IS FILLING OUT OUR BRACKET
The 76ers, knowing they will be without the injured Lou Williams for two months, have internally discussed the possibility of bringing back Allen Iverson.
As of about 3:30 Saturday afternoon, Comcast-Spectacor chief operating officer Peter Luukko was contemplating discussing the situation later in the day with chairman Ed Snider. It remained unclear whether Snider, who couldn't wait to trade Iverson to Denver in December of 2006, would sign off on a return by the four-time scoring champion.
Luukko said he and Sixers president/general manager Ed Stefanski have had ''minimal discussions internally'' about Iverson and ''that's really it.''
Luukko said it would be ''a basketball decision,'' and that it would be left up to Stefanski.
A FOXSports.com report indicated that the situation could escalate early next week.
A source familiar with the Sixers' situation said Stefanski has been considering the plusses and minuses of adding Iverson, but that he has not reached out to Leon Rose, Iverson's agent, or to Gary Moore, Iverson's personal manager. The source said that Rose, one of the most respected and successful agents representing NBA players, has contacted the Sixers, basically trying to find out whether his client would be a good fit.
The source said ''Every other time Rose has called, the Sixers have said no. In the light of Williams' injury and the need for an experienced guard, they are at least talking about it.''
The source said that, while coach Eddie Jordan could be interested in a player of Iverson's stature and talent, there has not been a meeting scheduled between Jordan and Iverson. The Sixers, armed with a minimum contract for the remainder of the season and a list of special conditions, might be willing to listen.
There is a belief that the Sixers will reach a reasonably quick decision. They do not want this situation to linger. They are already concerned that ''Iverson back to the Sixers'' is taking on a life of its own.
Stefanski and his personnel staff have been considering various other free agents, including Antonio Daniels and Gabe Pruiitt; it goes without saying that Iverson is the most talented of the group, but that he also comes with the most baggage. Since leaving the Sixers, Iverson has played with
The major aspect of Stefanski's decision-making process has to do with the absence of Williams, who is recovering from a broken jaw bone suffered Tuesday night in a loss in Washington; the Sixers were excited with Williams' development and his ability to make plays, for himself and for others. Without him in Friday night's loss to
The question is, whether Iverson could help them in that regard or whether his presence would simply further delay
Phil Jasner joined the staff of the Daily News in 1972. He has covered the 76ers and the NBA on a full-time basis since 1981. He won the 2004 Curt Gowdy Media Award, presented by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame for outstanding contributions to the sport during his career; he was a finalist for the award in 2001, when he also received a lifetime achievement award from the Professional Basketball Writers Association during the NBA Finals. He is a past president of the Professional Basketball Writers Association and the Philadelphia College Basketball Writers Association. Along the way, he has covered high school sports, the Big 5, the Eagles and the NFL, the World Football League, the North American Soccer League and what was then the Major Indoor Soccer League. He is a proud graduate of Temple University, and spent his early professional days at the Pottstown (Pa.) Mercury, Montgomery Newspapers (Fort Washington, Pa.), the Norristown (Pa.) Times-Herald and the Trentonian.
Bob Cooney has been at the Daily News for almost 20 years, working in the sports department the past 12 years. This is his first season on the Sixers beat. He has covered just about everything, but mostly college basketball, where he has been the La Salle beat writer for the past six seasons.
