It looks like the Andre Miller era of Philly ball is coming to an end this afternoon. Two and a half seasons since coming from the Nuggets with Joe Smith in exchange for Allen Iverson, Miller's disenchantment with the franchise after the team's dispiriting playoff exit and the front office's lowballed contract offer (believed to be in the area of one year / six mil) had long foretold his departure, and now Kate Fegan of Philly.com reports that 'Dre is in the process of signing with the Portland Trailblazers.
The Blazers nabbed Miller for a reported two-year, $14 mil deal with a team option for a third--not exactly the five/$50 'Dre was looking for, but just about a mil less a year than the better-resumed Jason Kidd got with the Mavs. Miller's agent (named Andy Miller, amazingly enough) claims that the deal will be official within 24 hours, but given Portland's recent track record with nailing down free agents (hello Hedo Turkoglu and Paul Millsap, goodbye Hedo Turkoglu and Paul Millsap), I'd probably stay near the phone if I was Andy just in case.
In any event, we should all probably be somewhat relieved this is happening. We love 'Dre here at the Level, but the team would've been foolish to tie up the precious little cap space they had remaining the next few years on a point guard who can't shoot the three, can't defend the young'ns, and never even seemed to like the city all that much. It would have been nice to get him for cheap, to ease the transition into the Jrue Holiday era, but that probably wasn't going to happen, and now Jrue the Damaja and Sweet Lou are just going to have to endure a little trial by fire next year. It probably won't be pretty, but long-term, it's likely for the best.
Meanwhile, we should give Miller a hearty thanks for doing in his first two full seasons since being swapped for Iverson what AI himself could not in his last two--lead the Sixers to the playoffs. I'll look back on these years and fondly remeber 'Dre for the way he would shot-fake younger, foolish defenders into going up in the air, unwillingly fouling him on the way back down. I'll remember the countless gorgeous alley-oops he threw to Andre Iguodala, Marreese Speights and Sammy Dalembert, occasionally from as far away as half-court. I'll remember how happy he looked after the last-second victories in games one and three against the Magic last plaoffs, the first time I'd ever seen him so demonstrably emotional. And yeah, I'll remember that ungodly three-point stroke, as graceless as anything in the game, but just as rewarding the rare times it actually worked.
Andre'll be a good fit in Portland, giving them the experienced, fast-break-minded point guard they've been coveting since returning to post-season relevance. If you don't wish him well on his way to the Northwest, you sir are an ingrate, and highly deserving of the excruciating pain you will no doubt experience watching the Sixers' Point Guards of the Future floundering next season.
Original Story:
http://www.the700level.com/2009/07/ne...
