Sixers Youth Will Be Affected By Lockout

It’s nearly occurred 20 times between the four major sports leagues. Some instances lasted longer than others, whereas a few of them lasted just a few days. With varying reasons for the disputes, ranging from television ad revenues to player salaries, there’s no way to completely estimate the timeframe for a resolution to be reached.

The NFL took a couple of months to finally reach a compromise just in time for a shortened training camp to ensue and no loss of regular season games.

But unlike the NFL, the NBA is far off of an agreement. In fact, the owners and players are regressing in talks, rather than progressing. Because of this, every player around the league –from recently drafted rookies to the gritty veterans on the hardwood—is trying to find a way to compensate for what could be a very long winter.

Some players, even a few high-profile players (Deron Williams, Tony Parker, Andrei Kirilenko) and possibly the five-time champion Kobe Bryant, have resorted to heading overseas. Now whether or not they make a permanent living out of playing in Europe or Russia is to be seen, but the fact that these players are preparing to play on another team, having to learn a new offense with new teammates, could wind up affecting the overall competition of the NBA once an agreement is reached.

On a local note, the Philadelphia 76ers currently have four players making their rounds overseas. LaVoy Allen is heading to France, Craig Brackins is off to Israel, Darius Songalia left for Turkey, and first-round draft pick Nikola Vucevic will play in Montenegro.

Now that’s great to hear that they will be playing despite a possible cancellation of the NBA season, but what about the starting five and the youth on this team that displayed promise here-and-there last season?

As it stands now, the Sixers’ roster features 10 players under the age of 25. There’s definitely going to be some repercussions for these players if a cancellation of the season ensues.

Last year’s first-round pick, Evan Turner, struggled to make the adjustment from college ball to pro ball, but in some games last year, Turner flashed glimpses of hope, proving that he can be a contributor for this team. But with a lockout withstanding, his development will almost certainly take a hit. He’ll be unable to develop chemistry with his teammates on the court and more importantly, experience live game situations that can’t be replicated in an indoor practice gymnasium.

And as for the future face of the franchise, Jrue Holliday will feel the ramifications of a lockout. Last season, Holliday saw an increase in minutes (+11.2 MPG) and doubled his assists totals from his rookie campaign. Holliday started to heat up near the end of the season, averaging more assists, more turnovers, and fewer turnovers following the All-Star break. His progression will be halted and will have to wait until an agreement is reached, which could be next season.

Other young players on this team – Jodie Meeks, Thaddeus Young, Lou Williams, Spencer Hawes – will all have to work even harder than they normally do because of the lockout. Meeks became an instant fan-favorite after he proved to be a reliable three-point shooter last season, and like Holliday, he saw an increase in his scoring figures after the All-Star break, averaging 12.2 PPG. Young has blossomed into one of the best sixth man in the league, scoring 12.7 PPG in 26 MPG.

The Sixers are still a year or two away from becoming a threat in the Eastern Conference, but that was before the lockout.
Once the NBA season finally resumes, the veteran teams – Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, New York Knicks – will be more prepared for the season since they have already developed chemistry with each other, whereas the Sixers will be two steps behind once the season begins because of their youth.

Simply put, the lockout will put the Sixers in a hole, possibly another two or three more years until they become a formidable opponent.