An Andre Miller update courtesy of ESPN’s Chris Broussard
Miller (most likely) Out Of Phily
Andre Miller’s career with the Philadelphia 76ers is almost certainly over. The Sixers offered the 33-year-old point guard a one-year deal for the midlevel exception ($5.8 million). Miller was understandably underwhelmed, but after spending big last summer on Andre Iguodala ($80 million) and Elton Brand ($80 million), Philadelphia couldn’t give Miller the three-year, $30 million contract he wanted just to remain a mediocre club. The Sixers aren’t willing to give Miller three years even at the midlevel.
Miller’s agent, Andy Miller (no relation), is trying to find a sign-and-trade deal that will fetch his client something near $10 million per year. But he’s been unsuccessful so far. The Sixers will not do a sign-and-trade just for the sake of doing one; it has to make sense for them, and nothing they’ve seen has made any sense.
Wow … that is surprising news.
I thought Miller was pretty close to a certainty to return to Phily. There’s just not much of a market place out there for a 31 year old point guard looking for $10 million a year, and it’s not like the Sixers have a bunch of better opportunities open to them.
Question
Where do Philadelphia go from here if they lose Miller?
There’s not exactly a lot of point guard talent available on the market.
Ramon Sessions? He’d be the best target. The Bobcats are likely to match any MLE offer to Raymond Felton, and the Bucks might match Sessions’ offers too. The fall off from there leaves you with players like Anthony Carter.
Sixers other point guards
Louis Williams was disappointing last season. A score first point guard who’s development has stagnated. He’d be the starter, and he’d be serviceable, in Miller’s absence.
I’ve been watching Jrue Holiday play in summer league, and he’s been underwhelming. He’s got a lot of improvement to go through offensively before he’s ready to take a substantial role in a team. It looks doubtful that he’s going to be ready to play as early as this coming season.
