I. TEAM HISTORY

Larry Brown surrounded Iverson with some effective role players, like defenders deluxe Eric Snow, George Lynch, and Theo Ratliff, and rookie talent Larry Hughes. The Sixers are a cohesive unit, and are hard on opposing offenses. And by virtue of Iverson's presence alone, they are quicker than most teams.

Here are the transactions over the past year.

• Jan 21, 1999 - Re-signed F/C Theo Ratliff. Signed C Matt Geiger, F Harvey Grant, F George Lynch, C Benoit Benjamin, F Stacey King, G Arthur Davis, G/F Darrin Hancock, first round draft pick G Larry Hughes, first round draft pick C Nazr Mohammed and second round draft pick C Casey Shaw. Acquired forward Mirsad Turkcan from the Houston Rockets in exchange for a conditional first round draft choice.
• Jan 26, 1999 - Signed G Allen Iverson to a contract extension.
• Jan 28, 1999 - Waived F Stacey King.
• Jan 29, 1999 - Waived G Arthur Davis.
• Feb 16, 1999 - Waived G/F Darrin Hancock.
• Feb 24, 1999 - Waived C Benoit Benjamin. Signed F/C Rick Mahorn.
• Mar 11, 1999 - Traded F Mirsad Turkcan to the New York Knicks for a first-round draft pick. Traded F Tim Thomas and F Scott Williams to the Milwaukee Bucks for F Tyrone Hill and G Jerald Honeycutt.

II. TEAMS NEEDS

III. DRAFT HISTORY

• 1998 Larry Hughes St. Louis
• 1998 Nazr Mohammed Kentucky
• 1998 Casey Shaw Toledo
• 1997 Tim Thomas Villanova
• 1997 Anthony Parker Bradley
• 1997 Marko Milic Smelt Olimpija-Slovenia
• 1997 Kebu Stewart Cal-State Bakersfield
• 1996 Allen Iverson Georgetown
• 1996 Mark Hendrickson Washington State
• 1996 Ryan Minor Oklahoma
• 1996 Jamie Feick Michigan State
• 1995 Jerry Stackhouse North Carolina
• 1994 Sharone Wright Clemson
• 1994 B.J. Tyler Texas
• 1994 Derrick Alston Duquesne
• 1993 Shawn Bradley Brigham Young
• 1993 Alphonso Ford Mississippi Valley State
• 1992 Clarence Weatherspoon Southern Mississippi
• 1991 Alvaro Teheran Houston
• 1990 Brian Oliver Georgia Tech
• 1990 Derek Strong Xavier (OH)
• 1989 Kenny Payne Louisville
• 1989 Reggie Cross Hawaii
• 1989 Toney Mack Georgia

Iverson, Hughes, and Parker are the only draft picks in the last ten years that are still on the Philly Roster.

IV. SALARIES

V. FREE AGENTS

1. Eric Snow, 6-foot-3 guard. He was one of the lowest-paid point guards in the league at $896,000 but started 48 regular-season games and finished as runner-up to Orlando's Darrell Armstrong for the NBA's Most Improved Player Award. He is in the last year of his contract. To keep him, the Sixers will have to re-sign him for at least $2.5 million a year. Otherwise, Detroit and Seattle, among others, will be waiting in the wings. I believe the changes of bringing him back are very high. Iverson loves him. Whose team is it?
2. George Lynch, 6-8 forward. He averaged 8.3 points and 6.4 rebounds and established himself as one of the team's premier defenders. He was close to averaging 2.0 steals per game. Larry Brown took a chance on the fellow North Carolina grad last year and I would guess that he would sign him again. The only problem is he will come at a higher cost than the league minium.
3. Rick Mahorn, 6-10 forward. Rick is valuable to this team. He is a leader and is a positive in the locker room. He is a guy these young players can look-up to. I say keep Rick at the minimum.

VI. POSITION BREAKDOWN

A. CENTER

Matt Geiger, 7-1 center. I think Matt silenced the critics this year with a solid performance. He averaged 13.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, he finished the year with a sensational performance in Game 4 of the conference semifinals and proved to be one of the team's inspirational leaders. Plus, he signed for six years and $47 million in January.

Strengths: Matt seems to be a strong competitor. He has a desire to win. He fits in well with Iverson. He can be a good scoring option when needed

Weakness: It's not clear how much longer he can get away with being a jump-shooting center. Also, he lost his way to the boards in a play-off game with a zero rebound performance. That just can't happen.

Status on Next Year: I am very happy with Matt at center. He is a good fit.

Nazr Mohammed, 6-10 center.   Nazr is still kind of project. He should improve over the summer. Then add training camp and the ability to practice more this year and he should improve. He only played in 26 games for about 5 minutes a game. He was kind of lost but showed a little spark here and there.

