Sixers' Iguodala still waiting for his NBA All-Star Spot

[THFM]

Phil Jasner: Sixers' Iguodala still waiting for his NBA All-Star shot
Philadelphia Daily News

NEW ORLEANS - This was supposed to be the breakout season for Andre Iguodala. He was the player who emerged as the clear leader of the 76ers down the stretch last season, helping them win 17 of their last 26 games in the dawn of the post-Allen Iverson era.
This was supposed to be the season when Iguodala, the No. 9 pick in the 2004 NBA draft, took a major step toward All-Star status in the Eastern Conference. This was the season in which he would sign a long, rich contract extension.

Didn't happen. Iguodala, despite averaging a team-high 19.4 points, won't be part of the All-Star Weekend extravaganza. He walked away from an extension reportedly worth $57 million and insists he hasn't looked back. As of July 1, he will be a restricted free agent, with the Sixers allowed to match any offer from another team.

"We're winning games right now," he said earlier in the week. "If we can get in the playoffs, that's been my main goal, despite what everybody said about us being expected to finish last in the conference.

"I don't think of this as a lost season, even though it's tough getting double-teamed every night and still trying to get numbers."

And he's getting them. He got a box score full of them in Wednesday night's 102-88 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, putting together 29 points on 13-for-25 shooting that included three three-pointers, eight rebounds, eight assists and two steals. He has been in an elite group with Orlando's Hedu Turkoglu, the Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant, Boston's Paul Pierce, New Jersey's Vince Carter, Cleveland's LeBron James, Washington's Caron Butler and Houston's Tracy McGrady as the only players averaging at least 19 points, five rebounds and four assists.

Whether that helps Iguodala's case as a restricted free agent this summer remains to be seen.

Bryant, Pierce, James and Butler are All-Stars; you can make a solid case that Turkoglu should have been. Carter and McGrady have been All-Stars seven times each.

"If you win, everything takes care of itself," Iguodala said. "Now we're starting to win, but there are guys every year who think they should have made it. I always want to think about the team concept first. I think I'm very valuable to our team; if we can make a strong showing after the break, if we can get to the playoffs, that'll take care of itself [in the future]. It's all about winning."


I think . . .

Upon further review, it's fair to at least temporarily remove Portland's Brandon Roy from MVP consideration and insert Cleveland's LeBron James. But not at the top of the five-man ballot.
And before all the e-mailers who screamed for the inclusion of James start applauding or congratulating themselves, remember that this is a fluid list. The real ballot is filed in April.


Not so covert

Referee Bob Delaney is making the rounds promoting "Covert," his autobiography detailing his work as a New Jersey state trooper working undercover. But there had been stories in recent years about Delaney's double life before becoming an official, which led to this pregame scene several seasons ago in the Wachovia Center:
Delaney was at the scorer's table, double-checking with the crew just before tipoff when he was approached by the Sixers' Aaron McKie and Eric Snow.

The conversation was brief and animated, ending with laughter.

I remember asking what that was all about.

"They wanted to know," Delaney said later, "if they could pat me down."


Free money

If you think Aaron McKie hit the jackpot being signed for $750,000 by the Los Angeles Lakers and traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in the Pau Gasol deal to help make the salaries match, please don't forget about the legend of Amal McCaskill.
The Sixers still had McCaskill's rights after the 2003-04 season and included him in a sign-and-trade when they decided to acquire Corliss Williamson from the Detroit Pistons for Derrick Coleman to make the transaction work.

Then-Sixers president/GM Billy King called McCaskill and told him to get to a fax machine as soon as possible. By league rule, a player included in a sign-and-trade must sign at least a 3-year contract, with at least 1 year guaranteed.

King faxed a contract to McCaskill, who signed it and immediately sent it back.

McCaskill never played a minute for the Pistons. He walked away with a free $900,000.


Party of one

Lenny Wilkens remains the only man to have played in an All-Star Game and coached both conferences in one. New Orleans coach Byron Scott, who will coach the West on Sunday and coached the East in 2002, is the seventh to guide both conferences.
"I guess," Hornets guard Morris Peterson said, enjoying the moment, "maybe he's a better coach than a player."

FYI to Mo Pete: Scott averaged 21.7 points for the 1987-88 champion L.A. Lakers, and came back at 19.6 the following season.


