We've already hit you with some educated guesses on where he might land. One superstar, though, is chiming in with his own plea for the services of Newport News's favorite son.
Kevin Garnett and Allen Iverson -the possibility of that combination lifted Garnett's spirits just minutes after a big victory over Utah. "Bring it on, I love 'The Answer,"' Garnett said Friday night. "We welcome A.I. with open arms. Where's Kevin McHale?"This was without a doubt one of the more uplifting moments in recent NBA history, in part due to the recent Kevin Garnett Sadness Watch. Cynic that I am, though, I couldn't help but get reminded of Iverson's own reaction to the arrival in Philly of another certain high-priced star:
SCENE: Inside Sixer's Locker RoomNot to be all "and look how that turned out," but KG, look at how that one turned out.
STEPHEN A. SMITH: You know the deal. Chris Webber's in the house. Is this the best secondary option, supplementarypart,whateveryouwannacallit-- is this the best teammate you've had?
IVERSON. (giggling) Definitely. By far, by far. (Turning rapturous) I mean, uh, I don't know how to express it right now, 'cause, it all just, uhm came to me, uhmm, it just feels good, I don't have uh, no words to explain it. But I know I have a bona fide superstar alongside to me, and I'm just looking forward to making this happen, looking forward to getting on the court with him and getting things done.





















Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
12-09-2006 @ 12:25PM
Bender said...
Little did AI know that the Gods of Basketball had already taken a cheese grater to Webber's knees. I don't see that being a problem in Minnesota. The contract on the other hand...
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1-27-2007 @ 2:26PM
Dodge said...
ai is the man !! rozrem his way to the league
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12-09-2006 @ 12:56PM
stewie said...
I agree with Bender. I remember hearing about Webber going to Philadelphia and thinking "Webber will last about 5 minutes." Now he's a typical basketball player with nothing left and hasn't got the memo that he's on his way out - making millions for sitting around doing nothing.
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12-09-2006 @ 1:08PM
Peninsula poster said...
Iverson is not from Newport News. He's from Hampton.
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12-09-2006 @ 1:21PM
GarnettGuy said...
He was referring to KG being from Newport News, not Iverson. Pay attention.
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12-09-2006 @ 1:46PM
Nick Mot said...
Iverson and Garnett have about 2 years of MVP basketball in their legs. Iverson in particular is a small guard with a LOT of minutes played in his career already. He's scoring a lot of points now, but his scoring ability will soon decline as he slows down with age.
Can they really build a KG/AI team that will outperform the Spurs/Mavericks/Suns in the next 2 years?
Doubtul, but it would still be exciting to see them play together.
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12-11-2006 @ 9:59AM
Mon Nom said...
Iverson and Garnett have about 2 years of MVP basketball in their legs. Iverson in particular is a small guard with a LOT of minutes played in his career already. He's scoring a lot of points now, but his scoring ability will soon decline as he slows down with age.
Can they really build a KG/AI team that will outperform the Spurs/Mavericks/Suns in the next 2 years?
Doubtul.
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12-09-2006 @ 1:58PM
shoals said...
he lived in both places, but claims newport news. hence the NBN and newport newz tattoos.
also, "hampton's favorite son" doesn't sound nearly as good.
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12-09-2006 @ 3:03PM
Howard Dunn said...
OK AI you want to be traded. What about the people in Philly who think your something special? Yeah I know the hell with them, what dont you shut your pie hole and play.
You are working real hard to bring the NBA down under water polo as far as popularity to the fans.
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12-09-2006 @ 3:30PM
Lucas Rokosz said...
I think that A.I. going to Minneapolis would be a great thing for both he and Garnett. Garnett could get his ring, and A.I. could learn a thing or two about respect, for once he would be working side by side with somebody worthy of his respect. The east and west combined wouldnt have a team capable of playing at an offensive level that these players can produce.
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12-09-2006 @ 4:31PM
Vin said...
So it's Iverson's fault Philly continues to match a supporting cast that doesn't and a coach who can't?
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12-09-2006 @ 5:04PM
art kyriazis said...
re: Iverson mess orchestrated by Ed Snider
It's important to recognize that the Iverson mess of December 2006 is completely orchestrated by team President Ed Snider, who earlier this year fired GM Bobby Clarke of the NHL Hockey Flyers and Coach Ken Hitchcock of the NHL Hockey Flyers, both standley cup winners, just because the team got off to a slow start. Snider earlier this year put the Sixers up for sale, and when Julius Erving expressed interest, he abruptly withdrew the Sixers from the market, fired Clarke and Hitchcock, and now, three weeks later, wants to trade Iverson, no doubt to shed payroll because the Sixers, who are losing, are not drawing fans right now.
Snider is and always has been a poor manager of talent who is a holdover from the sixties and seventies, a non-mba type guy who holds personal grudges and treats nba and nhl player union members as if they are personal employees who can be fired at will. He was an ardent opponent of the NHL players union and has openly expressed his fondness for Ayn Rand and right wing conservative views.
