Sam Smith on AI Options

[madisonsmadhouse]

I agree with him 100%

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sp...bulls-headlines

Sorry if my English is bad but I haven't written English for a long time. But my question is who do you think will take AI (Allen Iverson)? Would it make sense for Chicago to trade Ben Gordon, Michael Sweetney and possibly, Adrian Griffin or someone else that doesn't do much for the team? --Guðjón Hilmarsson, Iceland

The majority of the questions I've gotten in the past few days have been about the Bulls trading for Iverson. I decided to answer this one at length because I have to have sympathy for someone who lives in a worse climate than I do, and there aren't many. And you probably can't get across the country and find Phoenix or L.A. Heck, we admire you. Most Americans can't write English. So here goes: No way, AI! What is infinity in reverse? That's the chance of the Bulls pursuing Iverson. Though we'd love to see him at practice--Yes, Practice!--with Scott Skiles. The main rumor has him going to Sacramento and you'd pay to watch Iverson and Ron Artest on the same team. The Trib's sports editor, Dan McGrath, worked in Sacramento and we were commenting the other night on Eric Musselman wanting to return to coaching in the NBA in the worst way, and this would be the definition of the worst way. This is the product of two goofy, fun loving brothers owning a basketball team and making the personnel decisions.

It's been no secret from the beginning that Mike Bibby and Artest have not gotten along and it's starting to come apart with Artest demanding the ball and getting pretty open about his lack of respect for Bibby. The feeling seems mutual. I wouldn't be surprised if Bibby would like to get out and has a free-agent option hanging over the team, though I can't see anyone paying him the $13.5 million he's due next season if he doesn't exercise the option to leave. But it's not that a lot of NBA deals work or make sense, anyway, so you never can be truly surprised. The truism I've always found in NBA trades is the team knows it hates its guy and figures it can't hate the other team's guy as much. This usually changes after a short time. One possible holdup is the Dec. 15 date for some free agents to be dealt. Another is I'd guess the 76ers would like to reroute Bibby somewhere, likely with Chris Webber, who blew off another shootaround and would love to be gone, though likely not as much as the 76ers would like him out. Regarding the Kings, though, you'd then almost have to trade for Stephen Jackson. I can dream, can't I?

Just last week, I wrote a story rating Iverson among the top five little men of all time in the NBA. I admire what he has accomplished as a player at his size. His scoring ability with teams sizing him up and going after him has been amazing. But he's a coach killer and team destroyer because of his work habits or lack of them. You can't have your best player not practicing. Everyone watches what the best player does. That alone is reason why the Bulls never would touch him. For the Bulls, he plays 180 degrees (360 degrees if you ask the players) from the way they play. The Bulls rely on ball movement and player movement in addition to aggressive man defense with help. Iverson holds the ball, over dribbles and plays the lanes to try to get steals. He is the opposite of everything they believe in and preach and would take away from the development of their players.

In fact, to me there's almost no place he fits. Sacramento would be laughable. Which, of course, is why it's probably the leading contender. Though Artest defends, he probably has the worst shot selection in the league, except maybe for Iverson. There would never have been anything like this. You'd have to have the Kings play with a red-white-and-blue ball. The Bobcats, Pacers, Celtics, Warriors and Clippers have been mentioned, but the destinations that make the most sense are Denver and Minnesota. Denver would be a mistake as well, though you know George Karl loves the Iverson kind of player. Karl loves the competitor with an edge, but also loves to engage those kinds of players. His insistence on bringing Anthony Mason to the Bucks ruined that team. While Denver is an entertaining team, the last thing they need is more offense. Yes, Carmelo Anthony needs help, but more on defense. I'm not sure Anthony would do well with Iverson taking so many shots and adding Iverson would create an even worse defensive team, if that is even possible. And it's hard to see Iverson deferring to Anthony, whom Iverson helped lead astray on the 2004 Olympic team. Anthony has been trying to resurrect his reputation since. The talk is the 76ers are interested in a Denver deal as they'd love to put Iverson where he'll fail as they now fault him for their mess, but are believed to be trying to find a taker for Andre Miller in a three-way deal.

