ESPN is reporting that the Sixers are getting Dikembe Mutumbo and Rushown McLeod from the Hawks in exchange for Theo Ratliff, Toni Kukoc, Nazr Mohammed and Pepe Sanchez. ------------------ "Blues is a Healer" --John Lee Hooker
They just made themselves a true contender for years to come. Now The Sixers are for real. I'd pencil them in the championship series for several years unless Milwaukee can get a big man. ------------------ humble, but hungry.
PHILADELPHIA – Team president Pat Croce said he believes the Sixers can with the NBA title this season. With the trade deadline approaching today, he took a giant step toward that goal by acquiring Dikembe Mutombo in a six-player blockbuster. The deal gives the Sixers two players: Mutombo and Roshown McLeod from the Hawks in exchange for Theo Ratliff, Toni Kukoc, Nazr Mohammed and Pepe Sanchez. The trade deadline is today at 6 p.m. ET. Mutombo missed the first five games of the season with a mild case of malaria, but is leading the league in rebound average (14 per game) and is averaging 9 points a game. Mutombo, a three-time defensive player of the year, will become a free agent July 1. He has a $14.4 million salary this season. Ratliff, the league's top shot-blocker at 3.74 a game, has a fractured right wrist. He's expected to be out four weeks. Ratliff, who has missed four games, is averaging 12.4 points and 8.3 rebounds a game. Kukoc, who has started only four games this season, is averaging 8.1 points and 3.4 rebounds a game. A solid move by the Sixers, if they can re-sign Mt. Mutombo. Otherwise they'd better hope they win the championship this season. ------------------ In Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock.
Damn it! I wish the Knicks would have gotten him. That would have increased our chances of getting Webber. ------------------
Does this force the Knicks hand to say send Glen Rice to the Hornets for PJ and change? ------------------
What a STUPID trade by Philly! You trade Ratliff, who was playing better defense, blocking more shots, and is younger and cheaper then Mutumbo for Mutumbo? And you traded a key guy off the bench like Kukoc to boot? What are they THINKING!? Granted Ratliff is hurt, but he will be back. To trade him for an aging Mutumbo is crazy. Mutumbo has a few good years left in him but Ratliff had more good years and is developing into a better scorer then Dikembe. Stupid trade. ------------------ Dream a deadly Dream. . .
Great trade for Philly...I agree they should contend for years.Tough to see this happen to Theo,but the NBA IS a business.Atlanta held on to him for so long that now they've screwed themselves. ------------------ the fan formerly known as.... Hardwood Hammer
The thinking is to win now. You have to seize your opportunities when they come along. You can't be thinking about the future IF you have the opportunity to win this year. A healthy Mutombo allows the 76ers to compete with the Western Conference teams while Ratliff's status for the rest of the year is unknown. The other 3 players they dealt did not figure into their current or future, so in essence, they gave away a player who may not be able to significantly contribute the rest of this year for the dominant defensive/rebounding center in the Eastern conference. ------------------
I don't understand the Sixers logic. It's not as if they're a veteran team making one last run at a title. Most of their players are young, and don't look like they're going to bolt from Philly anytime soon. Why break up a young, talented nucleus to bring in a player who's at the end of his prime (although not yet in the twilight). Sure, this makes them the favorites for THIS year's championship... but what about two years from now? The Sixers, with Iverson, are going to have trouble getting under the cap... I simply don't get this. I halfway wonder if the Sixers know something about Ratliff's injury that we don't, reminiscent of the Wells-Sirotka fiasco. One would think that the Hawks would be wary of that and check it out... maybe it's a gamble on their part, and nobody really knows how well Ratliff is going to recover. Let's hope Theo gets sick of Atlanta and wants to come here! ------------------ Why is it that everytime BC defeats a major conference opponent, that opponent promptly goes on a losing streak? PS. Notre Dame sucks
Great trade for Philly, provided Mutumbo can last 2-3 more productive years. ------------------ snap crackle pop
Interesting tidbit: According to RealGM.com, the trade takes approx. $15 million off next year's cap for Philly. Another contestant in the Webber sweepstakes, possibly? ------------------ Who's better: Kelvin Cato or Joe Barry Caroll? Take your time!
Live nailed part of the reason this is a great trade for Philly. Philly is a legit threat to win the title this season now and they can either retain Mutombo after the season or take on Webber or Finley. Theo is a good player, but he is injury prone and he isn't nearly as dominant defensively as Mutombo. Atlanta also did well for themselves. Theo should help them for years, Kukoc should get traded to another team for more youth and Nazr has a chance to stick as a backup. ------------------
What sort of salary logic are you using rm95? The Knicks are 40 million over the cap. aelliott needs to come back, the crew is starting to make up stuff again. ------------------
I think this is a damn good trade for the Sixers, provided they can sign Mutumbo to a long-term deal this summer. I kind of doubt Pat Croce would have OKd the deal if he didn't think he could sign Mutumbo up over the summer. This now makes me excited about the prospects of a Sixers/Lakers final...with the Sixers sweeping them and making the Zen Master look like the Booger Blaster!!! ------------------ "Blues is a Healer" --John Lee Hooker
I don't agree with this move at all. Ratliff is younger and more mobile than Mutombo, is much better offensively, roughly equal defensively, and a superior shot-blocker. Its not like the Sixers had plummeted during Ratliff's absence. They'd won 5 straight, including a beating of the Lakers, and three of those wins were by 15+ pts. I believe the 76ers have erred. BTW - Philly and Atlants have palyed two games this year. Ratliff vs the Hawks - 14.5pts, 12.5 rebs, 6.0 blks. Mutombo vs 76ers - 4pts, 10rebs, 2 blks. ------------------ The Rockets will be the NBA champions. Believe. [This message has been edited by Puedlfor (edited February 22, 2001).] [This message has been edited by Puedlfor (edited February 22, 2001).]
Croce doesn't care what happens after this year..... If they win a championship, he's selling. All or nothing! If they lose, he's screwed though. ------------------
That would be the only instance that would make this trade even marginally logical. If Philly really thinks they have a chance at pulling off signing either of those two than thats just wishful thinking. They're playing the best basketball in the league and Croce wants to throw it all away so he can retire early. Ratliff is a much better role player than Mutombo ever was. Either way, Atlanta gets the better end of the deal by far if the Sixers don't go all the way. ------------------ Don't look at the feet
Change isn't always good. I think Philly hurt themselves a bit with this trade, simply because I like Ratliff better than Mutumbo. That said, at least Ratliff will be on a team where he can shoot the ball more, and raise his own stock. Maybe he can finagle a way to get out of Atlanta, and into a playoff-caliber team in the near future? ------------------ Founding Father of the Refs Suck Club
I still don't think Ratliff's a true center. Of course, the East lacks big men so the Sixers get by just fine. But to me, Ratliff is a 6'10", 225 lb shot-blocking PF. That's roughly the size of the big-name forwards in the game today, especially in the West. Dikembe has 4 inches and 40 lbs on Theo, and matches up better vs. the West. I think its a ballsy move, anyway, whether it works or not. ------------------ In Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock.