Words to live by

Kyle Korver, traded by the Sixers to the Utah Jazz, in the Salt Lake Tribune: "There's a lot of great things about playing professional basketball. Knowing where you're going to be tomorrow is not one of them." *
Send e-mail to jasnerp@phillynews.com.

[dbodner]

Does every article a philly writer publishes deserve it's own thread?

[THFM]

Does every article a philly writer publishes deserve it's own thread?

I don't know I just put the ones I see that I like I don't put every one I see, plus some people don't go to the newspaper sites and come here and I thought it would be nice to talk about the article.

[SendEm]

I think that Iggy and his agent are putting these reports out as propaganda to increase his value. Iggy clearly said in this article that he is getting double teamed every night and that is affecting his numbers. I have watched every Sixers game this season and Iggy has not been getting double teamed. He gets covered by one player and if he somehow beats that player off of the dribble the defense will collapse on him just like they do against any other NBA player penetrating the defense.

[tk76]

Some boards have a sticky to link and discuss articles.

[cx09]

I think that Iggy and his agent are putting these reports out as propaganda to increase his value. Iggy clearly said in this article that he is getting double teamed every night and that is affecting his numbers. I have watched every Sixers game this season and Iggy has not been getting double teamed. He gets covered by one player and if he somehow beats that player off of the dribble the defense will collapse on him just like they do against any other NBA player penetrating the defense.

SendEm........... i have to restrain myself so many times from questioning your jihad against iguodala, but i just can't do it this time.

COME ON MAN. you cannot possibly believe that this "report" has been "put out" by his agent. take a step back and think about how ridiculous this sounds.

try looking at the article through a different lens. you're falling prey to your own vicious confirmation bias, looking at everything in the article to confirm some very bizarre opinions you've formed about iguodala and his intentions. try reading the parts where he talks about how he wants his team to win, how he doesn't care about being an all-star he just wants the sixers to find some success. you really think that this is some conspiracy arranged by iguodala and his agent to "increase his value"? i think if you're going to interpret it in that way, you can interpret pretty much any reason any player ever gives to the media about why their team is not winning as trying to, as you say, "increase their value". that doesn't give it any basis in reality.

[SendEm]

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SendEm........... i have to restrain myself so many times from questioning your jihad against iguodala, but i just can't do it this time.

COME ON MAN. you cannot possibly believe that this "report" has been "put out" by his agent. take a step back and think about how ridiculous this sounds.

try looking at the article through a different lens. you're falling prey to your own vicious confirmation bias, looking at everything in the article to confirm some very bizarre opinions you've formed about iguodala and his intentions. try reading the parts where he talks about how he wants his team to win, how he doesn't care about being an all-star he just wants the sixers to find some success. you really think that this is some conspiracy arranged by iguodala and his agent to "increase his value"? i think if you're going to interpret it in that way, you can interpret pretty much any reason any player ever gives to the media about why their team is not winning as trying to, as you say, "increase their value". that doesn't give it any basis in reality.

I would expect a man like Iggy with good common sense, an agent and possibly even a publicist to make all of the RIGHT comments in an article. Iggy is addressing all of the ammo that any of his nay sayers could ever possibly have against him. Even in his last article that was posted on here he addressed how he hasn't nearly been as productive as people projected him to be so far this season by saying that he has taken the first half of the season as a learning experience and that he possibly was pressing and trying to do too much. That's the truth but candy coated. Teams have been shutting him down by adhering to the scouting report on him and he isn't nearly as talented as he even believed himself to be after he played out of his mind at the end of last season and turned down a contract offer that he believed to be too low that in actuality was too high.
All of Iggy's articles seem like someone turning themself in for a crime and offering a public apology. How can you get on someone who turned themself in and offered a public apology?
Iggy was suppose to lead this team. I like Iggy as a player. Seriously I do. But NOT for $11.5+ million per season. I feel that at no point in Iggy's contract should he receive more than $9 million. If a team is paying him that much then they are limiting themselves and their future ESPECIALLY if Iggy is the best player on the team.

[ITK9]

-
Iggy was suppose to lead this team. I like Iggy as a player. Seriously I do. But NOT for $11.5+ million per season. I feel that at no point in Iggy's contract should he receive more than $9 million. If a team is paying him that much then they are limiting themselves and their future ESPECIALLY if Iggy is the best player on the team.

iggy is keeping a mediocre team full of scrubs and mediocre players into playoff contetntion.

