Workout News and Notes

July 5, 2004
Ouch
Kyle Korver’s summer progress took a step backward when he suffered a left MCL sprain in workouts on Monday, July 5. The forward will not be playing with the team in Minnesota and will begin rehab immediately.

The injury happened when Alhaji Mohammed was going down the lane and Korver came over to defend. The two players bumped knees with Korver getting the worst of it. Korver stretched and jumped afterward but the Sixers pulled him off the floor to get his knee examined.

“You are concerned any time, anybody gets hurt,” Head Coach Jim O’Brien said after the workout. “I don’t think it is a dramatic injury, but it is on the inside of the knee. Best case scenario he could have played at the end of the week, but we are not going to do that to him.”

76ers President and General Manager BIlly King was disappointed for Korver.

“I am disappointed for him because he has worked so hard for this summer league. That’s one thing when he first came back, he was so excited to play summer league,” King said. “And watching him play here in these couple of practices, he has improved tremendously from last year.”

The Sixers will not replace Korver’s spot and traveled with 11 players to Minnesota.

Don’t Short Him
While he was busy leading St. Bonaventure in 2003-04, Marques Green spent last year also keeping an eye on Denver’s diminutive Earl Boykins. As it turns out, the 5-foot-5 Boykins would actually look up to the 5-foot-7 Green.

“He gives me a lot of inspiration to keep on playing,” Green said. “(He) keeps my dreams up.”

Green has enjoyed a strong week in the Sixers camp.

“Marquis Green has had a very good camp,” O’Brien said. “He understands his strengths, knows how to hide his weaknesses. He’s been a very, very solid performer for us. He can really shoot the basketball, which we love. He makes solid decisions.”

Faced with an already crowded backcourt, Green is hoping to get a chance with the Sixers.

“The main thing is to try to make this team I am playing for. I like the coaches, I like my teammates and things like that. I just want to come in and work hard and see where I can fit in at and hopefully they need me or give me a chance to tryout,” Green said.

Green was a prolific scorer with the Bonnies, averaging 19.4 points per game. So O’Brien’s green light offense fits perfectly with his style.

“It helps me a lot. (O’Brien) gives a lot of guys the green light to shoot. Only the main thing is, don’t shoot a contested shot and that’s not a problem. You have to take good shots,” Green said. “In the offense, just moving the ball around, giving guys freedom to take their man and playing together as a teammate.”

Great Expectations
With just five workouts and not much five-on-five time, O’Brien is expecting a rough start to Summer League games. But wins and losses are not as important in the summer. O’Brien has other expectations that he has set.

“(We) want to try to get Willie (Green) and John (Salmons) a lot of rotations at the point guard spot. See how they handle things. What they need to improve on,” O’Brien said. “We have really been impressed by Andre’s (Iguodala) ability to defend and get his hands on the ball. The guy just has a sense of where the basketball is and disrupts things. Just to see how the three of those guys play together and to the best of our abilities give other guys like Marques (Green) and Tyrone (Barley a chance).

“This guy Sani Ibrahim has really had a very, very impressive three or four days. So give everybody a chance to show that they can play together if they are all ready under contract. If they are not under contract, show the NBA what they can do.”

Thanks, But No Thanks
The Lakers lost again. Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski turned down the Lakers coaching job on Monday after spending the weekend pondering the jump to the Pros.

Billy King was not that surprised to hear that Krzyzewski was staying at Duke.

“In looking at everything and knowing what Duke means to him, and he means to Duke and college basketball, I felt that he would stay,” King said. “He’s at point in his career where he doesn’t need any more challenges. I think he set himself apart from a lot of people. If you were talking maybe 10 years ago then he may (have accepted) the challenge.”

King and other Duke alumns breathed a sigh of relief when the announcement was official.

“I think for all us in talking with Danny Ferry, Bobby (Hurley), Jay Bilas, and different former teammates, we like the fact that he is there at Duke,” King said. ‘It’s a special place for all of us, and the fact that he is staying there, it keeps some continuity there.”



July 4, 2004
Surprise Guest
If the 76ers rookies and free agents felt that summer workouts got ratcheted up a notch in intensity on Sunday, maybe it was because Allen Iverson took part in the workouts.

Iverson played the entire workout and then shot around afterward as he continued to get into shape for the Olympics and the coming season.

“The main purpose of me coming here (was to) get some workouts before I go to the Olympics,” Iverson told Comcast SportsNet. “(I want to) try to get as much running as I can get in. Try to get in here and help Coach with the young guys and not feel like I’m getting real old. I am like the oldest guy in here.”

Iverson, who missed a career high 34 games this year, had not played since March 20 and was officially shut down for the remainer of the season on March 30.

“It’s fun just getting back into it. When you don’t play the game for a while and then you are able to play it again, it’s kind of like a kid in the candy store. You kind of forget what you have been missing, not playing the game,” Iverson said. “And just to come in here and play with these young guys, was special to me because I know I make them get up and play hard and they do the same thing to me. The one thing about young guys, they don’t want to get showed up by other guys.”

While the players may have been surprised to see Iverson, Head Coach Jim O’Brien was not.

