76ers join in buzz on McNabb trade

The 76ers know a little something about being, collectively, persona non grata.

After Monday's practice at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, the Sixers weighed in on Sunday night's trade of quarterback Donovan McNabb, who had played for the Philadelphia Eagles for 11 seasons, many of them tumultuous.

This season, the Sixers have been a little like McNabb, now a Washington Redskin, in their inability to please anyone.

"It's unfortunate," guard Lou Williams said of the McNabb trade. "You hate to see a guy who's been in the city for so long continue his career somewhere else. That's the only thing I really feel about it; I feel it's unfortunate."

Swingman Andre Iguodala said he'd been paying attention to the McNabb trade rumors in recent weeks.

"It's one of those things you don't believe it until it happens," Iguodala said. "I think people saw it coming and, hopefully, he continues to have a great career."

The Sixers continue their season, which has gone from OK to bad to worse, on Tuesday night at the Wachovia Center against the Detroit Pistons. The Sixers, 26-50, have just over one week, and six games, remaining in the 2009-10 season.

Sixers coach Eddie Jordan is a native of Washington.

"I really haven't thought much about it," Jordan said of the McNabb trade. "It's excitement, I guess, for the Redskins, and we'll go from there."

Asked about Philadelphia's passion for its sports, Jordan said: "You don't know it until you're in it."

"I'm trying to get better at it," Jordan said. "There's a passion and everyone has an opinion and that's fans everywhere. I said it coming in, it's certainly a special place because it is so passionate and they want to see championships. And if you're not a champion, you're going to hear it."

The stretch. The Sixers have four games in the next five days: Tuesday against the Pistons, at the Miami Heat on Wednesday night, at home against the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday, and at the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday.

"We'll just go through no shoot around [Tuesday], save their legs, have a lot of energy going into the games and that's what we'll do for this stretch," Jordan said. "It's what we would do even if it was in December."

Improving. Iguodala, suffering from plantar fasciitis in his right foot, did not practice on Monday, but is expected to play Tuesday.

"We had a few days in between games so actually it got better," Iguodala said of last week's light schedule. "Hopefully, it'll hold up this week since we have four games . . . the biggest thing is getting through the first quarter, that's the hardest. But after halftime, I can kind of crank it up."

Dalembert honored. Dalembert has been nominated as a finalist for the Mannie Jackson Award, co-titled "Basketball's Human Spirit Award," sponsored by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The award honors an individual who has honored the game by helping others. There are a total of six nominees. The native of Haiti has been nominated for creating the Samuel Dalembert Foundation in 2007 and for his work this season in Haiti, which was devastated by an earthquake.

Holiday miked. Rookie Jrue Holiday will be miked for Tuesday night's game broadcast on Comcast SportsNet. He will wear a wireless microphone from warmups and through the end of the game.

Injury update. In recent games, the Sixers have often had just nine or 10 players available. Iguodala and Dalembert did not practice Monday; both are expected to play Tuesday. . . . Forward Thaddeus Young (fractured right thumb) participated in non-contact drills Monday, but is still listed as a game-time decision against the Pistons. . . . Forward Rodney Carney (sore right foot) practiced, but is still listed as a game-time decision for Tuesday. . . . Williams, who has missed recent games because of a sore lower back, practiced and is expected to play.