers before I saw it myself (I’m convinced that the recording of a game and staying in a state of self-induced ignorance of the outcome until I see it myself isn’t as weird or uncommon as my girlfriend insisted it was).

My successful state of suspense didn't last long however, as on my way back toward the City of Brotherly Love from Devon I received a text from my mom that read something along the lines of:

‘Sixers double ot, crazy game.’

So much for the surprise. 

The Sixers should consider calling up Kendall Marshall

Addition: Earlier this week, the Delaware Sevens claimed former lotto pick Kendall Marshall, as I documented here for Philly.com 

Since this acquisition, I've began to think that Marshall makes some sense for the Sixers, at least to try out. 

The Sixers are using the season to try out a rotation of talent, and it only seems logical that Marshall would get a shot. The team has been in need of a back-up point guard all season, and with his size, athleticism, and ability to run the break, Marshall may make a nice fit in Brett Brown's system. 

Tony Wroten, while he has done decently filling in for Carter-Williams when he has been unable to play, may be better suited as a back-up scorer, rather than point man. He is often erratic, and makes some mistakes. He likes to put his head down and drive to the basket; a style which would be better suited off ball. 

Darius Morris was given an opportunity earlier this season, and currently Lorenzo Brown is getting some burn. Brown however has been unimpressive, and his minutes may be better used evaluating elsewhere. 

Marshall has the size and athleticism for a guard that Brett Brown prefers, and he has an excellent ability to pass and run an offense, averaging almost ten assists per game during his sophomore season at UNC. He's not the future face of the franchise, but he may work well as a backup point. The option is at least worth exploring. 

Sixers' Michael Carter-Williams is looking like the NBA's Rookie of the Year

Michael Carter-Williams posted his first career triple-double last night, helping to further his Rookie of the Year case. Yes it is still early in the season, but when is it ever too early for speculation? Be sure to check out the full article, from Philly.com, here. 

It is sort of ironic that on the same day that the Sixers’ last Rookie of the Year officially ended his career, the future of the franchise and current rookie-of-the-year-hopeful Michael Carter-Williams began his.

It was October 30, 2013, and we were staring down the start of an extremely uncertain season. We had just witnessed the iconic Iverson retire, and Sixernation wasn’t quite sure what to expect out of the rookie point guard from Syracuse, starting in his first career game at 22 years of age.

What we got was 22 points, 12 assists, 9 steals, 7 rebounds and a lot of hope for the future of the franchise.

Since opening night, Carter-Williams has hit a couple speed bumps but hasn’t slowed much, and he has people in Philadelphia, and around the league at large, praising his play.

Lakers legend Magic Johnson tweeted that he believed Carter-Williams would be the Rookie of the Year after watching only his opening night performance. While it will take a lot more than a single game to win the award for Carter-Williams, he is well on his way and his play continues to impress.