When it comes to last season's 76ers, one is down, and there could be more to go.
A day after trading Samuel Dalembert to the Sacramento Kings, Sixers president and general manager Ed Stefanski on Friday said that he will continue to aggressively look for deals.
"After you come off of a 27-win season, you got to be aggressive," Stefanski said. "We are going to keep looking to see if we can tweak this even more. Yeah, we have to be more active."
The team shipped the disgruntled Dalembert, a 6-foot-11 center, to the Kings for 7-1 center Spencer Hawes and 6-7 combo forward Andres Nocioni, both of whom lobbied to leave Sacramento.
Stefanski wouldn't name players he is willing to part with or positions he wants to upgrade through a trade.
"I don't know what positions or big needs [need attention], but we will just see the players that we have and what we can get back for them if it makes us better," Stefanski said. "We are not going to make a trade for the sake of making a trade. Yesterday, we made a trade that made basketball sense to us."
The Sixers concede they lost a rebounding and shot-blocking presence by trading Dalembert.
However, new Sixers coach Doug Collins said the trade changed for the positive the team dynamic for Elton Brand.
"I was thinking I had to play Elton Brand strictly as a five [center], because I just didn't think he and Sam played well together," Collins said. "Now, I feel Elton can play with Hawes. I think he can play with [Marresse] Speights. So it changes the dynamics of that."
Collins added that the trade gives the Sixers the bigger lineup that he's more comfortable with.
In Hawes, the Sixers said they have one of the league's up-and-coming centers. He's averaging 8.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1 block per game since being drafted after one season at the University of Washington by the Kings on the first round in 2007, 10th overall.
"He's a young player that can shoot the ball," Collins said. "We feel like we can throw the ball in the post and cut off of him. He's a very good passer.
"Obviously, when you lose Sam, you lose defense and rebounding. But you get a couple of other pieces, and we feel good about that."
The Sixers also feel good about adding Nocioni. The Argentine is the kind of tough, hard-nosed player that Collins likes.
"One of the things I've talked about is adding toughness," the coach said. "And Nocioni is one of the toughest guys in the league, which I think is going to help us."
