Iverson finally finds a home....barring snags.

[Xaiveir]

The Denver Nuggets have reached an agreement in principle with the Philadelphia 76ers to acquire Allen Iverson, according to NBA front-office sources.

Allen Iverson
Iverson

The trade, pending league approval, some two weeks after Iverson demanded a trade in Philly, would send Andre Miller, Joe Smith and two 2007 first-round picks to the Sixers for Iverson and perhaps another minimum-salaried player or two. It was expected to be completed later Tuesday barring any snags.

The Sixers had been hoping to take back only expiring contracts in any Iverson deal, unless they were receiving a top-flight young player like Minnesota's Randy Foye or Shaun Livingston of the Los Angeles Clippers.

But with Philly and Denver struggling to find a third team to join in to make the deal more financially enticing for the Sixers, they decided to end an auction that began in earnest when Iverson's demand to be traded was confirmed by Sixers chairman Ed Snider on Dec. 8.

Andre Miller
Miller

Joe Smith
Smith

This deal will bring Philly a former league assist leader in Miller, Smith's expiring salary of nearly $7 million and those two first-round picks in June -- projected to be in the 20s -- to go with their own lottery pick. Miller is averaging 13 points and 9.1 assists per game -- third-best in the NBA -- while Smith, an 11-year veteran, has played little this season, averaging only 13.5 minutes and 5.1 points per game.

The Nuggets' interest in Iverson dates to last February and has only increased since the Sixers made him available to the whole league earlier this month. Their chief motivation is pairing Iverson with Anthony in coach George Karl's up-tempo attack, but acquiring Iverson now -- just a day after Anthony and J.R. Smith were suspended for 15 and 10 games, respectively, for their roles in Saturday night's fight with the New York Knicks -- gives a much-needed jolt to Denver's depleted roster.

The former teammates from the 2004 U.S. Olympic squad won't be able to play together until Anthony is reinstated for a Jan. 20 game at Houston.

Miller, who led the NBA in assists with 10.9 per game for Cleveland in 2001-02, makes $8.7 million this season and has $19.2 million left on his contract over the following two seasons.

It's apparent, though, that the Sixers decided it was better to absorb Miller's contract now -- along with the opportunity to have three first-round selections in what scouts are calling the deepest draft in years -- as opposed to dragging out the Iverson saga further.

Iverson has been in exile for the past 11 days, languishing on the Sixers' inactive list while still accruing his per-game earnings of $156,218.

Iverson, 31, is averaging 31.2 points per game -- second only to Carmelo Anthony's 31.6 ppg -- in 15 games this season. He has a career 28.1 ppg scoring average in 11 NBA seasons, all in Philadelphia. He led the Sixers to the 2001 NBA Finals, where they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games, but the team has seen little playoff success since.

He was Rookie of the year in 1997 and MVP in 2001. He has led the NBA in scoring four times, most recently in 2005, finishing in the league's top three every year since 1999, and twice led the league in steals.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2702501

[Xaiveir]

Im interested in seeing how Iverson and Anthony mesh, when he gets back.

[Zanchief]

Countdown to disaster if this is true.

You've got George Karl losing his mind and two ball hogs on the same team. Denver could be the new NY Knicks by the end of the season.

[vonkaar]

I can't believe that Stern would allow this. It's in the best interest of the league to keep as many stars in the East as possible, or at least 're-balance' the teams better. Right now, any of the 15 teams in the West would be deep-playoff contenders in the East... and there isn't a clear sign of hope for anyone over there. I really thought that we'd see a 3-team trade where Philly gets a decent return and some East team ends up with Iverson, putting them over the top... and thereby a 'real' threat to the West once again. Shipping the best players in the East over to the West for a few scrubs is hardly a step in the right direction.

[Zanchief]

Philly will be terrible for years to come.

[Tacks]

Philly will continue to be terrible for years to come.

[Zanchief]

They'll be worst in the league.

If they don't get Oden or Durant in this up coming draft we could see a real problem in philly.

[Evermore]

the 76ers suck. at this point who really cares what they do. they need all new management cause the current management are a pack of fucktards

[Jay]

Maybe he'll actually show up for practice with the Nuggets

[Evermore]

im waiting to see how the 2 ball hogs will mesh

[vonkaar]

im waiting to see how the 2 ball hogs will mesh

see starbury/franchise

[Zanchief]

He does pass though, but the thing is he makes one pass to a shooter for an assist.

He will never make the first pass in a series of passes that might lead someone else to get an assist. Problem being, Melo isn't a jump shooter or an off the ball slasher. He demands the ball to score too. You basically have to guys who needs to dominate the ball to score and want to score as much as possible. Just look at melo's minutes in blowouts. Everytime Denver is up 20 in the 4th he's still out their jacking up shots. That's one of the reason Collins layed out JR.

This is going to be entertaining.

