Welcome to The AI Trade Talk House – Home Office: Philadelphia, Pa.

Welcome to the AI Trade Talk House (AITTH) home ofice. This is a compendium of snippets and summaries of articles from each NBA city dealing with the potential, or lack thereof, for their team to make a trade for Allen Iverson. Will the 76ers pull a Tampa Bay Buccaneers, “Keyshawn, you’re disrupting our team, just stay at home move’ (for all you NBA-only heads who have no knowledge of this event, this is a reason to check out how other leagues run their affairs) and render AI inactive until a trade is done? The trade deadline is a ways off – February 22, 3 p.m. – after all. Or will the Sixers brainiacs in the front office move AI ASAP?

Well, that’s what this running blogpost is for – keeping track on all the AI news that’s news, in one place. Each team will have a separate posting section and a running diary. So when you want to find out if something new went down with your team, find the team just under “Pages” in the left sidebar. Just click on the team name and scroll to the day of your choice within the team page.

Oh yeah, I’m not going to include articles, predictions and rumors from media outlets like ESPN or ESPN.com, SI.com, and Foxsports.com. Their peeps are calling and trying to talk with the same people each teams’ beat writer(s) can have real, face-to-face access to every day.

Philadelphia – 12.08-09.06

Of course we’re starting here. This is the zero point, the crossroads, the crux of the biscuit.

The news was flying before last night’s Philly-Washington game. Allen Iverson had already been asked to remove himself from the Sixers practice. Then he was told not to worry about showing up for the Sixers-Wizards game – or the following game, for that matter. Dick Jerardi of the Philadelphia Daily News caught up with Chris Webber before the cameras, the speculation, or the spin, could begin. From Jerardi’s article:

[Chris] Webber has been in the NBA since 1993, so it was not as if he did not know what kinds of questions might be asked on the day it became known that divorce papers ending the marriage between the Sixers and Allen Iverson were in the hands of the attorneys.

“They’re probably scared of what I might say,” Webber said finally, saying everything that needed to be said.

He suggested coming back after the game when he might be in the mood to say a bit more.

The team clearly wanted to put its spin on the proceedings. The less the players knew or said, the better. This marriage has needed untold counselors. This time, apparently, even Dr. Phil couldn’t help.

Veteran point guard Kevin Ollie has been just about everywhere in the league. Seen just about everything. Including the ongoing drama.

Think Allen will be here?

“Here tonight?” Ollie said before the game.

No, here.

“I have no idea,” Ollie said diplomatically.

He knew, of course. Everybody knew.

Later reporters caught up with Sixer chairman, Ed Snider. Here’s what Snider had to say in a question-answer period at halftime of the 76er-Washington game last night from an article by Phil Jasner of the Philadelphia Daily News:

Q: Is it time to trade Allen Iverson?

Ed Snider: “Yes,” said the chairman of the Comcast-Spectacor group that oversees, among other entities, the 76ers and the Flyers.

Q: Because?

ES: “Because he wants to be traded.”

Q: Has Iverson played his last game with the Sixers?

ES: “Probably.”

Q: Has Iverson’s time passed with the Sixers?

ES: “Yes.”

Q: Has the team received many calls from other teams?

ES: “About half the league.”

Q: Has the Iverson situation held back the development of any of the Sixers’ young players?

ES: “You have to decide that on your own.”

Half the Association, eh? Let’s start digging an try to find out who’s legit and who’s pie in the sky, who’s not even going to front and who’s going to put some turds in the game to keep a rival from attaining a pivotal piece who is a shoe-in HOFer when his days are done.

A.I.: The King is Dead in Philly, Long Live the King; Jim Gray’s Karmic Kickback from 1999

It appears for all the world that Allen Iverson as a Philadelphia 76er is done. According to an article published earlier this evening by Dan Gelston of the Associated Press:

King and coach Maurice Cheeks said Iverson was sent home because he did not practice on Thursday and left Wednesday’s blowout loss at Chicago with back spasms. However, the move to bench their captain comes with Iverson’s name swirling in heavy trade rumors.