Iverson needs to play with a better player, if that is possible, and the only one is Kevin Garnett, who, by the way, is lobbying for Iverson and it would be hard to see Minnesota rejecting that. Iverson really can be a playmaker, though the only time I've ever seen him even try was the occasional All Star game with the fancy pass, and, more significantly, the 2003 USA team in Puerto Rico. That team was filled with veteran stars, many who got out before the 2004 Olympics, and Iverson was terrific. He tried, worked at it and sacrificed on offense because he respected those players. He'll respect Garnett, and Garnett will work his backside off to grab all Iverson's missed shots and get them back to him, a one-man version of what the 76ers had going when they went to the Finals in 2001. I believe that's the only place Iverson will defer and then be available to finish the games, which Garnett doesn't care to do, perhaps the lone hole in his game. It would be an intriguing pairing and perhaps save Iverson's legacy. It's best for Iverson, but who knows if the 76ers will agree if it's best for them. We should see soon, though there are not many teams strong enough to truly take on Iverson's personality and game.

I wish I could have written this as a column for the newspaper, but we are devoting much of our space this week to apologies from all our writers to Rex Grossman and to anecdotes on when Devin Hester first learned to run and how it felt.

[Editor's note: A truncated version of this column is, in fact, running in the Dec. 13 edition of the Tribune.]

[Steve9347]

Allen Iverson is unwanted and I hope he feels the huge slap in the face he's getting right now...

You had it made in Philly, you bit the hand that fed you (and allowed you to freaking miss or be tardy to over 50 practices in one season)... you're a piece of crap, albeit a talented one, and this just proves that no one is bigger than the game... anymore.

I am glad to see the 76ers having problems moving this problem child. I respect AI for what he does on the court, but his off the court behavior over the years has been little less than disgusting.

I love it, and I love it even more that the Bulls don't want anything to do with him.

[Chisoxfn]

We obviously don't want Iverson. However, if the team acquiring him has something we want, we could potentially get in the middle of the deal and find out a way to get something for us (ie a scoring big or a legit 2 guard).

[madisonsmadhouse]

We obviously don't want Iverson. However, if the team acquiring him has something we want, we could potentially get in the middle of the deal and find out a way to get something for us (ie a scoring big or a legit 2 guard).

Watching Sefalosha's play, I am not worried about having a solid sized #2 on our roster. Once that kid fills out, he is going to be a defensive monster, with the potential to put in 12-15 points a night.

[DrunkBomber]

With the way weve been playing lately theres no need to pull the trigger on any unnecessary trades

[Pippen Aint Easy]

WE

NEED

A

CONSISTENT

SCORER!!

[Steve9347]

WE

NEED

A

CONSISTENT

SCORER!!

Ben Gordon: 18.3 ppg, 42.4 fg%
Andres Nocioni: 16.2 ppg, 40.1 fg%
Luol Deng: 18.1 ppg, 43.4 fg%

vs

Allen Iverson, 31.3 ppg, 41.3 fg%

basically, AI just takes a shitload of shots, as both Deng and Gordon have a higher fg%

Iverson attempts 24.4 shots per game, while Gordon attempts 14.3 shots per game.

Basically, what you are saying is that you want to get an older asshole for something we have on our team. If Gordon shot as much as Iverson per game, I think it's a forgone conclusion that he would score as much, and he's 9 years younger than AI, and much less of a problem.

AI doesn't fit with the Bulls. If he were on the Bulls and taking that many shots, our whole team concept would be destroyed... meanwhile, to get AI, we'd have to trade a better shooting version of him in Ben Gordon who has a much higher upside (IMO).

The players I listed up there are consistently scoring together to the tune of 52.6 ppg, are all young, and all buy into the team concept.

[soxfan101]

To be fair.... With Chris Webber's decline, the only other real scoring option AI had on the Phillies was Kyle Korver and he was hurt for some of this season right?

