Sixers offseason

[BigEd76]

"Larry, what did you think of that great game last night in Dallas where the Mavericks won 123-118 in overtime?"

"I didn't like it.  Not enough defense."

[Rome]

Just when you think the Philly hacks can't get any more retarded, you read this:

Sam Donnellon | LET'S BROWN BAGGAGE IT

NOTE TO Ed Snider:

Larry Brown is about to become available again.

If the New York press is to be believed, only the details of a Knicks buyout that could total as much as $40 million are between Brown and another round of free agency, provided his bladder heals in time for next season.

Word is that Larry wants to coach again, but a little creativity on your part might entice him to accept a new role, a different role, a breakthrough role.

Here's what you do: Offer him a piece of the team, a little piece, but one big enough to egg on his ego. Give him one of those faux titles like executive assistant vice chairman of Comcast-Spectacor or something like that. Either that, or let him call you Ed.

I know. That's pretty much what Pat Croce wanted back in 2001, and you told him right then and there what he could do with his sunny disposition. But that was different. Pat wanted to run the 76ers and Flyers, wanted to push you out of the picture, and no one does that to Mr. Snider, not now, not ever.

This would not be like that. You still would be the big, big, big boss. Mr. Snider to everyone in the world (except Billie Jean King for whatever reason).

Titles aside, Larry would be around only to fix the Sixers.

What we need Larry to do is build us a contending team, the way he did way back when,

pulling the likes of Eric Snow, Aaron McKie, Matt Geiger, Theo Ratliff, Tyrone Hill and Dikembe Mutombo from the rosters of

other teams. Yeah, yeah, he also gave us Derrick Coleman, but that was a desperation move, when that core group all got old or injured at once.

What have you got to lose? It's not as if the guy who followed him did better. Or the guy who followed him. Or the guy who... well, you get the drift.

It's not as if the GM he left

behind has made us believers,

either. I know Larry floated out that tripe when he got to Detroit about not having control here, but you and I know he was just filling notebooks on a slow day. You and I know Larry builds them and then breaks them, like a smart, but hyperactive child.

Larry got a ready-made team over the hump in Detroit, won his first-ever NBA championship, then parlayed it into the New York job. Like everything else in his life, his maneuverings were the strokes of both a master and madman,

securing oodles of money from the clueless folks who own the Knicks, making himself sick as he failed, for the first time, to

improve a team he took control of.

Yes, there's baggage with Brown. There was baggage last time, too. He was escaping Indiana then, having failed to win a championship with Reggie Miller, coming oh-so-close, as he did in his term here with the Sixers. He blamed upper management for that, the same frustration he apparently had in Detroit, and clearly what he had in his 10 months with the Knicks.

I'll beat Larry to the punch here. He will tell you he had no control over the makeup of the Knicks, something he swore he would never allow to happen

after his experience in Indiana. Maybe it was his success with the ready-made Pistons that made that seem less important,

I don't know. All I know is that you will have to give him complete control over basketball

operations if you want him here.

And believe me, you want him here. You know he and Billy King make a good team. You know Mo Cheeks respects the hell out of him. Yes, both men would suffer a loss of power, but I think both would be OK with it, especially if he comes in with that new and nifty title. It's not as if you are inserting Doug Moe in there. You are making a move to improve the team.

You could even argue that he never had it so good as when he was here. Only Croce got in his way, and he's gone now. In much the same way Phil Jackson solidified his stature this season by guiding the Lakers into the playoffs, Brown could cleanse a reputation sullied in Detroit and muddied in New York - and we won't even mention Athens - by returning to the place of, arguably, his greatest achievement.

That's right. Those pieced-together Sixers made it to the 2001 NBA Finals, lit this place up for the first time since the 1993 Phillies. Maybe this time it doesn't work as well, with Larry creeping up on the years, his health not as good, his interest

perhaps waning, as well. But really, Ed, Mr. Snider, big, big, big boss - what've ya got to lose?

Good God.   

[PhillyPhreak54]

No way.

Larry has become an even bigger diva.

[BigEd76]

According to a Minnesota news article, the Sixers are one of a few teams that is implementing "Hollywood" seating and relocating a few media seats.  These seats will be around $1500 a ticket...

[MDS]

Is that where you can sit directly next to the coaches and players?

[BigEd76]

yup, like Jack Nicholson

[MDS]

Who the hell wants to pay that much to see a crappy basketball team and Mo Cheeks sit there with his head in his hands.

[ice grillin you]

from todays atl journal constitution.....

Gremlin says, get Iverson, Hawks
Jeff Schultz - Staff
Monday, May 22, 2006

There is a gremlin sitting on the Hawks' shoulder, saying what all gremlins say: "Do it."

