Classy Korver wasn't helping Sixers

By John McMullen
The Phanatic Magazine

In an effort to create what everyone in the NBA wants -- more salary cap space -- the Sixers new personnel czar, Ed Stefanski, traded one of the franchise's most popular players Saturday.
Stefanski sent sharpshooter Kyle Korver to the Utah Jazz for disgruntled guard Gordan Giricek and a future first round draft pick.

Trading the well-liked Korver for the sullen Giricek, a guy who can't get along with one of the best coaches in the game, Jerry Sloan, is a ballsy move for a team that is already last in the minds of the local faithful.

But, the deal has nothing to do with the ability of the Croatian star. Giricek is making $4 million in 2007-08 but has an expiring deal. Meanwhile, Korver is pocketing $4.4 million this year and still has nearly $10 million guaranteed to him in a deal forever labeled "Korver Money" by irreverent ESPN columnist Bill Simmons.

The contract was just one example of Billy King's legendary ineptitude and B.K. was so proud of a acquiring a contributor on a draft night deal in 2003, that he would have never given up on Korver despite the obvious deficiencies brought to the floor on a daily basis.

Korver was a late second round pick for a reason, he does one thing well and struggles at everything else.

Kyle can't create his own shot, is a porous defender and laughable rebounder. Despite that, he got over 25 minutes a game and was consistently on the floor in crunch time.

At the offensive end that is not necessarily a problem. Although Korver was struggling with his stroke this season, he is still too dangerous to ignore and his presence created some nice spacing on the floor. It would have been even better if the Sixers actually had a low-post offensive threat. In that scenario, Korver could have stationed himself on the weak-side and waited for the a good look at a stationary three.

But, it was often painful watching Korver trying to check even the most pedestrian of players at the defensive end. And, Maurice Cheeks evidently just doesn't like shuttling players in-and-out to match-up at each end.

Korver's exit should open up minutes for rookie Thaddeus Young and second-year man Rodney Carney, athletic players that can make a difference in the running game and on the defensive end of the floor.

In Sacramento, we got to see Young playing with Andre Iguodala, Lou Williams and Samuel Dalembert for some extended minutes and the athleticism on the floor was breathtaking. Add Carney to that mix and the Sixers will be able to run on just about anyone.

Rebuilding is a painful, often tedious process but Stefanski is off to a good start and he did it in a classy way, praising Korver as he showed him the door.

"On behalf of the entire Sixers organization, I want to thank Kyle for the positive impact he has made on this team and the city of Philadelphia through his play on the court and, even more importantly, his philanthropic efforts off of it," Stefanski said.

Well done, Ed.