King would not say before the Sixers’ game against the Wizards if Iverson had asked for a trade or if he was actively trying to trade the four-time NBA scoring champion.

“Allen was not able to practice yesterday because of the back and today Mo made a decision not to play him tonight or tomorrow,” King said. “We told him to just take the night off and tomorrow.”

However, Iverson told a different story. Iverson, whose off-court behavior and coaching clashes often overshadowed his gritty, highlight-reel play, released a statement through agent Leon Rose stating that he told the Sixers he was healthy enough to play.

Iverson said he was told not to participate in shootaround and instead watched from the sideline. He joined the Sixers in the huddle, then was told by Cheeks not to come to the Wachovia Center.

“In my entire career, even the doctors haven’t been able to tell me not to play,” Iverson said. “I’ve played through injury and illness. I think everyone knows how much I love being out on the court, competing and winning. That’s why it was so disheartening to be told that I couldn’t play, knowing that I was ready. It hurt even more to be told not to come at all.”

But in the end, Iverson seemed resigned to his fate:

“As hard as it is to admit, a change may be the best thing for everyone,” Iverson said. “I hate admitting that because I love the guys on the team and the city of Philadelphia. I truly wanted to retire a 76er.”

Sixers chairman Ed Snider was asked if AI wanted to be traded in an interview by DESPN’s Lisa Walters during the first half of the televised Philadelphia-Washington game at the Wahovia (“Watch Ova’ Ya”) Center. Katz said. “Yes. We’ll do our best to accommodate him.” Allen was a great, great basketball player for our organization and did a lot for this city. I wish him the best.

“I think it’s time to move on. I wish him luck.” When asked by Walters if AI had played his last game in a Sixer uniform, Snider replied, “Probably.”

At halftime of the game, Jim Gray of DESPN said Iverson indicated to him that he strongly prefers to be traded to Minnesota.

Meantime, the 76ers as a team, are, for this season, officially dead. By the third quarter tonight the fans lustily booed the players as Philly lost a 20-point second quarter lead in a matter of minutes. Tonight’s game showed clearly that Chris Webber is no longer capable of carrying a team. So the first piece of business Mo Cheeks will be consumed with is figuring out how to get points out of players not used to carrying a scoring load.

Andre Iguodala’s game isn’t developed enough to be a consistent go-to offensive player. Kyle Korver, though an excellent shooter, cannot create his own shot. This places the clutch-time scoring burden on players not now with the team. If Philly trades AI to Minny for say, Troy Hudson, Marko Jaric and draft choices, then Huddie and Marko “The white Darko” will be asked to immediately contribute heavily to the Sixer offense. The more probable trade scenario would be Huddie, Ricky Davis and draft choices. It will then be Davis who will be expected to take on the main scorer’s role.

If Cheeks seeks to speed up the game on the offensive end, he must know that he has athletic players who can handle the pace, slash from the wings and dominate the offensive boards. If Cheeks decides to, because of a lack of reliable scoring, limit possessions by slowing the game, he must instill defensive concepts to players who, as a team, surrender 101.6 points per game, which is sixth worst in the Association.

In the end the best trade for all might be Hudson, Jaric and Davis and a 1st round draft choice for AI and a 2nd round choice. Minnesota and Philly get an even money exchange with the T-Wolves dumping about $16million in combined salaries, while taking on AI’s $16, 453, 125 (according to basketball reference) 2006 salary. Though the Sixers would take on $16 million in combined salaries and become guard-heavy, they then have bargaining chips they can use to build for the future through the draft.

New Development: Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor says there’s no way Minnesota will trade for Iverson. However, Carmelo Anthony (and perhaps all of Denver) would welcome AI to the Nuggs.

———

Ain’t karma a bitch?! Just ask Jim Gray

…and as far as the Jim Gray report on Iverson? Check this out from Richard Sandomir of the New York Times:

….ESPN reporter, Lisa Salters, spoke to Billy King, the 76ers’ general manager, about the team’s decision to keep Iverson out of two games as King tried to arrange a trade of the star guard.

