Posted: Tuesday, December 1, 2009, 3:07 PM | 50 comments |
 

Deal on Table
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Should the 76ers bring back Allen Iverson?
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All right. Let's get this straight.

The 76ers have offered Allen Iverson a non-guaranteed deal for this season. The offer is on the table and it's Iverson's call. An answer from the Answer is expected by tomorrow, at the latest.

According to a source earlier, who is very close to the situation, this report was incorrect, he said there was "no issue between the two parties in terms of the contract's details," but the contract is absolutely, 100 percent non-guaranteed, meaning the Sixers can cut him without financial ramifications by January.

Just one more twist in this AI saga.

Today, Sixers General Manager Ed Stefanski met again with Iverson's agent, Leon Rose.

Yesterday in Dallas, Stefanski and company had a two-hour meeting with Iverson, Rose, and Iverson's manager Gary Moore.

ESPN.com reported that the Sixers were prepared to send home assistant coach Aaron McKie from the team's week-long road trip (they fly to Oklahoma City today) to work out with Iverson once this deal was done. This afternoon at SMU in Dallas, the Sixers practiced. McKie was present.

All signs have pointed to this deal ending positively, but it's a new twist that the Sixers are only offering a non-guaranteed contract, which does not tie them to Iverson for the entire year.

More to come as available ... And if you want this news faster, follow on Twitter, click here: Deep Sixer.

--Kate
Posted by Kate Fagan @ 3:07 PM  Permalink | 50 comments
50
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:35 PM, 12/01/2009
    Will "the answer" really be the answer???
    — southphilly42
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:35 PM, 12/01/2009
    Funny how Iverson wanted out of Philly because we were a young team going nowhere and now he wants in with anyone who will take him. The first thing he SHOULD do (but won't) is apologize to all of the fans who bought tix to the "Fan Appreciation Night" which he no showed along with his pal CWebb because the Sixers were out of the playoffs. I don't want to see him in the NBA.
    — Shenkman3
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:49 PM, 12/01/2009
    Ed Snider please sell the team! You have run the Sixers into the ground! You have to be kidding, they're actually going to sign Iverson?? What a disaster! The Sixer are now as dysfunctional as the Knicks. Hey, can we sign Marbury too!
    — flippertop
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:52 PM, 12/01/2009
    i wonder how he will fit in???
    — Ughhhh
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:58 PM, 12/01/2009
    let me count all of the hall of fame players on this team ??? how many are going to have their # in the rafters ?? so many haters !!!! get over fan appreciation night , he wasn't playing !!! as long as he is on the court he is good , when he is not playing , then ????? sixers will be the 5th seed this year and win the first round of the playoffs , mark it down , enjoy it all of you haters !!!
    — tk
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:04 PM, 12/01/2009
    i will at least watch to see what AI will do. sixer suck, they are my team, but they suck, i don't watch the Nba any more because we suck!!! luv the sixers hate the team.
    — coachbarnes10
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:15 PM, 12/01/2009
    Smart move by the Sixers to offer a non-guaranteed contract, although I would prefer they not offer him a contract at all. Admittedly, it is hard to watch Iguodala with his turnovers, poor decision-making, erratic defense and poor shooting. They will clearly keep Iverson on a short leash and probably release him when Williams returns IF and it is a big IF, this is a basketball decision, not a Comcast-Spectacor decision.
    — chuckw
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:15 PM, 12/01/2009
    Tk. The 5 seed? Hilarious. Have you ever watched basketball? Maybe a 7-8 seed, first round exit, a ton of bad shots. No lottery pick again which is what the team needs. Not a retread who has talked himself off of 4 teams in 3 years.
    — Grandpa whenyou were my age they considered a 40% shooter a star
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:20 PM, 12/01/2009
    The Sixers aren't going anywhere soon (in the playoffs) and I doubt they have a core of players who will help get us over the top, so why not sign A/I! I don't think signing him will hurt Jrues development at all, you can't start him now he'd burn himself out with the long schedule and I think he'd put too much pressure on himself to prove he belongs there. Do the deal, at least they might be interesting to watch! Just sayin'...
    — DJ
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:36 PM, 12/01/2009
    get it done Ed!!! Bring him back. let him retire as a Sixer. All the naysayers arent even Sixers fans. they're Philadelphia sports fans who do not like Iverson. The Sixers fans will buy the tickets. I have the website on my screen and am ready to buy tickets for Monday. I need help making the decision Ed. Pull the trigger and me and 3 of my friends are there!
    — oxfordcircle
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:41 PM, 12/01/2009
    This is just dumb, short-sighted...let the young players develop, take your lumps, and get a lottery pick next year. The one thing the Sixers seem to be able to do right lately is draft (Thad, Speights, Jrue) and that's the only way they will build the team into a contender while tied to the Brand and Iguodala deals. Next year, when the Knicks sign one or two marquee stars, it will be another step back, only hastened by giving playing time to AI that should go to Jrue, Lou or even Carney.
    — jmk1512
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:42 PM, 12/01/2009
    this team needs a lottery pick more than AI
    — dfresh
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:51 PM, 12/01/2009
    If they get above .500 they may fill some seats. Would you pay $50 to watch AI knowing the Sixers are going to get smoked by any decent team?
    — GreenWing
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:59 PM, 12/01/2009
    I don't get the "possible" signing. This doesn't make the sixers better long-term so why are the sixers doing this? AI doesn't play well within too many systems and I don't see him playing well in a princeton offense predicated on cutting (which he could do) and passing (which he won't do). I just don't get it.
    — southern eagle fan


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About John Mitchell
John Mitchell is in his first year covering the 76ers for the Inquirer after joining the paper in November 2011. He covered the Washington Wizards for the Washington Times from 1998 to 2008. He's also worked at the Philadelphia Tribune, the Wilmington News Journal, Courier-Post, Trenton Times and Elmira Star-Gazette.

Born and raised in West Philadelphia - not too far from Will Smith - he graduated from Overbrook High School the same year the 76ers won their last championship. He's a proud graduate of Howard University and the proud father of two sons, Jared and Jordan.

ABOUT MARC NARDUCCI

Marc Narducci has served in a variety of roles with the Inquirer since beginning in 1983. He has covered the 76ers as a backup and a beat writer. In addition, Narducci has covered everything from the Super Bowl to the World Series and a lot in between. Narducci also has a true passion for South Jersey scholastic sports, which he has covered for many years.

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