19 year old Jrue Holiday will have a rough wake up call when the NBA season begins. Assuming the 6ers sign a veteran point guard Holiday will likely spend much of the season on the bench, playing garbage minutes at the end of games and waving a towel when his teammates score. But Holiday is not the only young 76er hoping to contribute to the team next year.
Mo Speights, the 6,10 second year Power Forward from Florida is ready to make an impact. His offensive game is smooth and effective and he seems to have taken a page out of Tim Duncans playbook with his soft jump shot and effective post moves.
Thad Young is a star in the making. He showed in his second season that he not only belongs in the NBA but has an extremely bright future. And let me ask you this: Given what you know today would you rather draft Greg Oden or Thad Young?
7 foot center Jason Smith was injured last year but is getting back to full speed and will be ready to step in when starting center Sam Dalembert commits his third foul in the first quarter and is left to earn his millions on the bench. The 6ers are trying their best to trade Dalembert but will not likely find a taker. Either way, look for Jason Smith to find valuable minutes and contribute much to the team.
Louis Williams is due for a break out year. Drafted out of high school and relegated to the bench for the early part of his career Williams now has a chance for major minutes and needs to show that he's ready to handle the pressure. He's a streaky shooter and is at his best taking the ball to the rim and drawing fouls. This season should show us if Williams is a star in the making or a pure athlete struggling to learn the nuances of the game of basketball.
With Andre Iggy, Elton Brand returning and the likely addition of a veteran point guard the 76ers should ride a nice mix of veterans and youngsters into the playoffs again this coming season.
Posts
