MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: G/F Andre Iguodala edges out G Andre Miller. Miller's inability to keep opposing point guards in front of him gives Iguodala the edge even though Iguodala's scoring average dropped from 2007-08 and he finished the Magic series by shooting 18-for-46 (.391) in the final three games, all losses. Iguodala did hit the winning shot in Game 1 at Orlando and led the Sixers in scoring (21.5), assists (6.7) and steals (1.8) in the playoffs, and he scored 20-plus points in five of the six games after last year's postseason meltdown against Detroit.
MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYER: C Samuel Dalembert took a big step backward after a solid 2007-08 season. The Sixers' starting center slipped to 6.4 points and 8.5 rebounds in his seventh NBA season, then had career playoff lows of 5.8 and 7.8 in a postseason capped by the Magic's Marcin Gortat outplaying him in Game 6. All that for $10.5 million, with a mere two years and $26 million remaining on his contract. The most amazing thing is that Dalembert still hasn't developed a go-to offensive move. FREE AGENT FOCUS: G Andre Miller, who skipped the final team meeting, is the only significant unrestricted free agent. G Royal Ivey plans on picking up his $1 million player option for 2009-10.
PLAYER NEWS:
--G/F Andre Iguodala, second-year F Thaddeus Young and rookie F/C Marreese Speights were the players singled out by former coach Tony DiLeo for their progress during DiLeo's 57 games on the bench.
"Looking at how individual players flourished was a positive for me," DiLeo said. "Seeing Thaddeus, right before he got injured (March 31), playing the best basketball of his career. I thought Andre Iguodala (was) playing at an All-Star level as a player and leader off the court. Some of our younger players -- Marreese Speights made contributions when we didn't think he'd make many to start the year."
--G Andre Miller finally returned team president Ed Stefanski's call 10 days after skipping the final team meeting. Stefanski said he thanked Miller, who is an unrestricted free agent, for the season he had and that he would speak to Miller's agent, Andy Miller, about the possibility of returning on July 1.
--C Theo Ratliff, an unrestricted free agent, won't be back with the Sixers. That's what Stefanski said in a May 11 conference call. Ratliff, a journeyman center, criticized former coach Tony DiLeo for not getting in the players' faces during the season-ending blowout loss to the Magic.
MEDICAL WATCH:
--F Elton Brand (torn right labrum) continues rehabilitating from shoulder surgery and is expected to be healthy for the start of the training camp.
--F/C Jason Smith (torn ACL) is on track to return for the start of camp, though players recovering from such injuries often need more than a full season to return to their previous form.
