Bad Answer? (could AI really be "untradeable"?)

[Randy]

By Steve Kerr, Yahoo! Sports, December 13, 2006

Remember that television commercial a few years back for some rental car company where a group of marketing executives is shown in a board room thinking up ideas to help the company? One of the execs suggests that "maybe we should do this or that" and then they all look up in wonderment, imagining the resulting scene of the idea, which is inevitably disastrous.

That's the scenario I'm guessing is taking place in NBA boardrooms across the country these days, as general managers and coaches debate the idea of acquiring Allen Iverson.

"What if we traded for A.I.?" one scout suggests to a room full of front office personnel. Then the group collectively imagines Iverson donning their team's uniform, hoisting 25 fade-away jumpers a game, blowing off practice, skipping team functions and undermining the coach. Oh yeah, and taking up $20 million in salary-cap room each of the next 2½ seasons. "Naaahh, bad idea," they all agree, and they move on.

That's the problem Philadelphia 76ers general manager Billy King is facing right now. He's trying to auction off a huge star who leads the league in scoring, yet most of the teams in the NBA have little interest in him. There's just too much risk involved.

While there is no doubting Iverson's talent – he's incredibly quick and fast, an explosive scorer and a fearless man who brings effort and energy every night – he's also a small, poor defender, an erratic shooter (42 percent for his career) and a guy who has a history of bad relationships with coaches. Add in the enormous contract, and the baggage is just too heavy.

That's not to say there aren't any suitors. It's just that because so few teams are interested in adding Iverson, the market isn't very rich, making King's job almost impossible. He is in a position where he must trade the face of the Sixers franchise without having much leverage. Ideally, King would like the trade to net some combination of cap relief, draft picks and young talent. But without much interest from around the league, King will be lucky if he can pull off anything that comes close to that.

Three other factors will make a deal difficult for King.

One, Iverson may scare off a potential suitor by making it known he doesn't want to play for that team – as he has already done with Charlotte. Two, because Greg Oden is expected to enter the draft in June, no team is going to offer Philly a first-round pick in 2007 as part of a deal, unless it is lottery protected. And three, teams that would be willing to take part in an Iverson trade – either directly or in a multi-team swap – will inevitably have interest in Andre Iguodala, the Sixers' best asset.

Iguodala is a rising star who has a year and a half left on a contract that pays him $2.8 million this season and $3.8 next. But unless King includes Iguodala in the package, a lot of teams that might otherwise be interested in facilitating a deal for the 76ers might drop out. So if you're King and an Iverson trade costs you your best young player and doesn't bring back a high pick in what is expected to be a deep draft, you'd better at least get a great player in return. And at this point, it doesn't appear that teams are lining up to offer any great players.

So what happens next? Maybe the Sixers will settle for a bad deal, just to unload Iverson and get on with their business. Or perhaps Philly will be saved by a desperate team that is willing to take the risk and actually offer a decent package for Iverson. As time goes on, GM's of bad teams will remind themselves that despite all of Iverson's warts he is still one of the great scoring guards in league history, and the thought of adding him to their roster might be too enticing. Maybe someone will take the chance, trade for A.I. and hope that a change in scenery transforms him into a more professional team leader who helps foster a solid culture in the locker room.

But what if no one takes that risk? Then we could be looking at one of the oddest situations in NBA history: A future Hall of Famer with a cleaned-out locker and several good years left to offer someone else but with nowhere to go.

That can't possibly happen, right?

[Derek Bodner]

This always happens with aging stars who force a trade.

Toronto got very bad return on Vince.  matching contracts (not even expiring) and two bad firsts.

The only reason the Lakers got a semi-decent return on Shaq (and it wasn't even close to fair value) is because he's a big man.

[Randy]

IMO, it looks like King has made this situation MUCH worse by benching AI.  I think it causes GM's (even GM's who want to take the chance and are willing to take on AI's huge contract) to deal far below even what they might have considered before.  And given the salary (and what Philly would have to take in return) -- it looks like King has laid a huge egg on this one and made a bad situation a catastrophe. 

Do you agree?

[rickortreat]

I agree thoroughly Randy.  Benching AI while still paying him was very stupid and sends the wrong message.  A GM who's on the fence wondering, catches a game and sees AI lite someone up for 40 pts., and decides to go for it.

But then again, the NBA and it's front offices are not known as rocket scientists.  None of them manage to keep their teams competitive. Look at the Bulls since MJ.

There are a few out there who recognize talent.  Pat Riley reportedly know wants AI.  It makes sense for Miami, and the Sixers may be willing to take Posey and Walker in return. 

With all the talk about excess baggage, you'd think AI was Dennis Rodman!  He's much less trouble when he's on a winning team, and he'd probably be a bit quieter and in the spotlight less surrounded by Shaq and Wade in Miami.  I still think Dallas is the best place for AI, but we'll have to see if Cuban really wants to do anything with them. 

I think as it is right now, Dallas is behind Phoenix.  If they want to beat them at the end of the year, they may need AI to do it.

If you're a GM in one of those cities and you come up short this year in the playoffs, what will you say when the reporter asks you, Why didn't you trade for AI?

[Reality]

King does not bench A.I. and MeWebber after they acted lake da punkz on Fan Appreciation day.
Yet he does bench A.I. now.  Completely agree with you two, he should play now and drop 40 and help make up the mind of some not so sharp GMs.

If Miami gets A.I. for Posey and Walker it will be 1st degree rape.
Even Kobes lawyer could not get the charge removed.

Agree rt Dallas should swap Devin Harris and player(s).  But not Josh Howard also.  That is the sticking point.