The Sixers made it to the playoffs last season and the expectation this year will be that they at least advance to the 2nd round. Eddie Jordan was fired by the Washington Wizards last season after getting the team off to a 1-10 start. In his 8-year career as a NBA head coach, Jordan has compiled a 230-288 record (44.4%) during the regular season and he has a 8-18 (30.6%) post season record. I just think that the Sixers could have found a better guy to put in charge of the team on the court. Prove me wrong, Eddie.

The 76ers tried to trade 28-year old Samuel Dalembert but they couldn’t find any takers so he will be the starting center again this season. Dalembert played in all 82 games for the Sixers last season and he averaged 24.8 minutes, 6.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, 0.2 assists and 1.8 blocked shots per game. The new Sixers’ head coach Eddie Jordan has said that he wants to get Dalembert more involved at the offensive end. 22-year old Marreese Speights is looking to build on his solid rookie season last year. He played in 79 games for the Sixers last year and he averaged 16.0 minutes, 7.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game. He can also handle power forward so he won’t have any problems finding minutes. 30-year old Primoz Brezec is likely going to be the #3 center on the Sixers. He did not play last season in the NBA. Brezec has played in 321 games in his NBA career in which he averaged 19.0 minutes, 7.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE CENTERS IN 2009-2010: C

30-year old Elton Brand is the starter at power forward for the Sixers. He’s one of the best at his position in the NBA when he is healthy….and that has not been often lately. He played in only 29 games for the 76ers last season and he averaged 31.7 minutes, 13.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.6 blocked shots per game. The 76ers expect Brand to stay healthy this year and for him to average around 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. 23-year old Jason Smith missed all of last season due to a torn ACL and the Sixers hope he can stay healthy enough to back up Brand this year. He played in 76 games as a rookie in 2007-08 for the Sixers in which he averaged 14.6 minutes, 4.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game. 22-year old Marreese Speights will back up at center this season but he should also get some minutes here and he is a talented player.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE POWER FORWARDS IN 2009-2010: B-

21-year old Thaddeus Young is a player on the rise for the Sixers. He played in 75 games last season for the 76ers in which he averaged 34.4 minutes, 15.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.3 steals per game. It’s entirely possible that Young is just scratching the surface of his potential as I could see him easily averaging around 20 points per game this season. 28-year old Jason Kapono will be Young’s back up and he is a sharp shooter. He shot 42.8% from three point range and that is the main skill that he brings to the table. Kapono played in 80 games for the Raptors last season and he averaged 22.9 minutes, 8.2 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE SMALL FORWARDS IN 2009-2010: B

25-year old Andre Iguodala is a player on the rise for the Sixers. He played in all 82 games for them last season and he averaged 39.9 minutes, 18.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.6 steals per game. He is capable of scoring more this season and the Sixers will be depending on him to do that to help make up for the loss of Andre Miller. 28-year old Willie Green comes off the bench shooting the basketball. He played in 81 games for the Sixers last season and he averaged 22.6 minutes, 8.5 points, 1.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. If forced into the starting lineup Green could average around 15 points per game. 25-year old Rodney Carney was brought back this off-season to Philly. He played in 67 games for the T-Wolves last season and he averaged 17.9 minutes, 7.2 points, 1.9 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE SHOOTING GUARDS IN 2009-2010: A-