We can’t say enough about Kate Fagan and the job she is doing in covering your futile Philadelphia 76ers.

According to Kate, the future NBA executive of the year Ed Stefanski has passed on a deal that would have sent Andre Iguodala and Samuel Dalembert to Houston for Chase Budinger and Tracy McGrady.

McGrady celebrates the fact that he is not headed to join the Philadelphia Bricklayers.

The key to the deal in our view would have been twofold. First, you shed Iguodala’s contract that pays him $56 million. Second, you get McGrady’s expiring $23 million contract.

Iguodala is a fine player who would be a great second option of a contending team. He can pass, rebound, dribble and dunk. His jumper is his biggest downfall. Iggy may even find himself on an All-Star team if he plays for a winner. However, the Sixers are paying him No. 1 type money and Iggy isn’t that.

Getting McGrady’s expiring deal is far from a cure all for the Sixers woes. They still won’t be able to use that money to sign key free agents since they still have money committed to Elton Brand. However, it would be a step in the right direction which is to start an overhaul of the Sixers roster. They may be one star player away from contending in a poor Eastern Conference. However, they don’t have that money to spend.

The chance to make a deal that would start the process of restructuring the roster is something we would have done in a New York minute.