Philadelphia 76ers: Breaking It Down

The first full post-Allen Iverson year was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the 76ers. Let Andre Iguodala get comfortable as the No. 1 option, save cap space for the summer, and maybe get a high draft pick.

But something funny happened—the team gelled under the steady leadership of Andre Miller and Reggie Evans while youngsters like Thaddeus Young, Louis Williams, and Rodney Carney evolved. The team made the playoffs and gave the Detroit Pistons a scare.

With a flurry of big moves this offseason, the 76ers are poised to step into the top tier of the East.

In the biggest move, Philly nabbed Elton Brand, the double-double machine. In his last full season, the 6'8" power forward averaged 20.5 points, 9.3 boards, and 2.2 blocks a game while shooting over 53 percent from the field.

An excellent on-ball shot blocker, and a quiet leader, Brand has a good-not-great offensive game that mainly revolves around mid-range jumpers and garbage buckets. His low-post game isn't devastating, but it's far more effective than anything the 76ers had.

But the biggest question is how Brand will bounce back from a ruptured Achilles. If he can come back to his 2006 form, it will make his nearly $80 million contract worth it.

The Sixers also re-signed Williams to a five-year deal at a fairly reasonable rate. The part-time radio DJ is coming off a year in which he averaged 11.5 points in about 23 minutes, and he is getting better. His shooting percentage and defense need work, but the Sixers have a nice piece locked up.

One of the main weaknesses of the team was its lack of outside shooting. The team had shipped out Kyle Korver in a cap-friendly deal earlier in the year, and they never really recovered. To address this, the team signed Kareem Rush.

Despite a sweet stroke, Rush has bounced around the league and was recently replaced by his younger brother Brandon in Indiana. If he can keep his head straight, Rush should help create space for Brand down low.

The Sixers also signed combo guard Royal Ivey, who probably won't see much time but is a good defender. Their draft pick Marreese Speights is a big body that may be pressed into service now that promising young big man Jason Smith suffered a season-ending injury.

But there's still a major cloud hanging over the franchise. Iguodala is still haggling over a long-term contract extension. Similar players like Luol Deng and Josh Smith have already signed contracts worth $70 milllion plus and $58 million, and it's kind of surprising that the Sixers haven't inked a deal with Iggy.

If he doesn't get a deal he likes, potential bad feelings could drag his play down this season. The Sixers need him to take another step forward and become the go-to-guy in the clutch.

I expect the team to reach an agreement with Iguodala soon, with a deal nearly identical to Deng's. It will take some time to integrate Brand into the offense, and outside shooting will still be a concern, but Miller at the point and Sam Dalembert in the post make this a tough team.

I see the 76ers as the third or fourth best team in the East, and, depending on the team's playoff matchups, they could easily get to the Eastern Conference Finals.