Webber Webber Webber

I want to call somebody right now. I want to talk to them and discuss this. I want to share my amazement with somebody. This is insane. This is fucking nuts. Chris Webber is now going to paly for the 76ers!!!!!!!!!!! I know is bad form to include more exclamation marks than one after a statement but HOLY SHIT. This is a freakin' league changing deal. This is unbelievable. The race for the Atlantic Division crown just finished. As much as I love Jason Kidd and Vince Carter and Nenad Kristic (I am serious this guy is going to turn into 15-10 player). As much as I adore Tony Allen, Al Jefferson, Ricky Davis and Gary Payton (Give this guy some love. He has been the perfect vet on this team. Getting into Paul Pierce's ear and get him to toe the line as much as any one can). Chris Webber and Allen Iverson on the same team in the Atlantic Division? It's over. It's over. Of course there are going to be problems as far as ball sharing is concerned. Major problems. AI likes to have the ball and so does Chris Webber plus AI is the point guard and the 76ers are HIS team. So of course they are going to be problems but still with AI and C-Webb on the same team th 76ers will have a hard tine not capturing the pathetic Atlantic Division'.

While the regular season maybe a lock for the Sixers the playoffs will be a different thing. Where ever shot counts who gets the ball last? Webber? AI? How does it all work out? The answer to all these questions lies with Iverson.

First off, I don't think Webber wanted this deal. He was comfortable in Sac town. Despite Mike Bibby's and Brad Miller's strong performances it was still his team. Now he is in NBA's worst division and on a team that struggles to make .500. Where does this leave us? It brings us back to AI. He has got to be the man. Iverson has shown tremendous maturity in recent times. Whether it be his performance at the Olympics or giving up game winners to Korver or playing like the second coming of Nate 'Tiny' Archibald (well almost). He has got to go out there and set the tone. Integrate Webber into the offence maybe even make him play a bit of defense. Get him to use his low post passing skills to help set up other guys. If (and that is a gianormous if) he can make this happen then the 76ers can make a deep play off run. This deal is so amazing for so many reason. The obvious one being that no one saw this coming. There had been rumors involving Odom and Peja or Odom and Boozer but none seemed likely. In fact most of the people thought that nothing was going to happen after the crazy off season most people believed that the major wheeling and dealing was over. And then this happens. It is like a Mac truck materialized out of no where and hit the NBA. Of course the Sixers have a history of making such February deals. The most recent being in the 200 season when they landed Moutombo who helped them to reach the Finals. Which brings us to the next question what do the Sixers hope to get out of this deal? Sure this deal means that not only will they make the play-offs guaranteed but have a good chance of getting to the 2nd round. But honestly do you take on Chris Webber's massive contract (3 years and $60 million) and immensely bad knees on your team so you can make it to the Eastern Conference semi-finals? Really you'd do that?

Another effect this deal is goin to have is on the 76ers rookies. The Sixers after the Celtics have perhaps the most promising rookies. They have a emerging shot blocker in Samuel Dalembert, and dead eye marksman in Kyle Korver, a offence machine (hopefully) in Willie Green and a highly exiciting player in Andre Iguodala. And the inclusion of Chris Webber is adversely goin to affect the development of all of them. It is going to mean less 3 point shots for Korver, more pine time for Iguodala and Dalembert. Dalembert and Green will be the two rookies least affected by this deal. Least here of course being a relative term here as the entire league is going to feel the revibrations of this deal. All this for what? At best a shot at the Eastern Conference title. And even with Webber I still don't think that the Philly has the ability to beat Maimi, Detorit or Cleavlend. Hell if they meet the Wizards in the first round they'd have a tough time beating them.

What makes this deal even more baffling is that the other end of it was orchestrated by Geoff Petrie, one of the finest front office people around. He has now three average players with big contracts. His deal for Cuttino Mobely suddenly makes more sense now as Mobely's offensive production will some what off set Webbers loss. Last year the Kings showed that they can play at a high level with out Webber but they no longer have Vlade Divac nor is Peja playing at the same level that he was playing at last year. The only consolation is that the individual contracts of the 3 players will be easier to peddle than the solo contract of Webber. I still believe that that the Kings can make it to the play-offs but can you say 'First Round exit'? On the plus side this means that there is going to be more play time for my man Darius Songaila. While Songaila in all probability will never play as well as Webber he has the possibility of becoming the Corliss Williamson of this generation. perhaps the X Factor on a championship team.