Jun 27, 2008 3:40 pm US/Eastern
Sixers Sign Marreese Speights
PHILADELPHIA (AP) ―
The 76ers needed only one up-close look at forward Marreese Speights to
know they had their man.
The Sixers selected Speights with the 16th
pick in the NBA draft Thursday night, bolstering their frontcourt depth and
giving the playoff team one more pivotal piece as they try to return to elite status.
"We felt we were going to get a big guy and we
got the player we wanted," said Sixers president Ed Stefanski.
Speights, 6-foot-10, 245 pounds, averaged 14.5
points and 8.1 rebounds last season as a sophomore at Florida. He was an early-entry candidate and
the Sixers hope he can play both power forward and center.
The Sixers will be patient with Speights and
expect to use him as backup behind either center Samuel Dalembert or power
forward Reggie Evans.
"We don't see him as a major impact this year;
we hope next year he'll be able to get more playing time," said Sixers assistant
general manager Tony DiLeo. "We're hoping by next year he can play major
minutes."
DiLeo said Speights was the highest-ranked
player left on Philadelphia's
draft board. Speights is a strong post-up player and has great hands—two
attributes that greatly wowed the front office during a workout.
"We're a running team and he's one of the best
running big men in the draft," DiLeo said.
The 76ers had only one pick in the two-round
draft. DiLeo said any attempt at moving up in the draft would have been "too costly."
Speights impressed the Sixers' front office,
most notably Stefanski, when he worked out for them last week. Chairman Ed Snider
and coach Maurice Cheeks also watched Speights perform various drills, a sign
that the Sixers were heavily interested in taking him in a draft deep with quality
big men.
They could have brought him back for another
look, but there was no need.
"We saw enough," Stefanski said.
Speights was knocked at Florida for committing silly fouls, his
failure to play defense all the time and a noticeable lack
of stamina. But he was at his best down the stretch, scoring in double figures
in each of Florida's
final 12 games and grabbing double-digit rebounds five times over that span.
"I know this is a special moment for him and I'm
extremely proud of Marreese," said Florida
coach Billy Donovan. "He's joining a fantastic organization and I wish him all
the best as he continues his playing career at the next level."
He's the 10th Gator to be a first-round
pick.
Speights averaged 4.2 points off the bench his
freshman season
when Florida
won the national championship.
The newest Sixer wasn't immediately made
available to the local media, but he said after his visit last week that Philadelphia's young and
athletic roster was a good match for him.
"They're a young team that likes to run, and I
like to do that," Speights said. "I'd fit in good with a young team."
Without a draft lottery selection or other
first-round picks, the Sixers will have to use some of that $11 million in
salary cap space this summer to make additional roster upgrades. Philadelphia could still
go after a proven starting power forward via free agency or a trade as it tries
to improve on last year's 40-42 record.
The Sixers also need a 3-point threat to make
up for the midseason trade of Kyle Korver and possibly another point guard.
Teams can begin negotiating with free agents
on July 1 and sign free agents on July 9.
"The $11 million is extremely important to us
to get that free agent that we want," Stefanski said. "We will be active July
1."
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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