Don't even entertain the idea of AI coming back. It would completely disrupt this team's progress. I love AI as an athlete but there is no way I would want him back unless he was on the coaching staff, etc. What makes our team dangerous now is that you never know who is going to score the ball. We have several weapons who can burn you. With AI coming back, we're predictable again and one-dimensional. No thanks,
STChaser
Nuggets fan here. Will you boo A.I. or cheer?
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bebopdeluxe
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STChaser:
Your opinion of AI is well-known around here (and its even known on the Nuggets board)...and I am not saying that it will happen, but...
- It sure seemed interesting to me that AI was so willing before the game to man up and accept responsibility for his role in the deterioration of his relationship with the Sixers. Name me another athlete of AI's stature that was as willing to publically admit that he was an azz?
- At a time when he could have continued to "burn bridges", it sure sounded like AI was adding I-beam supports under the bridge between himself and the team/town...
- The Nuggets - as they showed last night - play with ZERO heart (other than Martin, who beasted us)...and that has GOT to be getting old for a guy who plays with as much passion as AI does...
- AI knows full well that the West is tough, and with teams like LA, NOH, Utah and others, its gonna stay tough for a while...while in the East, both Boston and Detroit are living on borrowed time...so, if AI wants to win a ring before its all over, he may very well have to find a new place to play...and it might make sense to move East (ask KG how his move is working out...);
- Over the past year and a half, it is hard to say anything but that AI has been the consumate team player in Denver by all accounts - sharing the ball, leading by example...it appears that he has learned from the mistakes he made in Philly (he admitted as much last night)...
- A quick comparison to the '00-'01 team?
Miller > Snow
Iggy > Lynch
Evans = Hill (or Thad will be > Hill)
Sammy = Theo
The bench (Evans/Thad, Lou, WG, Smith, Carney) is better than the '00-'01 team. This team runs better than the '00-'01 team. This team is finally beginning to play perimeter defense (one of the biggest differences between this team and the '00-'01 team).
- It looks like there will be no impact PF's available to spend our cap room this summer...Brand will likely not opt-out...guys like Okafor, Smith and Biedrins will likely be resigned by their teams...certainly a trade might happen, but perhaps a better route to take with our cap room is to find a sure-fire scorer at the SG position...a guy who can score the ball in the guts of the game (something that we still struggle with against good teams)....somebody like....ummm....AI?
- I believe that I have read that AI is not exactly enamored with the Denver scene (he does still have his house on Monk Road in Gladwyne, right?)...and if he did want to opt out, there aren't a lot of options (unless they have "Hip-Hop night" at the House of Blues in Memphis).
Look - I'm not saying this is going to happen. He would have to take a big paycut to make it happen. But if he wants a ring, going back to the East may be the best road to it happening...and we just happen to have the most cap room. And before you would say that Ed Snider would never allow it to happen, I am sure that he and Brian Roberts and the other bean-counters at Comcast looked at the filled arena last night and said to themselves..."hmm...if we could resign AI for $11-12 mil a year...and we averaged an additional 5,000 seats a game (at an average of $50 per ticket...times 40 games...)
Hmmm....
Never say never.
Your opinion of AI is well-known around here (and its even known on the Nuggets board)...and I am not saying that it will happen, but...
- It sure seemed interesting to me that AI was so willing before the game to man up and accept responsibility for his role in the deterioration of his relationship with the Sixers. Name me another athlete of AI's stature that was as willing to publically admit that he was an azz?
- At a time when he could have continued to "burn bridges", it sure sounded like AI was adding I-beam supports under the bridge between himself and the team/town...
- The Nuggets - as they showed last night - play with ZERO heart (other than Martin, who beasted us)...and that has GOT to be getting old for a guy who plays with as much passion as AI does...
- AI knows full well that the West is tough, and with teams like LA, NOH, Utah and others, its gonna stay tough for a while...while in the East, both Boston and Detroit are living on borrowed time...so, if AI wants to win a ring before its all over, he may very well have to find a new place to play...and it might make sense to move East (ask KG how his move is working out...);
- Over the past year and a half, it is hard to say anything but that AI has been the consumate team player in Denver by all accounts - sharing the ball, leading by example...it appears that he has learned from the mistakes he made in Philly (he admitted as much last night)...
- A quick comparison to the '00-'01 team?
Miller > Snow
Iggy > Lynch
Evans = Hill (or Thad will be > Hill)
Sammy = Theo
The bench (Evans/Thad, Lou, WG, Smith, Carney) is better than the '00-'01 team. This team runs better than the '00-'01 team. This team is finally beginning to play perimeter defense (one of the biggest differences between this team and the '00-'01 team).
- It looks like there will be no impact PF's available to spend our cap room this summer...Brand will likely not opt-out...guys like Okafor, Smith and Biedrins will likely be resigned by their teams...certainly a trade might happen, but perhaps a better route to take with our cap room is to find a sure-fire scorer at the SG position...a guy who can score the ball in the guts of the game (something that we still struggle with against good teams)....somebody like....ummm....AI?
