The 2011 NBA Draft has come and gone but some things remain the same. Andre Iguodala is still a 76er…. at least for now.
The 76ers got their man in the draft, Nikola Vucevic of USC. A 6,11 center Vucevic bangs inside and rebounds the ball which is exactly what the team needed. He also has a very nice touch from mid range and could eventually become a scoring option in the post.
Last years first round pick, #2 overall, Evan Turner had a rough rookie season. At times he showed flashes of being the former NCAA player of the year but much of the time he looked lost on the court and seemed to be moving in slow motion while the game passed him by. Things should be different this year and I expect Turner to regain his confidence, find his rhythm and be an integral part of the 76ers during the 2011/12 season.
The best chance of that happening is if the Sixers trade Andre Iguodala and free up those minutes and shots for Turner. It was clear from watching last season that the two players didn’t coexist very well on the court.
It looks like a lot of the potential deals that we heard about over the last weeks are off the table or on the back-burner but a deal still could happen in the off season. The best case scenario, in my opinion, would be to get an expiring contract and a decent draft pick in 2012. We’ll see how it plays out with A.I. but either way I would expect Evan Turner to return to form in his Sophomore campaign.
The other young players on the roster, Jrue Holiday, Thaddeus Young, Spencer Hawes and Lou Williams should continue to improve, mature and come together as a team. I’m a bit of homer, being from the Philly area, but I think this team could make some noise in 2011/12.