“He told us he was going to try to get some work in prior to going to the Olympics. It was great,” O’Brien said. “We had a good practice. I think he got up and down the court and found out where he is from a conditioning standpoint. It was a good practice.”

Iverson is looking forward to putting his injury filled 2003-04 season behind him and get the 76ers back into the playoffs.

“It’s just another challenge in my life. Another obstacle,” Iverson said. “You know, I’ve been through a lot in my life, and I’ve been through a lot of things worse than basketball. Basketball has never been a problem for me. I’ve had ups and downs, as you well know in my career, but that’s just a part of the game, a part of the business, that’s a part of growing up. Making mistakes and trying to overcome them and not making that mistake twice. I am defiantly looking forward to having a better season than I did last year. I want the team to have a better season, and I am just approaching everything positive. With all the talking and all the negative things going on, I am going to approach everything positive.”

“Our veterans were not thrilled, you know Willie (Green) and Kyle (Korver), it was good to have them together, but certainly the guys not under NBA contracts certainly didn’t expect to be playing with Iverson on the court,” O’Brien said. “So, it was a good experience for them. It’s good from a standpoint of him starting to recognize things that we’re going to try to do. It was a very, very productive day.”

As for the Olympics, while the 2004 USA Senior Men’s Basketball team has gone through a makeover with a number of marquee players pulling out for a variety of reasons including security concerns, Iverson is set on going.

“For me not to participate in that, it would be a bad thing for me, just in my heart because only a few are selected for it,” Iverson said. “I don’t worry about anything happening to me. I feel like my life is in God’s hands and as long as that’s the case, then I feel like I’ll be alright.”

But before the Olympics start in August, Iverson is just looking to get his conditioning back.

“I am not in the greatest shape because I have not been playing as much,” Iverson admitted. “I spent a lot of time rehabbing my knee, and getting in as much weight training as I can. That’s just been the toughest part of my summer, just trying to get in condition and lifting without running up and down the court. But I am heeled, everything feels fine, and I am just ready to go to work.”



July 3, 2004
Roster Reduction
The Sixers reduced their roster to 12 players on Saturday. After the team’s third workout, it was announced that DeAngelo Collins and Anthony Frasier were released.

Second Impressions
Head Coach Jim O’Brien was feeling good after the Sixers third session. So good, that he gave everyone the night off, canceling a planned second session on Saturday.

“The second day was a very good day of practice,” O’Brien said. “I thought everyone looked more comfortable with what we are trying to do. I thought our three veterans and Andre had really great days of practice. They looked very comfortable with one another. It’s really an intense day. We are happy with where we are right now.”

While O’Brien and his staff have their eyes on Willie Green, Kyle Korver, John Salmons and Andre Iguodala, a few of the free agents have also caught his and staff’s eye.

“I really like Sani Ibrahim. He in all likely hood will start at center when we get out to Minnesota,” O’Brien said. “Omari (Pearson) is a very nice player. Demetrius Alexander, these guys are all good. I think that Tyrone (Barley) played tough. The little kid from St. Bonaventure, (Marques Green) is a nice player. Alhaji Mohammed out of Louisville did some nice things also. I am real pleased with the group that we put together. We’ll be undersized, but I think they’ll compete.”

Locally Connected
Jameer Nelson and Delonte West, both first round draft choices in 2004, took most of the headlines during the St. Joseph’s Hawks 2003-04 season. Tyrone Barley, the Atlantic 10’s Sixth Man of the Year, was a vital player and spark off the bench and is trying to parlay that into a spot on an NBA roster. Barley’s toughness certainly has appealed to O’Brien, who puts a lot of emphasis on the defensive end.

“He’s a tough, hardnosed guy,” O’Brien said of Barley. “I think he is shooting the basketball well. He understands shot selection. When to shoot, when not to shoot. Just tough as nails. I love toughness. I love that in a player.”

The problem as far as the coach is concerned is Barley’s size and making the transition from a wing player to a point guard.

“I think his challenge is that he’s undersized,” O’Brien said. “He didn’t get a chance to play much point, if at all. I think the jump from being a wing player to a pure point guard is difficult. I think he’s got to learn point guard at this level because that’s his position. But I think he can because he’s a smart guy, and he’s just as tough as they come.”

Barley of course is confident he can make the transition at the NBA level.

“I don’t really think that it is that difficult because the NBA is not really full court pressing, so basically, everyone can get the ball over half court and get the team in a set. So, I really don’t think it’s that difficult,” Barley countered.

Green Looking to Take the Next Step
Just a few months removed from his rookie season, Willie Green is finding himself as one of the veterans on the floor for the Sixers Summer Workouts. Green, who missed 24 games last season with a right thumb sprain and surgery, finished the season with 6.9 points per game in 53 contests and finished strongly.

Now, Green is trying to continue his development while also fitting into a new system.

“First thing I did was just try to find out what coach’s plans were,” the Detroit native said. “Knowing that he likes guys to be able to score, (i was) just working on individual moves, ball handling, making sure that I (am comfortable) at the point guard position, the two guard. Just try to work on every aspect. You can never just focus on one thing. Just try to work on everything.”

