The basketball world in Philadelphia is screaming for change, except in my small corner of existence. It is enticing to read the trade rumors in the Chris PaulDwight Howard stakes or to wonder who will sign free agent Tyson Chandler to a 50 million contract (and how quickly).
There will be some haywire movement at least for that first day, Andre Iguodala said, though hes not expecting his team to be headline makers on Friday. The second day will be about those last couple guys for roster spots and slowly but surely everyone will find a team and the season will get rolling.
NBA phone lines are jamming with deals being discussed that, in some cases, involve extreme roster makeovers. But in the case of New Orleans and Orlando, they have been forced into these conversations because they stand to lose the cornerstones of their respective franchises to free agency next summer.
Move him or lose him is the slogan for eachtwo more small markets with their backs against the wall.
Ironically it appears that both teams are seeking multiple youthful pieces in any possible trade. It is the only way to survive the hit they are going to take when their superstar takes his talents elsewhere.
The Sixers have youth, but they do not have a superstar. The Sixers roster has been maturing, and in the hectic atmosphere of the post-lockout season, status quo stands the best chance at success given the progress this team made last year when they totaled 14 more wins than the season before and earned a playoff spot.
Lou Williams took a look at the Sixers upcoming schedule and said, We have a chance to clean up early. They didnt kill us with that first road trip.
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He saw an opening West Coast swing that included five games in 10 days with only one back-to-back. On the heels of that, he saw 15 home games and just three away from Jan. 5 through Feb. 3.
The Sixers were 26-15 at home last year and only once dropped two straight at the Wells Fargo Center. If that carries over, Williams will be right about early cleanup.
Coach Doug Collins would not totally agree. He focuses on the short term, and thus is looking at Portland, Phoenix, Utah, Golden State, New Orleans and the all-important first game home after the swing out west: Detroit. However, the home stretch that jumped out at Williams makes Collins slightly nervous.
I have never really liked the long home stand or a long road, Collins said. I think you get at home sometimes and you have some slippage. I always worry, God forbid, that a guy rolls an ankle and you have 10 home games in a 14-day stretch and the guy is out two weeks and you miss one of your best players and you have all these home games. I would like to see a little more balance, but everybody is going to have this year.
Still dont let that negate the importance of a strong start. I remember a season 11 years ago when the Sixers were the frontrunners early. They jumped out to a 10-0 start, stayed relatively healthy and finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference. Prior to the start of that season, the Sixers roster was virtually the same from the year before.
E-mail Dei Lynam at dlynam@comcastsportsnet.com.