- I believe that I have read that AI is not exactly enamored with the Denver scene (he does still have his house on Monk Road in Gladwyne, right?)...and if he did want to opt out, there aren't a lot of options (unless they have "Hip-Hop night" at the House of Blues in Memphis).
Look - I'm not saying this is going to happen. He would have to take a big paycut to make it happen. But if he wants a ring, going back to the East may be the best road to it happening...and we just happen to have the most cap room. And before you would say that Ed Snider would never allow it to happen, I am sure that he and Brian Roberts and the other bean-counters at Comcast looked at the filled arena last night and said to themselves..."hmm...if we could resign AI for $11-12 mil a year...and we averaged an additional 5,000 seats a game (at an average of $50 per ticket...times 40 games...)
Hmmm....
Never say never.
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STChaser
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STChaser:
Your opinion of AI is well-known around here (and its even known on the Nuggets board)...and I am not saying that it will happen, but...
- It sure seemed interesting to me that AI was so willing before the game to man up and accept responsibility for his role in the deterioration of his relationship with the Sixers. Name me another athlete of AI's stature that was as willing to publically admit that he was an azz?
- At a time when he could have continued to "burn bridges", it sure sounded like AI was adding I-beam supports under the bridge between himself and the team/town...
- The Nuggets - as they showed last night - play with ZERO heart (other than Martin, who beasted us)...and that has GOT to be getting old for a guy who plays with as much passion as AI does...
- AI knows full well that the West is tough, and with teams like LA, NOH, Utah and others, its gonna stay tough for a while...while in the East, both Boston and Detroit are living on borrowed time...so, if AI wants to win a ring before its all over, he may very well have to find a new place to play...and it might make sense to move East (ask KG how his move is working out...);
- Over the past year and a half, it is hard to say anything but that AI has been the consumate team player in Denver by all accounts - sharing the ball, leading by example...it appears that he has learned from the mistakes he made in Philly (he admitted as much last night)...
For the most part, AI has always said the right things. But saying the right things and doing the right things are two separate things and that has always been my problem with Iverson. And while I agree that our current team is better than our finals team for the most part, if you put AI in the starting lineup, our defense suddenly drops off big time - and one of the major reasons why this team is winning now is because we're solid defensively across the board.
As for AI's reasoning for wanting to return, sure, who can blame him? All the reasons you've pointed out are legitimate. He gains in every way. But what do the Sixers gain outside of better attendance? Maybe with Miller distributing the ball, AI's touches would decrease and it would work out but I have my doubts - enough so that I would not want him back. The truth is, this team is a PF away from being serious contenders for the foreseeable future. Why add a piece that we don't need. I don't think the addition of AI would make us that much better. Sometimes, you have addition by subtraction as was the case with Korver. With Korver's defensive liabilities out of the lineup, this team actually got better. I think the same thing applies in AI's case.
STChaser
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bebopdeluxe
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STChaser:
Two things...
1) Please give me the name of this PF that is available to us that we can sign as a FA/trade for/draft that is going to fill this hole.
I don't mean this in a snippy way...I just don't see the guy right now.
2) Comparing Korver and AI does not work for me. While neither guy will be known for the impact that they make on the defensive end, on the offensive side of the ball they are two different guys. Korver needs to have other playmakers on the floor with him in order to provide maximum value to a team. When he was here with AI he did that. With Utah (with Williams, Boozer and others), he has that. On the non-AI Sixers team, his singular plus-NBA ability (to shoot the ball from distance) was virtually non-existant (he could not get enough space to get his shot off, and he could not create his own shot). Inaddition, with this team's focus on transition basketball and "run, run...and then run some more", Korver's skill set simply was not best-suited for that game.
AI does not rely on others to get his shot - he creates shots...for himself and others. And AI and the running/transition game? What was that New Jersey marketing slogan from a few years ago?
"AI and fast-break basketball - perfect together..."
Again - I'm not saying that it is gong to happen. He would have to take a HUGE paycut. And Eddie may still be able to pull a quality PF out of his azz...at least that is what we all hope. But if he cannot find that PF...and AI was willing to take that huge paycut to come back...would I consider it?
Hmmm.....
Two things...
1) Please give me the name of this PF that is available to us that we can sign as a FA/trade for/draft that is going to fill this hole.
I don't mean this in a snippy way...I just don't see the guy right now.
2) Comparing Korver and AI does not work for me. While neither guy will be known for the impact that they make on the defensive end, on the offensive side of the ball they are two different guys. Korver needs to have other playmakers on the floor with him in order to provide maximum value to a team. When he was here with AI he did that. With Utah (with Williams, Boozer and others), he has that. On the non-AI Sixers team, his singular plus-NBA ability (to shoot the ball from distance) was virtually non-existant (he could not get enough space to get his shot off, and he could not create his own shot). Inaddition, with this team's focus on transition basketball and "run, run...and then run some more", Korver's skill set simply was not best-suited for that game.