Green seems to have hit the right chords with O’Brien.

“Generally, the first day of practice, guys are trying to learn the offense and they are passing up obvious things. Today all of our guys, really took what was there. Willie took jump shots open, he took jump shots closed down. He drove. The thing that our staff really likes about all four of our players is that they have an interest in defending. Willie is very strong.”

The importance of this summer league is not lost on Green who is looking to step up his game and get a leg up on the season.

“It’s just exciting, coming off on an individual stand point, it was a pretty good season,” Green said. “(I am) just trying to get established this season with a new coach and a new staff. Just playing in the summer league is going to give myself, John and Kyle and Andre a great feel for the coach.”

Free Agent Update
76ers President and General Manager Billy King said that he spoke with the agents for Michael Doleac and Adonal Foyle.

"Really, right now, I’m just trying to figure out the market place. what really is the market place, for all these guys," King said. "And I think the agents are doing the same thing."



July 2, 2004
First Impressions
It was just one workout, but Head Coach Jim O’Brien was impressed with first round draft choice Andre Iguodala.

“I think that Andre is a quick learner, a very physical guy. (He is) skilled with the basketball in a lot of different situations. He does the whole offensive thing with his head up. A couple of times, he really found open guys. He found Kyle (Korver) a number of times. Defensively, he is strong and quick. He is going to be able to pressure the basketball at a very high level.

No Smooth Beginning
With just three NBA veterans on the floor, the first summer practice was not exactly the smoothest of operations.

“First practices are not a thing of beauty,” O’Brien said. “Frankly, I was as interested in Willie (Green), Kyle (Korver) and Johnny (Salmons) as I was in Andre since that was the first time I have ever practiced with those guys.”

Still, O’Brien was just happy to be out on the floor.

“It’s fun. I was really looking forward, as was my whole staff, to get on the court and practicing,” O’Brien said. “It’s fun being in the gym, and it’s really a good thing to have Willie and Kyle and Johnny be willing to play in the summer. It’s always their decision and the fact that they are willing to committing themselves to two-a-day practices and playing is important to our team. You can tell the guys who have been in the NBA.”

One player not on the floor was Samuel Dalembert. With Summer League rosters limited to just three NBA veterans, Dalembert will not be participating.

Free Agency Period Gets Underway
The Sixers did not waste any time when free agency opened on July 1 with O’Brien paying a visit to center Mark Blount at the stroke of midnight and meeting with him for two hours in Florida. Starting July 1, NBA teams could begin negotiating with free agents, but cannot sign them to contracts until July 14.

“My meeting went really well,” O’Brien reported. “We have a close relationship. Whether that relationship leads to him being a 76er remains to be seen. The main thing, that we all know, is that this is a business.”

O’Brien is familiar with Blount since the seven footer played under him with the Celtics.

“(Mark) gives you a defensive presence, and we rely heavily on the center to roam and play a one-man zone. We think Sammy (Dalembert) can be very good at that,” O’Brien said. “Mark has proven that he is a guy that knows our defense inside and out. He would be a great addition from a standpoint of just understanding it.”

While the 76ers have been quick to act, 76ers President and General Manager Billy King does not think that the free agency market will show a lot results at first.

“I don’t think anything will happen quickly,” King surmised. “You have a lot of teams with a lot of cap room. Teams are always using that for leverage saying, ‘I can get this from that team’ and a lot of teams are going to wait and see what happens with Kobe (Bryant) and the big free agents like Kenyon Martin and those players.”

Blount was not the only free agent on King’s hit list. Among the free agents the Sixers have made inquiries about were former Sixers player Brian Skinner along with Suns center Keon Clark and Piston center Rasheed Wallace.

“I’ve been in contact with a lot of other free agents and let them know my interest. Yesterday (July 1) was more of a feeling out process,” King said. “We’re trying to do what is best for the franchise.”

Since first round draft choice Andre Iguodala is represented by the same agent as Bryant, King admitted that an inquiry was made into Bryant’s status. But before Sixers fans get there hopes up …

“In order to do something with Kobe, we would have to be very, very creative,” King said. “I don’t think the chips are in our favor there.”

LA for Coach K?
Could Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski be heading for Tinseltown? Duke Director of Athletics Joe Alleva confirmed that Krzyzewski has been contacted by the Los Angeles Lakers for their vacant head coaching spot.

Krzyzewski of course is King’s former college coach and friend. The first thing that King cleared up when talking about Krzyzewski, was that the Sixers did not offer the three-time NCAA basketball championship coach a position with the Sixers this season.

“I didn’t offer him a job this year. I know that (ESPN analyst) Jay Bilas reported that,” King said. “I have talked to Coach K about the NBA for numerous years and the pros and cons about it. I have not talked to him at this point. If it’s something that he looking at, it must be something that he wants. It wasn’t a situation where we offered him the job and he turned us down.”

But how would King feel if Krzyzewski packed up for the West Coast?

“I would love for him to stay at Duke, but I think that he has to do what he feels is best,” King said.