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Problem child Despite the headaches, Sixers won't trade IversonPosted: Thursday July 11, 2002 8:14 PMUpdated: Saturday July 13, 2002 9:12 PM
Trade Allen Iverson? OK, sure. All Sixers general manager Billy King has to do is pick up the phone and make a few calls, right? Let’s see … Kobe Bryant? Nope. The Lakers aren’t going to mess with success. Not with those three straight NBA titles. Vince Carter? Nah. Getting "Jewelz" through Customs would be too much for the Raptors. Strict gun control laws up there, you know. Rasheed Wallace? Sorry. The last thing Larry Brown wants is another guy with a posse. Gary Payton? Tracy McGrady? Paul Pierce? No. No. No. As tempting as it might be to start up the Iverson trade rumor mill again, don’t expect any such blockbuster. Yes, Brown would love to rid himself of the headaches. And clearly the Philadelphia organization has to be at its wit’s end over this latest Iverson-caused team disruption. But for reasons both practical and business-related, an Iverson trade is about as likely as his being named Husband of the Year. For one, there are only a handful of players in the NBA who could be considered equal value. You don’t trade a three-time scoring champ and former MVP for a jug of Gatorade and a sack of basketballs. For another, big trades are difficult in these days of salary caps and luxury tax fears. And even if Iverson eventually beats the rap -- and this case appears as overhyped as the Nets’ chances in last year’s Finals -- how many teams would be willing to give up a proven star for a guy with Iverson’s checkered past? As one NBA GM said Thursday upon hearing the news of Iverson's impending arrest, "Maybe it’s too late [to trade him]. Who’s going to jump at a deal now?" Besides, the Sixers' accountants might threaten to stab themselves with their No. 2 pencils. Love him or hate him, Iverson is one of the few NBA stars in the league who actually puts fannies in the seats. Last year, for the first time in franchise history, the Sixers sold 20,000-plus tickets for all 41 home games. Think Carter would get the same kind of love from Philly fans? Even Brown, for all his ambivalence about his star guard’s practice habits, knows that trading Iverson would put the franchise on a reloading course. More than perhaps any other team, the Sixers are built around one player. Take Iverson out of the lineup, and guys like Dikembe Mutombo, Eric Snow and Aaron McKie are far less effective. Philadelphia might be able to replace Iverson’s scoring with a more balanced attack, but it would take time to find the right complementary pieces. In the wide-open East, it would be a wasted opportunity. The Sixers were in the Finals just two years ago and could get back easily next season -- especially if they made a trade to shore up their frontcourt. Look for Philly to sit back, let justice run its course and pray Iverson doesn’t end up in the pokey. If he is proven innocent, or guilty of a lesser charge, the whole incident will blow over. If not, the Sixers will accept the penalties and move on. Not that Brown won’t be considering the irony. After years of trying to trade Iverson -- a deal with the Pistons two summers ago fell apart at the last minute -- he now finds it harder than ever.
Marty Burns covers pro basketball for CNNSI.com. Click here to send Marty a question or comment.
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