Chris Webber Wants Out of Philadelphia

Why am I not surprised that aging former superstar, Chris Webber, suddenly wants out of Philadelphia after recently being told he was going to have a "reduced" role with this year's team.

To be honest about it, I'm actually surprised it took this long for Webber to start talking like he wants to leave the mediocre Sixers who are in the midst of a youth oriented franchise alteration that looks as though its going to have the franchise on the cusp of lottery contention instead of playoff contention for the next couple of years at least.

Looking at the entire situation, I'm thinking that Sixers general manager, Billy King, had better be in the process of looking to make a transaction that takes Webber and his enormous contract permanently out of town. However, this very same contract is precisely what makes it so hard to mover the former all-star.

Which brings me to another problem I have with King, but that's beside the point, for now. When King unloaded veteran role players, Brian Skinner, Kenny Thomas and Corliss Williamson that was wonderful, until you really see what you're getting in Webber, which isn't nearly as much as you'd think.

Webber gets paid $20 million this season and $22 million more next season before the Sixers can part ways with the albatross they have now shackled themselves with. Unfortunately, there isn't much interest in acquiring an aging power forward that makes $20 million and is now a defensive liability and half of what he used to be offensively.
Now, herein lies the problems that are soon to surface.

When head coach, Maurice Cheeks has to sit Webber in the fourth quarter because of his defensive liabilities, or keep him out of parts of others, what exactly do the Sixers do with a player they're paying $20 million to and claims he should be starting?

"That's something I have to get used to," Webber said this week. "I think to adjust would [make me] complacent and accept a role I don't want to accept.

"It's not something I think a player like me should adjust to," he added. "Not being in the fourth quarter, things like that I never had to deal with before, not being a main part of what's going on, that's what I have to get used to."

Hmmm. Sounds like Webber isn't being realistic about his level of play at this point in his career and isn't going to be too patient in his demand to get out of town either.

Well I say good riddance if the Sixers can find a sucker that would take Webber off of their hands.
Looking at Webber's career stats, one thing has become perfectly clear, Webber's shooting percentage the last five seasons, hovers around a nearly frigid, 40 percent. Which is why I tell people that because of injuries and age, Webber has been reduced to a jump-shooting shell of his former self - and one that isn't worth anywhere close to $20 million at this point of his career.

Cheeks, for the record, handled the matter with his usual diplomacy, but subtly added that he was not going to change any rotations because of any player's feelings.

"I've made it clear to him it's an adjusted role based on the way we play - that's all," Cheeks said. "It's not like we've done anything different. I've made it clear the way we're going to play. I'm not worrying about who's going to play and who's not going to play."

Cheeks then expanded on his reasoning, soundly stated that matchups would dictate who would be on the court, not Webber's feelings.

"If I think somebody is playing better, or if they have a 7-footer out there that I think Sam can guard, I'll make it that way," Cheeks said, referring to Samuel Dalembert. "If they have a 6-8, 6-9 guy out there that I think Chris can guard, I'll base it on that."

Listening to this little sparring session between Cheeks and Webber, I can see the end of the Webber era on the horizon. I guarantee it's not going to be pretty though. Webber will be tough to unload and the Sixers, if they are serious about turning things around, will back Cheeks in his refusal to play Webber in the fourth quarter of close games.

Oh yeah, the Sixers and Webber could make front-page news before it's all over. Stay tuned, I know I will.

Here are Chris Webber's career statistics.

CAREER AVERAGES
REBOUNDS
Year Team MPG FG% 3P% FT% Off Def Tot APG SPG BPG TO A/TO PF PPG
1993-94 GS 32.1 .552 .000 .532 4.0 5.1 9.1 3.6 1.2 2.2 2.7 1.3 247 17.5
1994-95 WAS 38.3 .495 .276 .502 3.7 5.9 9.6 4.7 1.5 1.6 3.1 1.5 186 20.1
1995-96 WAS 37.2 .543 .441 .594 2.5 5.1 7.6 5.0 1.8 0.6 3.3 1.5 51 23.7
1996-97 WAS 39.0 .518 .397 .565 3.3 7.0 10.3 4.6 1.7 1.9 3.2 1.4 258 20.1
1997-98 WAS 39.6 .482 .317 .589 2.5 7.0 9.5 3.8 1.6 1.7 2.6 1.5 269 21.9
1998-99 SAC 40.9 .486 .118 .454 3.5 9.4 13.0 4.1 1.4 2.1 3.5 1.2 145 20.0
1999-00 SAC 38.4 .483 .284 .751 2.5 8.0 10.5 4.6 1.6 1.7 2.9 1.6 264 24.5
2000-01 SAC 40.5 .481 .071 .703 2.6 8.5 11.1 4.2 1.3 1.7 2.8 1.5 226 27.1
2001-02 SAC 38.4 .495 .263 .749 2.8 7.3 10.1 4.8 1.7 1.4 2.9 1.6 181 24.5
2002-03 SAC 39.1 .461 .238 .607 2.4 8.1 10.5 5.4 1.6 1.3 3.2 1.7 204 23.0
2003-04 SAC 36.1 .413 .200 .711 2.1 6.6 8.7 4.6 1.3 0.9 2.6 1.8 76 18.7
2004-05 PHI 33.4 .391 .267 .776 1.7 6.1 7.9 3.1 1.2 0.9 2.3 1.3 70 15.6
2004-05 SAC 36.3 .449 .379 .799 2.0 7.7 9.7 5.5 1.5 0.7 2.9 1.9 144 21.3
2005-06 PHI 38.6 .434 .273 .756 2.5 7.4 9.9 3.4 1.4 0.8 2.4 1.4 219 20.2
2006-07 PHI 30.6 .374 .000 .571 1.6 6.7 8.3 2.6 1.0 0.7 1.6 1.6 14 10.3
Totals: 37.9 .479 .298 .650 2.8 7.2 10.0 4.3 1.5 1.5 2.9 1.5 2554 21.5