Strengths: He is a big young body that comes from a good college program (Kentucky) and we have him for a few more years to watch him develop.

Weakness: Nazr needs to just get a little more playing time to develop his NBA game.

Status on Next Year: He will remain a bench guy for a while he develops. Would not be surprised to see him as a victim of Larry Brown's off-season tinkering.

B. POWER FORWARD

Theo Ratliff, 6-10 forward.   Theo is a solid player. He is a big part of the success of the Sixers this year. He was a defensive stopper in the middle, which allowed the perimeter players to take chances. This is the reason the team lead the league in steals (10.84 per game). Theo was 3rd in the NBA in blocks at 2.98 per game and 20th in the league in rebounds at 8.1. He also added 11.2 points per game.

Strengths: He is a very solid all around player that helps complete the puzzle of this team. Hard work and youth give Theo a huge upside. He is only going to keep improving as his career moves on.

Weakness: Tends to get in foul trouble once in while and needs to become more fluid on offense.

Status on Next Year: Theo is the starting Power Forward for years to come.

Tyrone Hill, 6-9 forward.   Tyrone is a nice player to have. He is is the forward rotation to help spell Theo and Matt. He is a strong rebounder and can give a little offensive pop. He never really found his total game in Philly. He was pre-occupied with an illness in his family and just never got settled. He is a luxury at this point.

Strengths: He has some valuable NBA experience that this teams needs. He really hits the boards and could be a big help next season.

Weakness: He hasn't found a solid role in Philly. He needs improvement at the foul line. He has to improve on his FG% (45.5). He is unhappy coming off the bench.

Status on Next Year: I got a feeling he will be dangled at the draft to move into the fist round. I don't think He will a Sixer next year.

C. SMALL FORWARD

George Lynch, 6-8 forward.   George convinced Larry Brown to sign him during the summer on the campus of North Carolina. Lynch made Brown look real smart. Lynch played very well in the past year, some offense and some great defense. He is a key free agent signing but I think he will come off the bench next year.

Strengths: Defense, smart play, and leadership

Weakness: He may lose playing time due to the fact the sixers need another steady scorer and this may be the spot the use to fill that need. Status for Next Year: I believe that the Sixers bring him back. It will cost more but I believe he is worth it.

Harvey Grant, 6-9 forward. I think Harvey's days are numbered as a Sixer. He spent a lot of time on the pine towards the end of the year. He became unstable and inconsistant.

Strengths: He has a nice shot and could provide some punch off the bench.

Weakness: Seemed to lose abilities towards the the end of the season.

Status for Next Year: Got the feeling that he will be gone.

D. SHOOTING GUARD

Allen Iverson, 6-0 guard.   The Answer. He really is the answer. Nice to see that the Sixers locked up Iverson for many years. What can you say about the year he had. He won the storing title(26.8), finished 3rd in steals(2.29), and 1st in minutes played(41.5). He elected to the First Team All-NBA team for the first time this year. He became the leader of this team and showed an incredible fire for winning. He is the league MVP is my eyes. If you remove the "hip-hop" image he would have been the MVP hands down. This is unfair to Allen but it doesn't seem to bother him. I think Allen is perfect just the way he is. There is no other More Valuable player in this league that Iverson.

Strengths: Scoring, Quickness, Heart, and Energy. He can score at will and is the man to have the ball when the game is on the line.

Weakness: Not much. If I have to find something I will. He needs to develop some more trust in the coaching staff and the other players on the team. Allen tends to try to do much sometimes.

Status for Next Year: He is the franchise.

Aarron McKey, 6-5 guard. He possesses a great character, he is a complete team player and he is a defensive ace. He is a good player off the bench but might be to expensive to keep. He has two years at $3.445 million remaining on his contract.

Strengths: Steady play. Good defender. Leadership.

Weakness: He just doesn't have the consistant long-range shooting the need so badly.

Status for Next Year: Boy, not sure Aaron will be around. Most-likey part of some package deal.

Anthony Parker, 6-6 guard.   Here is a guy that can drill the long ball but doesn't fit into the system. Now that Iverson is playing shooting guard, Anthony is buried deep on the bench. Parker needs to prove he belongs on this team this summer. He will cost almost a million to keep him.

Strengths: Good long-range shooting.

Weakness: Hasn't showed he has NBA talent.

Status for Next Year: Questionable at best.

E. POINT GUARD

Eric Snow, 6-3 guard.   Well, Eric had a nice season. He is a real nice complement to Iverson. Plus, he can hit the open jumper. He is a real good defender and finished 9th in steals at 2.08 per game. He was a great surprise to the team. He is fairly solid at this position and should be a big help next year.

Strengths: Quick, Steady, Smart, and Athletic.

Weakness: Not a great scorer and this team might need a more consistent long-range shooter at the point.