[Johnny Broad-Street]

He should've taken the money. The great thing is he'll get what he deserves now, and we can sign him without overpaying (possibly).

If someone wants to overpay, I'll drive him out of town in my truck.

[underpressure]

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SendEm........... i have to restrain myself so many times from questioning your jihad against iguodala, but i just can't do it this time.

Well said.

I don't object SendEm's dislike against Iguodala. At certain points, he is right and it is generally pretty good that we have different opinions about different players at that board. But we should not exaggerate and start to believe that there is a conspiracy against Iguodala.

[dbodner]

iggy is keeping a mediocre team full of scrubs and mediocre players into playoff contetntion.

In a mediocre conference competing against other mediocre teams.

[SendEm]

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iggy is keeping a mediocre team full of scrubs and mediocre players into playoff contetntion.

Judging by your signature I'm suppose to currently be on your ignore list.

[freshie2]

Can we bash Portland for publicly campaigning for Roy as an all star? http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketba ... book_N.htm

Iguodala says he's getting double teamed, and it's a crime. Portland's FO send video clips out in Ipods of Roy to increase his exposure and nothing is mentioned? As much as this will be debated, they are very similar players at this stage of the game...but neither are all stars at this point.

[SendEm]

Roy is clearly a better player than Iggy. Iggy and Roy are only close statistically but ON THE COURT they are far apart in performance.

[freshie2]

Your opinion aside, neither are all stars. I'd take either on my team, but neither should be on that team just yet.

[Dedicated_76ers_fan]

Sendem has a point though, while Iguodala is a do-it-all forward. Brandon Roy is the next coming of Scottie Pippen.

[SendEm]

Your opinion aside, neither are all stars. I'd take either on my team, but neither should be on that team just yet.

WTF! Neither are all star? Where have you been? Brandon Roy IS an All Star.
Check the 2008 NBA All Star roster yourself
http://www.nba.com/allstar2008/players/

[sixerguy]

Phil Jasner: Sixers' Iguodala still waiting for his NBA All-Star shot
Philadelphia Daily News


Free money

If you think Aaron McKie hit the jackpot being signed for $750,000 by the Los Angeles Lakers and traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in the Pau Gasol deal to help make the salaries match, please don't forget about the legend of Amal McCaskill.
The Sixers still had McCaskill's rights after the 2003-04 season and included him in a sign-and-trade when they decided to acquire Corliss Williamson from the Detroit Pistons for Derrick Coleman to make the transaction work.

Then-Sixers president/GM Billy King called McCaskill and told him to get to a fax machine as soon as possible. By league rule, a player included in a sign-and-trade must sign at least a 3-year contract, with at least 1 year guaranteed.

King faxed a contract to McCaskill, who signed it and immediately sent it back.

McCaskill never played a minute for the Pistons. He walked away with a free $900,000.

I just happened to bring this same thing up a day before the article was written

http://realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php? ... 1&start=36

[freshie2]

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WTF! Neither are all star? Where have you been? Brandon Roy IS an All Star.
Check the 2008 NBA All Star roster yourself
http://www.nba.com/allstar2008/players/

Yes...thanks for linking me to this. It would have been news to me if my original link to the USA Today article didn't also reference his place on the all star roster, and the fact that Portland campaigned heavily for his place on the roster.

Yes he is there, but I don't think he is deserving of this spot at this point. That was the point of the post...I'll avoid any subtle references or points from here on so you can follow along. If they create a bouncing ball emoticon, I'll use that as much as possible as well...kind of like the songs in the old cartoons.

[SendEm]

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Yes...thanks for linking me to this. It would have been news to me if my original link to the USA Today article didn't also reference his place on the all star roster, and the fact that Portland campaigned heavily for his place on the roster.

Yes he is there, but I don't think he is deserving of this spot at this point. That was the point of the post...I'll avoid any subtle references or points from here on so you can follow along. If they create a bouncing ball emoticon, I'll use that as much as possible as well...kind of like the songs in the old cartoons.

Even your comparison between Iggy and Roy is wrong.
You shot an o-for in this thread. DONUT!