Spencer Hawes: to re-sign or not to re-sign
let's talk about center Spencer Hawes. Will the Sixers re-up his contract? Do they see him as next year's possible starting center? Does the franchise value Hawes?
So no one has to go elsewhere to look up Hawes' numbers, we'll lay them out right here. Hawes was acquired via last summer's trade with the Sacramento Kings. The Sixers shipped center Samuel Dalembert to Sacramento in exchange for Hawes and forward Andres Nocioni. Hawes just turned 23 years old. He's a 7-1 center, 245 pounds. He played three seasons for the Kings before being traded, so he just completed his first season with the Sixers and fourth overall in the NBA. He has career averages of 8.4 points and 5.6 rebounds a game. During the 2010-11 season, Hawes started 81 of the 81 games in which he played, finishing the season with averages of 7.2 points and 5.7 rebounds in 21.2 minutes a game. In the playoffs, Hawes averaged 5.2 points and 3.8 rebounds a game, with his minutes dropping to 19.6 a game.
If you're thinking to yourself: wow, those look like the numbers of a very competent backup center. It's probably because Hawes would be a very competent backup center. During the playoff series against the Miami Heat, especially in the Game 5 loss in Miami, Hawes made some amazing hi-low bounce passes and backdoor bounce passes for easy scores. He does some very nice things with his passing, but for what the Sixers need, that's like having a cleanup hitter who can really lay down a nice bunt. It's a helpful attribute, but if that cleanup hitter doesn't also hit home runs and accumulate RBIs -- in the basketball world, we'll say we mean block shots, grab rebounds, and provide an intense interior presence -- then it's really just an extraneous skill. But as a backup? Hawes' game is looking a lot nicer, almost ideal for what the Sixers would need in that spot.
Hawes' rookie contract "ended" after the 2010-11 season, with the Sixers paying him approximately $3.0 million for last year's services. The team can make him a qualifying offer of about $4.0 million to retain him for the 2011-12 season. And I'd be genuinely surprised if that doesn't happen.
Let's be clear: it's my understanding that the Sixers recognize that Hawes isn't the answer as the starting center alongside Elton Brand. But, having the luxury of a backup center at Hawes' size and ability is a darn nice thing. And for the price of $4.0 million, not ridiculous at all. In addition, after having watched Hawes around this team all season, he enjoys playing for Doug Collins and enjoys playing for the Sixers, and buys into what's happening here.
Seems we're back to exactly where we started with last week's posts about potential big men: Hawes isn't the answer to that question because the team needs someone who can bang, rebound, and block shots. The Sixers need someone who can complement Brand at power forward and who can do some of the work Brand was forced to do for much of last season. Hawes is a solid piece to an eight-man rotation, and for that reason he'll likely return to the Sixers, but they'll still be mining the draft and testing the trade waters for the answer at starting center.