Status for Next Year: Solid. I really like Snow. He was a big part of the improvement of this team this year. Look for him to start next year.

Larry Hughes, 6-5 guard.   I put Larry Hughes here at the point guard slot because I believe that Larry Brown thinks he will be some day. I think Brown dreams of a Hughes/Iverson backcourt. I think Hughes will become a 'Pippen' type player over time. Hughes should be able to play PG,SG, and SF. Snow is the point guard for now but I think you will find Hughes filling in next year at all three positions. Hughes showed he was worthy of the 7th pick in the draft with flashes of pure greatness.

Strengths: Loads of talent and very athletic. He will just get better in time.

Weakness: Jump shot and long-range shooting. He shot 41% from the floor and 15% from 3 point range. This needs to improve.

Status: We got him for 4 more years. He will work into the starting line-up soon. Patience is key with Larry Hughes.

VII. FRONT OFFICE OVERVIEW

Billy King, General Manager.

Billy is becoming a real star in the management world. He has a great eye for talent and seems to have a nose for a good deal. Don't overlook his partipication in the teams turnaround.

Pat Croce, Team President.

Pat is a great motivator and a real spark plug to the team. He is in touch with the players and really believes in them. Pat is not afraid to dream and dream big. He is an over-achiever and the team reflects this strong personality.

Larry Brown, Coach.

Coach Brown has grown this year. He has learned to reach his players better. He has developed a good relationship with Iverson. Brown and Iverson have fought and made up a few times this year. They have both risen above their differences and grown. Wow, this is a huge leap for this team. It is so nice to see Iverson sit down next to the coach on the bench. Brown is a perfect fit for this team. He is a great teacher of the game and he has the respect of the players. We are lucky to have him.

VIII. TRADE RUMORS

• Tyrone Hill for Derrick Coleman. Charlotte claims to be happy to dump DC but Croce and King are against bringing DC back.
• Theo Ratliff for the Number 2 Pick in the draft. Not sure that Philly is willing to give up on Theo just yet.
• Tyrone Hill for George McCloud. This would be ideal for the Sixers.
• I heard that the Suns offered Danny Manning and the ninth pick in the draft for Theo Ratliff. I would not make this trade.

IX. MY SELECTION.

Strengths: He can play either forward position but is better suited for the small forward because of his quickness. He can shoot from the outside and hit the 3 pointer. He is not afraid to hit the boards.

Weakness: He is not a good foul shooter. He tends to have a lot of turnovers, which means to me he has trouble handling the ball.

X. OTHERS CONSIDERED

Strengths: He is an all around good players. He doesn't have any skills that stand out. He is a good defender and can hit the jumper on occation.

Weakness: He is to small for a small forward and lacks the skills to play shooting guard.

2. Devean George, Augsburg - Small Forward 6-8, 225.

Strengths: George has good size and all-around skills. George is a natural scorer, and set school records by averaging 27.5 ppg. Had excellent pre-draft camps, as he averaged a double-double at the Portsmouth Invitational. George can run, jump and has an instinct for the game.

Weakness: Comes from a small school and might not be able to shine in the NBA.

XI. WHO WILL THEY TAKE.

ADEMOLA OKUJALA, North Carolina - Small Forward 6'9", 235.

If the Sixers do not trade into the first round I think they will take Ademola Okujala from North Carolina. First of all he is from North Carolina, Larry Brown loves that I am sure. He has good size (6'9'', 235) and can play both forward position but is listed as a small forward. He is known as one of those players who does a lot of the little things well. Knows how to box out, set screens, shoot off screens, and help out his teammates on defense. He very durable and has played four years of college basketball. He has displayed very good moves in his mid-range game and he shot 37 percent from three point land during his college career. He is a solid defender, and will put a body on anyone he guards. He made All-ACC this year with averages of 13.9 points and 8.4 rebounds. He is the kind of completely unselfish player every team in the NBA considers essential.

** If they trade into the first round it will be for the 2nd pick overall with Vancouver. They have a lot of options. Most likely they will take Elton Brand from Duke. They would trade away Theo Ratliff to get the pick so I would assume they would replace Theo with a scoring low post player. The Sixers really need another scoring option.

XII. OTHER MOVES THE TEAM SHOULD MAKE.

1. If they can dump some salary, they need to look for a veteran free agent shooter like Lamond Murray. They could also trade for a shooter.
2. Sign their key free agents, Eric Snow, George Lynch and Rick Mahorn.

XIII. LATE BREAKING NEWS.

There's the possibility of a draft-day deal," Sixers general manager Billy King said. "We'll spend the next couple of days trying to figure out the draft, get a mock draft going and get some possibilities of guys who might be there."

The word is the Sixers are looking to trade into the mid to late 1st round to take Alek Radojevic, 7-3 Center from Barton County CC. They are only willing to trade Ty Hill or Anthony Parker.