AI does not rely on others to get his shot - he creates shots...for himself and others. And AI and the running/transition game? What was that New Jersey marketing slogan from a few years ago?
"AI and fast-break basketball - perfect together..."
Again - I'm not saying that it is gong to happen. He would have to take a HUGE paycut. And Eddie may still be able to pull a quality PF out of his azz...at least that is what we all hope. But if he cannot find that PF...and AI was willing to take that huge paycut to come back...would I consider it?
Hmmm.....
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barkley34
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I have always liked Iverson but he would be a bad fit for many reasons. If they can't get a legit power forward and decide to add a shooting guard they would be better off with a younger player with less drama and baggage than Iverson.
Even if AI didn't do anything and was a saint his presence alone in Philly creates a distraction because of his history here. Not to mention it would undermine Cheeks' authority.
Somebody like Michael Redd would be a better fit at this stage IMO.
Even if AI didn't do anything and was a saint his presence alone in Philly creates a distraction because of his history here. Not to mention it would undermine Cheeks' authority.
Somebody like Michael Redd would be a better fit at this stage IMO.
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bebopdeluxe
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phiphan:
Tyrone Hill - 31.1 mpg, 9.6 ppg, 9.0 rbg
Reggie Evans - 24.3 mpg, 5.5 ppg, 8.0 rbg
We adjust for minutes played - Hill scores more, Evans rebounds more.
A wash for me.
Deke - 33.7 mpg, 11.7 ppg, 12.4 rbg, 2.5 bpg
Sammy - 33.2 mpg, 10.8 ppg, 10.1 rbg, 2.3 bpg
Deke does win the rebounding battle, but Deke is at least 10 years older than Sammy, and the following year (36.3 mpg, 11.5 ppg, 10.8 rbg) was his last season as a starter in the NBA.
Neither player would be confused as a cerebal player...Deke was slow as molasses, would gum up our halfcourt game, and could not run the floor like Sammy can.
I am not trying to detract from either Hill or Deke's contribution to what they did in 2000-01...all that I was trying to say is - if AI were to rejoin this team next season - this team would have more talent than the team that went to the Finals. It would be younger, more athletic, and with more upside. Guys like Snow, McKie, Hill, Lynch, Deke...there was no upside there. They took their shot in 2000-01...and it was a great shot. This team, I think, is both better now and several players still have upside.
For the record, I'm not saying it's gonna happen...but...
Tyrone Hill - 31.1 mpg, 9.6 ppg, 9.0 rbg
Reggie Evans - 24.3 mpg, 5.5 ppg, 8.0 rbg
We adjust for minutes played - Hill scores more, Evans rebounds more.
A wash for me.
Deke - 33.7 mpg, 11.7 ppg, 12.4 rbg, 2.5 bpg
Sammy - 33.2 mpg, 10.8 ppg, 10.1 rbg, 2.3 bpg
Deke does win the rebounding battle, but Deke is at least 10 years older than Sammy, and the following year (36.3 mpg, 11.5 ppg, 10.8 rbg) was his last season as a starter in the NBA.
Neither player would be confused as a cerebal player...Deke was slow as molasses, would gum up our halfcourt game, and could not run the floor like Sammy can.
I am not trying to detract from either Hill or Deke's contribution to what they did in 2000-01...all that I was trying to say is - if AI were to rejoin this team next season - this team would have more talent than the team that went to the Finals. It would be younger, more athletic, and with more upside. Guys like Snow, McKie, Hill, Lynch, Deke...there was no upside there. They took their shot in 2000-01...and it was a great shot. This team, I think, is both better now and several players still have upside.
For the record, I'm not saying it's gonna happen...but...
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bebopdeluxe
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barkley34:
I'm fine with Redd (even though the $$$ are BIG, and we won't get any kind of hometown discount....not that I'm saying that AI would give us one, mind you...). I'm already on record saying that I would be fine with Monta Ellis.
But from Ed Snider and Brian Roberts' perspective, do you think that Michael Redd will add 4000-5000 seats a night?
I'm fine with Redd (even though the $$$ are BIG, and we won't get any kind of hometown discount....not that I'm saying that AI would give us one, mind you...). I'm already on record saying that I would be fine with Monta Ellis.
But from Ed Snider and Brian Roberts' perspective, do you think that Michael Redd will add 4000-5000 seats a night?
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barkley34
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bebopdeluxe wrote:barkley34:
I'm fine with Redd (even though the $$$ are BIG, and we won't get any kind of hometown discount....not that I'm saying that AI would give us one, mind you...). I'm already on record saying that I would be fine with Monta Ellis.
But from Ed Snider and Brian Roberts' perspective, do you think that Michael Redd will add 4000-5000 seats a night?
No, Redd wouldn't add much to the attendance he really isn't flashy.
I don't think attendance is going to continue being a problem though because I think they have turned the corner and are playing much better. As long as they continue to play at a high level fans will start packing in there again.
I expect Thad to really emerge next season with Iggy,Miller, our draft pick and whoever we add with the cap space the games will be exciting and people will show up.