Andre Miller's Future with the Sixers

A decision about Andre Miller's future is fast approaching and and how it plays out will be crucial to the development of the Sixers. Miller becomes a free agent at the end of the season so the Sixers have at least three options: trade him before the trading deadline next month to get something for him; negotiate a contract extension; wait until the end of the season and try to resign him.

What complicates the issue is that Miller is so darn good. Playing out west for so long, he really didn't get that much exposure around the country nor is he flamboyant or media-centric. Charles Barkley he is not. But we now know this guy is one of the very best point guards around. He is durable, having never played less than 80 games in a season. He is smart, unselfish and, what probably has been most surprising, he is a terrific scorer. He penetrates, can finish and draw fouls. And his outside shot is deceptively effective. In the latter case, he is reminiscent of great point guards such as John Stockton and Magic Johnson. They were not pure shooters but they could make the shot often enough to keep you honest, especially in the clutch.

Miller may be the most important player on the Sixer squad right now. Of late, he has been no less than brilliant. True, his age is a consideration but he should be able to perform at a high level for at least three more years. Unfortunately, the Sixers have a limited number of strings to pull. We don't know if Miller wants to stay in Philadelphia. He has implied in the past that he would be more comfortable on the West Coast. And the fact that the team has been so disappointing this year can't be helping. But it's abundantly clear that if the Sixers lose Andre Miller it would be a major setback. He is irreplaceable.