Thread Tools

Display Modes

**Kunlun** · 04-17-2005, 11:48 PM

Our center, Samuel Dalembert, has been playing good basketball for the past couple months. We know he's got loads of potential and he could be one of the best defensive and rebounding centers in the NBA. We also know that some team with money will give him an nice offer. We can match any offer thrown at Sam and Billy King has said that he will be willing to pay whatever any team gives him. But, there has to be a limit. How much is too much for Sam?

Dizmatic · 04-18-2005, 06:53 AM

I think this is a case where the Sixers will have to do what they need to do to retain him. There aren't alot of decent big men in the league. I'm not sure on the dollar amount, but whatever it is, the Sixers will match it.

**Coatesvillain** · 04-18-2005, 08:18 AM

I set my roof at the contract Marcus Camby got last year. If someone's crazy enough to offer Dalembert the Max, there's no way I'd match it.

SixersFan · 04-18-2005, 11:02 AM

Yeah, what PP said. He's no max player, but he does deserve a nice paycheck.

**Kunlun** · 04-21-2005, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Samuel Dalembert knows that he's a work in progress, but the Sixers' starting center feels he could've developed at a faster rate this season had he been given consistent minutes, particularly early on.

While Dalembert's points per game have gone up slightly from eight last season to 8.3 this season, rebounds (7.6 to 7.5), blocks (2.3 to 1.68), minutes (26.8 to 24.8) and field-goal percentage (54.1 to 52.5) all have gone down since last season.

Asked if he felt he had developed this season, Dalembert said not the way he's capable of.

"I'm not going to lie to you guys, there's so much I could've learned in the beginning," said Dalembert, a fourth-year player, who missed his entire second season with a knee injury. "So much I could've done that, you know, I'm trying to like catch up to the time, because some games you comein, you don't know how long you're going to be there. Some games you get in, you might get like 15 minutes. Some games you don't play at all.

"I just try being a professional and do what I can do."

Granted, the Sixers are headed to the playoffs, which is something Dalembert is looking forward to.

Dalembert said he didn't necessarily care about starting, but that getting consistent minutes is the key. Marc Jackson began the season as the starting center, because coach Jim O'Brien said he earned the job.

Meanwhile, Dalembert has had five DNP-CDs (did not play coach's decision) this season and missed five other games with an injury.

Told that perhaps O'Brien didn't start him because he wanted him to "earn his minutes," Dalembert said, "I think that was a big mistake of not doing it, because there's so much I could've learned at the beginning of the season. Mistakes I could've made and learned from."

"With him (O'Brien) you still never know," said Dalembert, who sometimes is foul-proned. "He's the coach. They pay me to play and I come and play. Anytime they need me, I'll be there. I'll do the best I can. If they don't need me that game, it means they can win without me. My only concern is getting better as a player. That's my worry, and to be able to explore my game to the fullest, because there's so much stuff I want to do. I want open up my games."

Dalembert said former Sixers assistant coach Alex English and Chris Ford, the interim coach for part of last season, helped him quite a bit.

"Those guys understood me," Dalembert said. "Coach Alex and coach Ford understood. They knew how to use me as a player. Without coach English, I would never be able to improve my jumper from outside.I felt that I was used more by coach Ford, to the fullest. That's the only difference."

Dalembert will be a restricted free agent after this season. Since the Sixers already have tendered him a qualifying offer of $2.36 million, they'll have the right to match any offer made by another team.

And it is expected the 6-foot-11, 250-pound shot blocker will draw plenty of interest.

Sixers general manager Billy King has said more than once that he'll match the offers and Dalembert isn't going anywhere.

Dalembert is flattered by the comments and said he appreciates it. He also said, "talk is cheap."

Perhaps the biggest compliment the Sixers could've paid him this season was playing him consistently.

Dalembert's improvement has been steady throughout the season, but he's not where I think most of us thought he would be at this stage of the season. I hope other teams don't go all out for him so we can sign him for a reasonable price.

Link

Thread Tools Display Modes

Thread Tools

Display Modes