On the Bulls he would have many more players to pass to who arent scared to shoot like Andre Igudala, and if AI has a team around him that can score that would allow him to take a lot more high % shots and when our team was having a bad scoring night, he is the type of player that can take control of games.


All that being said im happy keeping this team intact.... only thing I wouldnt mind doing is finding a legit scoring PF.

[Steve9347]

To be fair.... With Chris Webber's decline, the only other real scoring option AI had on the Phillies was Kyle Korver and he was hurt for some of this season right?

Oh come on, he has NL MVP Ryan Howard...

[bschmaranz]

Got this off ESPN Insider:

The Denver Nuggets are continuing to try to broker a three-team deal that would send Iverson to Denver, forward Nene to Portland, and center Jamaal Magloire (from the Blazers), forward Joe Smith (from the Nuggets), and another player to Philadelphia.

Sources indicated yesterday that the Chicago Bulls are also trying to get into the discussions, along the same lines as Portland. Under this scenario, the Bulls would try to get center/forward Marcus Camby from Denver, while sending veteran P.J. Brown to the 76ers.

[ZoomSlowik]

Wow, that would be a steal if we got Camby. The guy has averaged a double-double the last 3 years and is also a solid defender. Teams would have a hell of a time trying to score inside against him and Wallace. The one major concern would be his injury history, he ends up on the injured list a lot. I can't imagine we'd get him for just Brown though, there's got to be something else involved, otherwise we'd be robbing them blind.

[Steve9347]

If we got Camby I would spiff myself.

[Chisoxfn]

I don't get where people are saying Iverson is a bad player. He's really been surrounded with absolute crap lately and has pretty much had to take the shots. In pretty much every Sixer game I've seen the past couple of years there players stand around pretty much forcing AI to do what he does best (try and score).

AI is one of the better players to ever play the game and is a guy I really respect for all that he's been able to accomplish despite being so ridiculously small.

[ZoomSlowik]

I don't get where people are saying Iverson is a bad player. He's really been surrounded with absolute crap lately and has pretty much had to take the shots. In pretty much every Sixer game I've seen the past couple of years there players stand around pretty much forcing AI to do what he does best (try and score).

AI is one of the better players to ever play the game and is a guy I really respect for all that he's been able to accomplish despite being so ridiculously small.

I don't think anyone is questioning his talent, but his personality and playing style definitely appear to be a hindrance. They were basically forced to trade Larry Hughes because he couldn't mesh with Iverson, and Iguodala would be one of the top forwards in the league on a fair number of teams. Webber hasn't exactly done well there, though that could just as easily be because of his declining abilities. Most GM's/coaches aren't big fans of his attitude either.

I really think he'd blend well with Garnett, that'd pair him with another superstar that doesn't need to control the ball as much to make an impact and is willing to let his teammates make plays when they have the opportunity. I don't think it'd be a good idea to put him on the Bulls though, that would seriously change the chemistry and roles of every player on the team.

[Chisoxfn]

I don't think anyone is questioning his talent, but his personality and playing style definitely appear to be a hindrance. They were basically forced to trade Larry Hughes because he couldn't mesh with Iverson, and Iguodala would be one of the top forwards in the league on a fair number of teams. Webber hasn't exactly done well there, though that could just as easily be because of his declining abilities. Most GM's/coaches aren't big fans of his attitude either.

I really think he'd blend well with Garnett, that'd pair him with another superstar that doesn't need to control the ball as much to make an impact and is willing to let his teammates make plays when they have the opportunity. I don't think it'd be a good idea to put him on the Bulls though, that would seriously change the chemistry and roles of every player on the team.

Imo, Igudola is one of the most over-rated players in the league. Everyone consistently raves about him but whenever I watch them play I'm left thinking meh. Yes, he's very talented but the guy doesn't seem to have the intensity/attitude to be great. He seems to be so willing to defer to everyone else. Whether you want to blame AI for that I don't know, but the guy plays so tentatively and defensively he has the ability to be an absolute stud but at times I see him disappear and play with what I'd call a lack of intensity/heart.