Collins & Iguodala To Meet In LA

Doug Collins will be meeting with all his players before the potential lockout, which could occur beginning 12:01 a.m. on July 1 if the players and owners don't finalize a new collective bargaining agreement.

There is better chance at this point that Rod Thorn will offer  this reporter a tryout than then there is of things getting settled on time.

If a lockout occurs, Collins and any member of the organization is unable to have any contact with the players.

And speaking of players, what are the chances that Andre Iguodala will be a Sixer next season?

Who knows, but Collins says he has texted Iguodala and the two plan to meet next week when he's in Los Angeles. Collins will be with with others out on the West Coast, including Elton Brand and Jrue Holiday.

The coach insists he wants Iguodala to return, even though Iguodala didn't exactly embrace the idea when asked following the Game 5 playoff loss to Miami. Still, Collins' public stance is that the team is better with Iguodala. So he is looking forward to a sit-down.

"We want Dre," Collins said after the press conference on Friday for draft choices Nikola Vucevic and Lavoy Allen at PCOM. "We want him back. He got nicked up last year and was hurt and we think Dre is one of the reasons we are a good defensive team."

Collins will tell Iguodala that all the pre-draft trade rumors didn't come from under the Sixers bunker.

"Nobody is out there shopping Dre," Collins said.

Of course the Sixers aren't exactly hanging up the phone when teams call to inquire about his availability.

While Collins, Rod Thorn or anybody in the organization would not admit it, the Sixers likely wouldn't be averse to dealing Iguodala. The problem is getting equal value.

We know the tired argument that Iguodala isn't truly a first or even a second offensive option.

No kidding.

Yet Collins and people around the league realize that Iguodala brings a lot of talent to the court, both offensively and especially defensively. No he isn't the best shooter and should try to avoid taking three's at most costs, but he is an adept passer. And the one thing Iguodala should do is drive to the basket more instead of pulling up and settling for J's.

He has value, even with a bloated contract. So the Sixers at least at this point, don't want to accept 60 cents back for a dollar.

This entire situation could be settled if Iguodala came out and declared "I want to be a Sixer, no doubt about it."

We haven't heard that yet and more importantly neither has the team. So in place of a declaration of love for being on the Sixers, we will continue to hear the rumors.

The fact that the coach is going to the West Coast to talk to Iguodala appears to be the Sixers way of telling him how much they think of him.

It is expected to be the last meeting between Collins and Iguodala before the lockout. The big question  is whether it will be the last time the two meet when they are both employed by the same team.

Each week, Kate will check in from the road and answer fan questions about the Sixers. Click hereto ask Kate a question or e-mail her at kfagan@phillynews.com.