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Does Andre Iguodala’s $80 million extension make Philadelphia 76ers a contender?August 12 08  Today, ‘The City of Brotherly Love’ finally showed Andre Iguodala love. They also showed him lots of money. ESPN’s Henry Abbott is reporting that the Philadelphia 76ers have signed Iguodala to a six-year, 80 million dollar contract. According to Abbott, the club dramatically improved their offer in the last twenty-four hours and the two sides, after a long negotiation, agreed to terms. Iguodala is known for highlight reel dunks, which often appear on ESPN SportsCenter. But the prime-time love from Stuart Scott overshadows his talents. The swingman has improved his scoring every season, while consistently posting strong rebound and assist numbers. The 76ers suddenly look like an up-and-coming Eastern Conference power. Iguodala will continue as the post-Iverson face of the franchise and newly signed Elton Brand will provide half-court scoring. They also have excellent blending stars. Andre Miller, the veteran table-setter, is a perfect leader for such a young team. Expect Miller to build on last season’s success and get recognized with an All-Star game selection in 2008-09. Sam Dalembert, when healthy and focused, is a solid blue-collar five-man. The bench has a nice mix of youngsters and veterans. Emerging pros like Louis Williams and Thaddeus Young will provide energy, while Willie Green, Reggie Evans, and Kareem Rush’s experience will give the second-unit stability. Without Brand, Philadelphia pushed Detroit to six games in the opening round of last year’s playoffs. After a strong summer, ‘The City of Brother Love’ and the entire NBA will have high expectations for these young 76ers. Do you consider the 76ers Eastern Conference contenders? Get at us in the comment box below and return to HoopsVibe The Blog for more NBA tidbits. Photo courtesy of Ken Brynan. |
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