Not the Answer

It may not be the worst idea ever but....OK, just kidding, it is the worst idea ever. Allen Iverson should not unretire and come back to the 76ers, period. The only upside for signing him is that he would put a few more fans in the many empty seats now at the Wok, but the way that the NBA works, the Sixers couldn't really use the extra cash to upgrade the team; instead, the dollars would merely line Ed Snider's Ayn Rand-loving pockets -- uh, I don't think so. The downside is that is would screw up the Sixers efforts to develop their young talent -- contrary to conventional wisdom, they have some -- as Iverson forces promising rookie Jrue Holliday back to the bench and hogs the ball from the others.

I know I'm in a minority, but I think there is a path out of misery for the 76ers, and it clearly doesn't involve AI. Rather, it is Holliday, Lou Williams, Marresse Speights and Thaddeus Young -- who strike me as an 80 percent nucleus of a winning team in the NBA. Hopefully, that still-learning lineup will lose a lot of games in 2009-10 and the ping-pong balls will bounce Philly's way to add a fifth young blue-chip player. For now, a tag team of Jason Smith and two untradeable (unfortunately) veterans. Elton Brand and Samuel Dalembert, will hold the fort in the middle until that upgrade takes place. While this is unfolding, the team should try to unload the one veteran who may have some trade value: Andre Iguodala. Iggy will never carry a team -- which he was asked to do here, after Iverson was traded -- but he could be a key missing link on a championship-caliber team, and so I think he could bring something in return.

Just as long as that something is not named Allen Iverson.