Trading Away The Faces Of Philly's Franchises

By Ray Boyd

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- If you're a Sixers fan, you have grown pretty used to hearing trade rumors.

The latest rumors have caught a few of us off guard. According to the talk swirling around, the Sixers actively tried to trade their Rookie of the Year, Michael Carter-Williams, this off-season. There is even speculation that he could still be had at the right price.

Can you imagine that? How do you trade away your franchise player, even if your team only won 19 games and you're in the middle of a rebuild? No matter where a franchise is in any sport, it is rare to see the face of your franchise traded away.

Thinking about Carter-Williams being dealt made me think about how the fan bases would react if the other teams dealt away their franchise piece at this time. The upheaval over a Carter-Williams deal might be minuscule compared to these names, but imagine if one of the other teams in town pulled off a similar deal.

Let's start with the most obvious team for trade discussion and that's the Phillies.

You can argue that a few players on the team fall under the "face" of the team category, but there is really only one who is still producing at a high level that could bring back serious return and that is Cole Hamels.

Phillies fans would probably embrace a trade of one of the other "faces" of the team, but there is some dissension when it comes to Hamels.

Argument For: The Phillies are not close to competing right now and Hamels can get you the young prospects to help replenish the depleted farm system.

Argument Against: Hamels is still a pitcher with prime years left in his arm and he can potentially be the ace that the Phillies will need when their young talent develops.

The off-season upon us will tell us a lot about how much longer Hamels will be in Philadelphia. The phones will be ringing off the hook for him. Will the Phillies pull the trigger?

So, how about the Flyers? Claude Giroux seems like the best piece to analyze.

The team isn't winning. In fact, entering Saturday they have yet to win this season and face a tough schedule throughout the rest of the month of October.

Do you deal Giroux? His stock will never be amazingly low. His name is well respected around hockey and no one disputes his ability to make plays on the ice.

Dealing the captain also helps in the effort to work your way to a higher draft pick or two (not to take a page out of the book of Hinkie). The Flyers have appeared to be in a state of "win now" for quite some time, but over the last few years they have seemed to be trending away from winning, not closer to it. Might be time to turn the page and set yourself to really replenish through the draft.

Argument For: Best option to gain some assets while also better positioning yourself for high draft selections.

Argument Against: The Flyers have one of the city's most devout fan bases and winning has always been the goal whether or not the roster on paper was built to do so. Will the fans buy in?

For good measure, we have to mention the Eagles. On the surface you would think there is really no one of great importance that should come up in trade talk, but football is notorious for the unexpected when it comes to removing a player from your team.

Someone who comes to my mind (make sure you're sitting for this one) Lesean McCoy.

Take a deep breath. In no way is this an endorsement for the Eagles to deal McCoy. It's just for the sake of discussion.

You're Howie Roseman and the phone rings. An NFL team that is sitting at the bottom of the league wants to fill the seats and they believe bringing in a premiere running back is the way to go. The offer is a first round pick in the next draft and a 2nd the following year, plus a veteran player that can play for you in a position of need. They just want McCoy.

Do you do it?

Argument For: There are a few things that we have learned are certain about the NFL. Running backs are becoming the most easily replaceable position. Running backs also have a shelf life that is usually indicated by a steep and sudden decline.

McCoy is 26 years old. How many more seasons of elite production can we expect from him? 2? 3?

It isn't a knock on McCoy. It's just following the pattern. Look back at the careers of some of the most productive backs of the last decade or so in the NFL. Jamal Lewis, Shaun Alexander, Chris Johnson, Marshall Faulk, Clinton Portis, LaDainian Tomlinson, Edgerrin James and even Brian Westbrook for good measure all saw noticeable declines in production between the ages of 28-30. It skews closer to 28.

Eventually McCoy joins that group. Perhaps you consider moving him now so you don't have to witness that decline and maybe you fill some key holes on your team with the picks you get in return.

Argument Against: He's LeSean McCoy and you have a team with the best record in the NFL.

Is there anyone in town that is truly untouchable?

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