Mr.Bottomtooth
12-12-2006, 10:36 AM
Potential trade still topic for discussion
By Shira Springer, Globe Staff | December 12, 2006
NEW YORK -- With Sixers general manager Billy King eager to trade Allen Iverson, a deal could be done by the time the Celtics play Philadelphia tomorrow night at the Wachovia Center. According to a league source, the Celtics remain on the list of teams in contention for Iverson's services, along with Golden State, Minnesota, Indiana, Chicago, Denver, Charlotte, Sacramento, Dallas, and the Clippers. According to another league source, Golden State is the front-runner, offering a package that would include guard Baron Davis and a couple of young players.
Sign up for: Globe Headlines e-mail | Breaking News Alerts Boston is also near the top with a deal that could send Al Jefferson, Delonte West, Sebastian Telfair, and Theo Ratliff to Philadelphia, but King may be wary of trading Iverson within the Atlantic Division.
Celtics executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge and owner Wyc Grousbeck attended last night's game against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden but were not scheduled to go with the team to Philadelphia. Neither Ainge nor Grousbeck would comment on their level of involvement in the trade talks, but coach Doc Rivers and the players found the subject difficult to ignore.
"I find myself looking at the TV every day wondering where he's going to end up," said Paul Pierce. "When you have a player of that caliber, everybody is kind of anticipating the move."
"So far, there's been 35 teams linked to him in a 30-team league," said Rivers. "I heard North Carolina was interested. You read it every day, and every day there's a new favorite."
Though there is a natural rivalry between the Celtics and Sixers, and him and Iverson, Pierce said it would not be weird to have Iverson next to him on the floor. But he did think his good friend Davis would not be a fit in Philadelphia.
"He would be upset if that happened," said Pierce. "Going to Philadelphia? He's a California guy all the way."
Ratliff, who played with Iverson in Philadelphia, wondered whether Iverson and Pierce could coexist productively.
"[Iverson] is going to be who he is," said Ratliff. "Everyone knows how he plays. I have no idea if they can coexist or not. [Iverson] is a great teammate. He's always going to lay his heart out there on the line. That's what you want as a player."
Ratliff also said he was not surprised that Iverson requested a trade.
"He's been a guy who's been in trouble since he's been there," said Ratliff. "There's always been trade talk about moving him throughout the years I was there. It's just a part of the process. You're a little bit more expendable now that you're older. You don't have as much upside as you had when you were 25."
Painful decisions
Ratliff acknowledged that he could miss the rest of the regular season with lower-back soreness due to a bulging disk, especially if it requires surgery. But even if that happens, he said he was not ready to call it a career. Ratliff expects to make a decision on surgery by the end of the month.
Ratliff will remain in New York until Sunday to make daily visits to Dr. Andrew Fischer, a doctor of physiatry who specializes in rehabilitative medicine. Ratliff received trigger-point injections yesterday. If the week of treatment does not result in improvement, Ratliff will get opinions from other specialists.
"It's gotten worse since the last time I played," said Ratliff. "Hopefully, it doesn't have to come to [surgery]. I want to avoid it at all costs. I'm not a big fan of that, if I don't have to have it."
Ainge said he would confer with Ratliff and the team's medical staff within a week to discuss a course of action.
Hopeful steps
Szczerbiak (sprained left ankle) is optimistic that he could return tomorrow against the Sixers, though he thought he would be back a week ago. He will have a better idea after practice this afternoon. "I did some stuff in shootaround [yesterday morning], just some court work, some running," said Szczerbiak. "It's still pretty sore. It's still pretty swollen. So, we're just going to have to keep working at it. But it was nice to get back on the floor and do some running, some cutting, get my wind back."
http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2006/12/12/potential_trade_still_topic_for_discussion
By Shira Springer, Globe Staff | December 12, 2006
NEW YORK -- With Sixers general manager Billy King eager to trade Allen Iverson, a deal could be done by the time the Celtics play Philadelphia tomorrow night at the Wachovia Center. According to a league source, the Celtics remain on the list of teams in contention for Iverson's services, along with Golden State, Minnesota, Indiana, Chicago, Denver, Charlotte, Sacramento, Dallas, and the Clippers. According to another league source, Golden State is the front-runner, offering a package that would include guard Baron Davis and a couple of young players.
Sign up for: Globe Headlines e-mail | Breaking News Alerts Boston is also near the top with a deal that could send Al Jefferson, Delonte West, Sebastian Telfair, and Theo Ratliff to Philadelphia, but King may be wary of trading Iverson within the Atlantic Division.
Celtics executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge and owner Wyc Grousbeck attended last night's game against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden but were not scheduled to go with the team to Philadelphia. Neither Ainge nor Grousbeck would comment on their level of involvement in the trade talks, but coach Doc Rivers and the players found the subject difficult to ignore.
"I find myself looking at the TV every day wondering where he's going to end up," said Paul Pierce. "When you have a player of that caliber, everybody is kind of anticipating the move."
"So far, there's been 35 teams linked to him in a 30-team league," said Rivers. "I heard North Carolina was interested. You read it every day, and every day there's a new favorite."
Though there is a natural rivalry between the Celtics and Sixers, and him and Iverson, Pierce said it would not be weird to have Iverson next to him on the floor. But he did think his good friend Davis would not be a fit in Philadelphia.
"He would be upset if that happened," said Pierce. "Going to Philadelphia? He's a California guy all the way."
Ratliff, who played with Iverson in Philadelphia, wondered whether Iverson and Pierce could coexist productively.
"[Iverson] is going to be who he is," said Ratliff. "Everyone knows how he plays. I have no idea if they can coexist or not. [Iverson] is a great teammate. He's always going to lay his heart out there on the line. That's what you want as a player."
Ratliff also said he was not surprised that Iverson requested a trade.
"He's been a guy who's been in trouble since he's been there," said Ratliff. "There's always been trade talk about moving him throughout the years I was there. It's just a part of the process. You're a little bit more expendable now that you're older. You don't have as much upside as you had when you were 25."
Painful decisions
Ratliff acknowledged that he could miss the rest of the regular season with lower-back soreness due to a bulging disk, especially if it requires surgery. But even if that happens, he said he was not ready to call it a career. Ratliff expects to make a decision on surgery by the end of the month.
Ratliff will remain in New York until Sunday to make daily visits to Dr. Andrew Fischer, a doctor of physiatry who specializes in rehabilitative medicine. Ratliff received trigger-point injections yesterday. If the week of treatment does not result in improvement, Ratliff will get opinions from other specialists.
"It's gotten worse since the last time I played," said Ratliff. "Hopefully, it doesn't have to come to [surgery]. I want to avoid it at all costs. I'm not a big fan of that, if I don't have to have it."
Ainge said he would confer with Ratliff and the team's medical staff within a week to discuss a course of action.
Hopeful steps
Szczerbiak (sprained left ankle) is optimistic that he could return tomorrow against the Sixers, though he thought he would be back a week ago. He will have a better idea after practice this afternoon. "I did some stuff in shootaround [yesterday morning], just some court work, some running," said Szczerbiak. "It's still pretty sore. It's still pretty swollen. So, we're just going to have to keep working at it. But it was nice to get back on the floor and do some running, some cutting, get my wind back."
http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2006/12/12/potential_trade_still_topic_for_discussion