“So I said, ‘Let’s call Allen,’ ” Gray recalled yesterday by telephone.

Gray said that he has spoken to Iverson at least 200 times over the years, and that last month, Iverson gave him his phone numbers when the 76ers were in Phoenix to play the Suns on ESPN.

Gray called. A woman answered and told him to call back. When he called again, a man answered, who greeted Gray as if he knew him. The voice sounded like Iverson’s, Gray said. His vocal rhythms were similar.

“I thought I was talking to him,” Gray said.

Gray said that he was told that Iverson did not mind being sat down as a trade was arranged, “but he said it wasn’t his decision.”

Gray said, “He told me he wanted to retire a Sixer, and I said, ‘Can this be retrieved?’ and he said, ‘I don’t know, but my time might be up and it might be best for all.’

“I said, ‘Where do you want to go?’ and he said, ‘I hope this deal with Minnesota works out.’ I wanted to know where the deal stood, whether it was, or was it just what he wanted, but we got disconnected.

“I was confident it was Allen.”

Gray called Leon Rose, Iverson’s agent, but their conversation was cut off. Gray called back and left a message saying he had spoken to Iverson.

Gray delivered his report during the first half of the game, and again at halftime, conveying what “Iverson” had told him, including the Minnesota angle.

After halftime, Rose called Gray’s cellphone. Gray said that Rose told him: “I spoke to Allen, and Allen swears he didn’t speak to you. We’re going to have to come out and say your report was inaccurate.”

Stunned, Gray asked to talk to Iverson, but Rose said he was not speaking. Gray called Gary Moore, Iverson’s business manager. Gray said that Moore told him: “Allen’s really hot. You didn’t speak to him.”

Gray, now apparently a voice recognition expert in addition to being an ace reporter, just couldn’t find it within his heart or mind to admit culpability in jumping the gun with this news:

“I feel badly but I don’t feel like I did anything wrong.”

Whatever, Jim, you thruthy bastard, you.

It’s nice to see that Gray is still getting karmic payback for that ambush job he did on Pete Rose before Game 2 of the 1999 World Series.

“Coach Rich” Stays at WVU – Huh?!

After agreeing last night to take the vacant head coach position at the University of Alabama, Rich Rodriguez executed a 180-degree turnaround and ultimately decided to stay in Morgantown. According to the Birmingham (Al.) News:

University of West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez decided this morning that he would not accept the University of Alabama’s offer to become the Tide’s head football coach.

Rodriguez informed his Mountaineers team of the decision at a meeting at 2 p.m. Central time.

Representatives of Alabama and Rodriguez reached an agreement in principle Thursday night on a 6-year, $12 million contract. Rodriguez’ agent indicated to Alabama officials that his client would accept today, but that did not happen.

Rodriguez met this morning with the University of West Virginia president, and met with the athletics director several times. Rodriguez’ wife, Rita, was in his office for several hours this morning.

“Yes I’m staying,” Rodriguez said as he walked past reporters.

According to DESPN News’ Joe Schad, Mountaineer boosters “Came up with money they said previously they didn’t have.” Schad went on to state that Rodriguez is staying at WVU despite the fact that he would have made more money at Alabama.

“Rodriguez wanted Alabama and Alabama wanted Rodriguez,” said Schad.

Alabama’s A.D. Mal Moore released the following statement:

“I received word this afternoon that Coach Rodriguez has chosen to remain the head football coach at West Virginia. I fully respect his decision and wish him the best. I want to remind everyone of what I said at the outset of this process: My only objective is to get the best person available to lead the Alabama football program. I remain determined to bring to our program a proven head coach with impressive credentials. While I am hoping to conclude the search soon, following a timeline is not my main priority. Hiring an outstanding head coach to lead our players is the most important thing, and that will continue to be my only objective.”

What truly precipitated Rodriguez’s strange turnaround may never be known.