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Recapping a Busy Off-Season

The Philadelphia 76ers had cap room and clear objectives going into the off-season; here is a timeline recapping the flurry of moves, acquisitions and signings over the past three months. 

This was one of the most active off-seasons in recent memory for the Philadelphia 76ers.  Coming off a second half run that landed them in the playoffs – where with the support of the fans they pushed perennial Eastern Conference powerhouse Detroit to six games – the Sixers went into the off-season with space under the salary cap and a number of objectives.

With the dust starting to settle on what was clearly a very busy summer, below is a recap of the Sixers' activity:

June 25, 2008: Sixers extend qualifying offers to Andre Iguodala and Lou Williams.

June 26, 2008: With the 16th pick in the NBA Draft, the Sixers select Marreese Speights from the University of Florida.

July 2, 2008: Restricted free agent Josh Smith makes visit to Philadelphia to meet with team and tour city. 

July 9, 2008: Sixers announce they have come to terms with forward Elton Brand; whirlwind media tour ensues. Brand (6-8, 254), a nine-year veteran, has appeared in 614 career games with 609 starts, averaging 20.3 points (50.5% FGs; 73.8% FTs), 10.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.10 blocks and 0.94 steals in 38.3 minutes per game. He joins Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and Shaquille O’Neal as the only active players to have career averages of 20+ points and 10+ rebounds. Brand also ranks seventh among active players in offensive rebounding and has averaged 3.9 orpg for his career.

July 17, 2008: The Sixers wrap up their 2008 Las Vegas Summer League with a 3-2 (.600) record with a last-second win over the Toronto Raptors.  Marreese Speights is one of three players to finish up averaging a points-rebounds double-double.

July 18, 2008: Sixers announce they have signed Marreese Speights. 

July 28, 2008: Sixers sign Royal Ivey. Last season for Milwaukee, Ivey saw action in 75 games with 20 starts, averaging career-highs of 5.6 points, 2.1 assists and 1.6 rebounds in 19.2 minutes per game. He hit 35 3-pointers in 2007-08 after having just 12 3FGM total his first three seasons combined. Ivey scored in double-figures 15 times last season after doing so a total of 14 times his first three seasons.

July 30, 2008: Sixers agree to deal with Kareem Rush.  In five NBA seasons, Rush (6-6/215) has appeared in 314 games with 77 starts, averaging 6.8 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 18.1 minutes per game while shooting 40.2% from the floor, 36.0% from 3-point range and 69.8% from the line. Rush has also played a total of 31 playoff games, averaging 3.6 points while shooting 39.3% from 3-point range.

August 4, 2008: Sixers re-sign Lou Williams.  The 21-year-old enjoyed breakout success last season, averaging career-highs in scoring (11.5 ppg), assists (3.2 apg), rebounding (2.0 rpg) and steals (1.01 spg). Williams had the fifth highest point/rebound/assist total for any player coming off the bench last season and received votes for both the Most Improved Player and Sixth Man of the Year awards. He scored the fourth most points of any reserve last season, had the second-most assists, tallied the most steals and recorded the third-most free throw attempts.

August 18, 2008: Sixers re-sign Andre Iguodala. Last season, Iguodala averaged 5.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.09 steals last season, joining Caron Butler as the only players among qualifiers to average at least 19.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.00 steals. In 2006-07, Iguodala joined Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Tracy McGrady as the only players to average at least 18.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists.

August 20, 2008: Sixers agree to deal with Theo Ratliff.  A two-time NBA All-Defensive Second Team selection (1998-99, 2003-04), Ratliff enjoyed his greatest success as a Sixer, capped off in 2000-01 when he was voted as the starting center for the Eastern Conference All-Star Team.

August 22, 2008: Head Coach Maurice Cheeks adds Jeff Ruland to coaching staff.  

September 2, 2008: Sixers sign Reading, PA native and three-point shooter Donyell Marshall.  Marshall (6-9, 245) has played for seven teams during his 14 NBA seasons, averaging 11.4 points (43.5% FGs, 34.8% 3FGs, 73.3% FTs), 6.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 0.90 blocks in 932 games with 422 starts. He has also appeared in 41 career playoff games, averaging 7.3 points and 4.5 rebounds in 20.3 minutes per game.

September 9, 2008: Sixers announce they have agreed in principle to contract extension with Head Coach Maurice Cheeks.  This past season, Cheeks finished fourth in voting for the NBA’s Coach of the Year award, after guiding the Sixers to a 40-42 mark and their first playoff appearance since 2005. On February 4, the Sixers were 18-30 but won 18 of their next 23 games, becoming just the sixth team in league history to go over .500 after being at least 12 games below .500 at some point during the same season.

With the roster almost set, the Sixers will report to Training Camp at Penn State University on September 29, 2008.

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