The Hawks are off the radar on the Atlanta sports scene. They are off the board annually in playoff races by December. They have a chance to get one of the NBA's premier players.

"Do it. Come on. You know you want to. What else are you going to do? Draft some guy from Italy?"

Allen Iverson scores points. He sells tickets. Those are two things that put him ahead of almost everybody else. Isn't that enough to overlook the other junk stuffed in the luggage compartment?

The Hawks just won 26 games, and that was after improvement. Is it worth a risk to become, like, relevant?

"Do it, do it, do it!"

Another offseason and another rebuilding project awaits. Is it time to throw the dice yet?

They have thought about it. They have talked about it. Dude, don't be naive --- of course they have talked about it. When you run a franchise and finish last and have to dive into the cesspool of more postseason analysis, you talk about everything. You certainly talk about Allen Iverson.

I have had several conversations with myself about Allen Iverson. I have told myself to shut up. I have tried to talk myself out of it. I can't. Gremlins.

Iverson will be 31 next month. He was still the NBA's second-leading scorer this season at 33 points per game. That ranked just behind Kobe Bryant and just ahead of LeBron James, neither of whom are available.

He averaged 7.4 assists. Say what you want about Iverson hogging the ball, particularly for a point guard. But those 7.4 assists ranked ahead of any Hawks player.

So. A backcourt with Allen Iverson and Joe Johnson. Reminds me of an old question back in the Jurassic: "Do the Hawks play tonight?"

This isn't a new rumor. It's an old rumor with new juice. Word first drifted out of Philadelphia early in the season that Iverson wanted out. The Hawks were mentioned as a possible destination because the Hawks always are mentioned as a possible destination. It's the residue of having salary cap room. And agents.

Iverson-to-Atlanta (or anywhere) was resuscitated when the Sixers went 8-16 down the stretch and missed the playoffs. Iverson and his partner in baggage, Chris Webber, planned to sit out the year's home finale. They didn't arrive until just before tip-off. They weren't on the bench for fan appreciation night. Oops.

General manager Billy King didn't take it well. He fined both and, in a profanity-laced tirade, said: "We didn't make the playoffs. I've got a lot of [bleep!] work to do, and this is some [bleep!] that's a distraction to me. Am I [bleep!] off? You're [bleep!] right I am."

Got it.

King did not state: "A.I. is gone."

Neither did he state: "A.I.'s my man."

A.I. stands for, "Available immediately."

I know. For every pro, there's a con. Maybe even an ex-con. But let's put the entourage aside for now.

There's that practice thing. Iverson doesn't like it. There's that money thing. It's a long, expensive risk. Iverson has three seasons left on his contract totaling $60.328 million. If it didn't work out, it would be a mistake of Koncakian proportions.

Iverson could negatively impact the Hawks' younger players. He is not known as the nurturing sort. He is not first on the list of guys you think of who would say, "Please coach, let me be the one to show Josh Smith how to win."

But Hawks coach Mike Woodson would know what he's getting into. He was an assistant in Philly. There's always that chance, too, that a change of scenery would give Iverson new perspective.

Hey. There's a chance, OK?

Billy Knight started this project by cleaning out big contracts. The net result: 39 wins, 125 losses and holes. How much better can they realistically expect to be next season without a bold move?

Iverson would give the Hawks a presence. A toughness. A guy who actually wants the ball when the game's on the line.

He has flaws. Big ones. But stars without flaws generally aren't available, so we debate risk-reward. Iverson scores points and sells tickets, and the guy on my shoulder won't shut up.

[Rome]

There's that practice thing. Iverson doesn't like it. There's that money thing. It's a long, expensive risk. Iverson has three seasons left on his contract totaling $60.328 million. If it didn't work out, it would be a mistake of Koncakian proportions.

Awsum.

[reese125]

I have had several conversations with myself about Allen Iverson. I have told myself to shut up. I have tried to talk myself out of it. I can't. Gremlins.

This guys seems like a reputable journalist.

King is so on AI's jock, he would never send him to Atlanta...ever

[The BIGSTUD]

Atlanta doesn't have much to give you anyway.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Atlanta doesn't have much to give you anyway.

Vick for Iverson straight uP!

[NGM]

Atlanta doesn't have much to give you anyway.

Vick for Iverson straight uP!

I saw Vick throw a football through the hoop from half-court once.  Thats gotta be worth a couple of points at least. 

[reese125]

all those high ass passes Vick loves to dart, would be great for Iguodala. good call

[Dillen]

When is the lottery, tomorrow?