For anyone with half a brain, it's obvious that Allen Iverson is not Ed Snider's idea of a "house negro" whereas Billy King and Maurice Cheeks, from different eras and different backgrounds, essentially yes men to white management, are exactly what Snider likes, even though both of them have been proven to be totally and completely incompetent as GM and coach respectively, especially Cheeks, who took over a playoff team from Jim O'Brien and led it to ten fewer wins and now has led it in his second year to the worst record in the eastern conference; the same thing approximately that he did in Portland when he took over from Rick Adelman, lead a playoff team down to the gutter. Billy King took over a team in the NBA Finals from Pat Croce and has brought them nothing but failure, the departure of Larry Brown and an endless parade of coaches and bad trades and worse draft picks, other than picking the somewhat promising Andre Iguodala.
The Chris Webber trade was by far the worst of King's reign. He gave up Kenny Thomas, a rebounding and defense machine, along with two other front court players, Corliss Williamson and another effective front court player, for Chris Webber, who can only score and rebound, but plays the high post and can't run or play defense.
Ever since this trade, the Sixers have lacked depth in the front court, toughness on defense and can no longer run. Kenny Thomas and Corliss Williamson were key to their playoff run under Jimmy O'Brien and in prior years Kenny Thomas was always good for 12 points and 15 rebounds, which is what he's putting up for the Kings, who always make the playoffs.
Webber by contrast has not turned out well.
All this is not Iverson's fault.
In summary, Snider, and to a lesser extent, King, continue to blame the greatest player in Sixers history, for the fact that Snider and King are idiots who do not know how to put together a basketball team.
Pat Croce, where are you when we need you?
I might also point out that this will be the third time that a nasty Jewish owner ran a talented black player out of town from the Sixers over money and flamboyance issues--Irv Kosloff with Wilt Chamberlain in 1968 (they didn't like Chamberlain's demands for more money, or that he dated white women in NYC), Harold Katz with Charles Barkley in 1991 (they didn't like that Barkeley was married to a white woman and dated white women, spat on young girls, and carried guns in his car, and wanted more money and criticized management), and finally Ed Snider in 2006 with Iverson (Iverson expressing his unhappiness with the coach, with management and his exasperation that they don't put together a winning combination that he can play with as they had when Pat Croce and Larry Brown were here).
Is this a coincidence? Is the conflict of penurious Jewish owner and flamboyant african-american basketball player inevitable in Seventy-Sixers history? You be the judge. I am simply setting forth the facts of the matter.
But in the modern salary cap NBA, you keep superstars like Allen Iverson, you don't mindlessly trade them.
--AJK, Philly fan
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12-09-2006 @ 5:36PM
warriors fan said...
hi all. im a warriors fan who is very interested in AI. ive read several articles that say the warriors are a possibkle suitor. im curious what you guys think AI is worth and what you guys deserve and want for him.
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12-09-2006 @ 6:15PM
pembeci said...
The problem with Pacers and Boston is that they are in the same conference with Philly. AI should still have at least 3-4 good years in him when paired with O'Neal or Pierce since he won't need to labor as much as he does in Philly. You don't want such a team to be in your conference. So my bet is on the Western conference.
Dallas and Wolves seem to be the frontrunners if they can make it work since they will become instant favourites to win it all (Mike James will be much more productive with AI at the point). Denver makes sense and the black horse is Kings with their brilliant GM and necessary pieces for a deal: Bibby, Artest, one of the frontcourt players (Corlis W., S. Abdurrahim, K. Thomas) who will immediately help the Sixers and can be sacrificed by the Kings as Brad Miller's healty now.
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12-09-2006 @ 6:26PM
Bee said...
well said kyriazis. seems like u know your facts. Obviously AI aint to blame here but those 3 nut heads especially maurice cheeks (how did that imbecile ever get into coaching?) and yet they refuse to fire is a**.
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12-09-2006 @ 6:47PM
mark anderson said...
Garnett is from South Carolina. You need to pay attention. Try reading slower Garnett Guy.
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12-09-2006 @ 6:59PM
twolves said...
i think AI will end up up with twolves, i just want kg to be happy and actually have a guy like AI, this combination would give them a better chance to win a ring. I hope kevin mcchale goes for him and this would be the best move made since aquiring sprewell and cassell
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12-10-2006 @ 9:19PM
Jonathan Myrthil said...
AI can be successful with Garnett because he can be efficient while only shooting 10 to 15 shots. but if you put Iverson (who needs to take 20 to 25 shots to put up numbers) with someone like Melo who also puts up 20 shots a game, there will be disaster. Minnesota is definitely a best bet.
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12-10-2006 @ 9:50PM
bluethree said...
As a Sixers fan, I really wouldn't mind AI being traded to an Eastern Conference team. Iverson has 2 or 3 years left in him and I don't see the Sixers being competitive in those years anyway. Just trade him to whoever gives us the best package of players/picks.
Let's go Greg Oden!
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12-10-2006 @ 10:39PM
lolidus said...
Yeah, it would be really nice to have AI play with KG, but ive read an article on NBA.com which said that the Wolves can't afford AI... :(
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