[Arlos]

However, I think you guys're underestimating Iverson's desire to make this work. Remember, Iverson has *NEVER* had anyone on his teaem even REMOTELY of Carmelo's caliber, so we have no way of knowing how he'll be willing to share the limelight when in such a situation. Plus, he knows his rep has taken a hit, and fears exactly like this are why he got traded for so little and it took so long. I think he's going to be motivated as all hell to prove people wrong, and work his ass off to make it work as best as possible.

-Arlos

[vonkaar]

I'd argue that 1995-1998 Jerry Stackhouse was pretty close to Carmelo Anthony...

I'm not worried at all about Iverson. I think he'll make it work. I'm worried about Melo. Dude has issues.

[Xaiveir]

I'd argue that 1995-1998 Jerry Stackhouse was pretty close to Carmelo Anthony...

I'm not worried at all about Iverson. I think he'll make it work. I'm worried about Melo. Dude has issues.

I would deffinatly agree with this. Watched an interview with Iverson last night, he sounds like he wants to make it work. Guess time will tell, and we will have to wait till Thugmelo comes back from suspension.

[Zanchief]

See I don't even think it's an issue of desire, I think it's an issue of just how he plays. I'm a fan of his, but he dominates the ball to get things done, I don't really see how he can still be effective and not hog the ball. Time will tell I suppose.

[vonkaar]

Go back to the failed olympics... who was the one player who complained about minutes to coach Brown? Melo. I think someone else did but I forgot who... Zan will remind me... but I remember Carmelo Anthony was the stronger of the two. Aaaand who were the veteran voices who kept the young punks in line? Tim Duncan and Allen Iverson. While the rest of the team was falling apart, those were the two players who kept it strong... AI helped to give team USA a fighting chance, amidst all the egos and turmoil... Denver WAS Carmelo's team. Karl needs to make this Iverson's team because he's the stronger of the two. Carmelo Anthony is NOT a leader, never will be.

[Xaiveir]

Denver isnt build like the 76ers were though. They have alot more balance than the sixers have had since the Larry Brown days. Iverson was forced to score 35 a game these last couple of years in order to have any chance of winning. That is just not going to be the case in Denver i dont think. But time will tell for sure.

[Zanchief]

Go back to the failed olympics... who was the one player who complained about minutes to coach Brown? Melo. I think someone else did but I forgot who... Zan will remind me... but I remember Carmelo Anthony was the stronger of the two. Aaaand who were the veteran voices who kept the young punks in line? Tim Duncan and Allen Iverson. While the rest of the team was falling apart, those were the two players who kept it strong... AI helped to give team USA a fighting chance, amidst all the egos and turmoil... Denver WAS Carmelo's team. Karl needs to make this Iverson's team because he's the stronger of the two. Carmelo Anthony is NOT a leader, never will be.

He was the worst, I can't remember anyone else.

[vonkaar]

I ALSO think that Iverson is quite capable of dishing out an incredible amount of assists... he's just never been put in that situation. He could seriously surprise all of us and turn into this disgusting assist machine, killing his ppg but jacking his assists into double digits. He's built like a point-guard, he's just had to play like a 2 his whole career.

[Zanchief]

Maybe, if he does it's going to help his legacy BIG time. Might even earn him another MVP.

[Arlos]

Well, there's no one running away with the MVP race so far, right? Would be his to sieze if he can do that sort of change: keep his own game to a high level, and elevate the hell out of everyone else's too.

-Arlos

[Phlegm]

Iverson can hog the ball all he wants for the next 15 games.

[Zanchief]

Well, there's no one running away with the MVP race so far, right?

Although Vonk will disagree, if Phoenix keeps winning we might have a Canadian 3 time MVP.

Most likely another team will really turn it on, like the Lakers and Kobe will win.

[vonkaar]

I will disagree, but not with Dirk... I might as the season progresses.

The Suns have a huge winning streak, sure... but they've beaten a bunch of shitty teams. Congrats. Let's look at the schedule...

They played mostly good teams at the start and lost all of them... Lakers, Clippers, Jazz, Clippers, Spurs, Mavs... then they got their first shitty teams and they beat them, Sixers and Grizzlies. So now they are 2-6. Then they had to play the Jazz again, they get beat, back to 2-7. That's when they go on their 'cushiest schedule of the year' against the shittiest teams in the league, ALL BUT TWO of them under .500: Warriors, Hornets, Nets, Blazers, Rockets, Bucks, Kings, Nets, Celtics, Bobcats, Magic, Heat, Warriors, Kings, Raptors... Wow. Impressive schedule there. Big fucking deal.

They blow out the bad teams and barely win to the decent teams... and they've lost to the good teams. Whooptee doo. I'm not impressed. It's the same story every year... same thing that Dallas and Sacramento did year after year and everyone discounted... 60 wins, exciting to watch... fizzles-out in the post-season.

When the Mavs were on their 13-game streak, we were beating teams like the Suns, Spurs, Bulls, Wizards and Nuggets. We did 4 of those games without Josh Howard.


My vote for MVP right now is for Jason Kidd. Dude might finish the season Oscar Robertson style. Seriously, he's had like 7 triple-doubles already... They said that would NEVER happen again.