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PP is right, just as long as they actually stay on the court together
AI will be in a Nuggets uniform before Melo next is
Nuggets, Wolves lead A.I. chase
Source: James, Jaric, Davis and Hassell are in Wolves' offer
BY MARC J. SPEARS
Denver Post
BOSTON — The Denver Nuggets are leading a tight, three-team race for Philadelphia 76ers star guard Allen Iverson, but the Timberwolves are a very close second, according to a Western Conference executive.
The key to the Nuggets completing a deal is finding a third team to help facilitate the trade, including moving several players whose contracts will expire after this season or next.
"It's a race," the executive said Friday. "(The Nuggets) have the best chance and the best hand. But they need someone else badly. … I'd say (the Nuggets) with Minnesota are 1 and 1A. Then Beantown. I can't believe Miami is a real player."
Denver could execute a deal for Iverson without involving a third team but prefers to include a third team to keep from losing players.
The source said the Timberwolves are offering guards Mike James, Marko Jaric, Ricky Davis and Trenton Hassell.
Iverson is making $17.1 million this season, and any suitor must come within 25 percent of his contract on a deal to make it work.
The executive said the Timberwolves, Denver and Boston have been "looking all over the league" for expiring contracts. Players in the final year of their contracts those three teams have inquired about include Portland's Jamaal Magloire ($8.4 million this season), Orlando's Grant Hill ($16.9 million), Dallas' Austin Croshere ($7.3 million), Memphis' Eddie Jones ($15.6 million) and Chicago's P.J. Brown ($8.6 million).
"It's a salary-dump race," the executive said. "The first team to the dumpster wins."
Saturday, the Nuggets continued to work phones and have turned to Seattle and Dallas as potential third teams, league sources said.
Another source said Iverson wouldn't have any problems playing in Denver. There have been reports the seven-time NBA all-star would refuse a trade that would take him to Charlotte, Sacramento or Golden State.
The Nuggets have several players potentially in the final two years of their contracts who could be moved to Philadelphia in Earl Boykins, Yakhouba Diawara, Julius Hodge, DerMarr Johnson, Linas Kleiza, Eduardo Najera, Jamal Sampson and J.R. Smith.
The two Nuggets most likely to be moved in an Iverson deal are Joe Smith and Najera. Smith, a former Timberwolves forward, is in the final year of his contract, making $6.8 million, while Najera is making $4.5 million this season with a team option for $4.95 million for 2007-08.
The source also said the Celtics are offering forward-center Theo Ratliff, who is making $11.6 million this and next season, and a young player or two.
After scoring a season-high 42 points in a 119-114 loss at Boston on Friday, Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony leads the NBA in scoring with an average of 31.5 points. Iverson is second at 31.2 points. Nuggets center Marcus Camby said he believes Iverson could help ease Anthony's scoring load.
"We need another scorer," Camby said. "We need a guy that can complement 'Melo. That would be crazy to have them two here, the one and two scorers in the league. (Iverson's) a guy that can fit into our offense running up and down the court. I think we could use him more as a playmaker if he is here. Use him more at the point and run him at off guard, also.
"He's a guy that's been MVP. He's been to the Finals. He has a lot of experience. I would definitely welcome playing with him."
Boston forward Paul Pierce said he believes the Nuggets could be an NBA le contender with Iverson.
"When you have players like Carmelo and Iverson on the same team, that means you can put two superstars out there every night," Pierce said. "If that happened, I think you'd have to put them up there as contenders."
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twinci...l/16258701.htm
PP is right, just as long as they actually stay on the court together
AI will be in a Nuggets uniform before Melo next is
...The source said the Timberwolves are offering guards Mike James, Marko Jaric, Ricky Davis and Trenton Hassell.
Yeah, three horrible contracts and Ricky "trip-dub" Davis for Iverson? I feel faintSomebody's been
a little too much if they think that's an offer the 76ers consider.
Just because it makes them laugh, doesn't mean they are entertaining the thought.
I predict McHale blinks and includes Foye in the deal after the Wolves lose a few more close games.
It would be a stupid move, but one I can see him doing.
I think I'd rather take that deal with the Bulls where they get Deng, Thomas, Brown and Sweetney for Garnett.
The Wolves would then have a nice young crop of young talent in Foye, McCants, Craig Smith, Deng, and Thomas. That team could be scary in a few years when it develops.
A KG-AI pairing might be good enough to win the East, but has no chance in the West. Even with the acquisition of AI, the Wolves have too many holes to be a legitimate contender.
Bzzzt. Wrong. This rule applies only if the suitor is over the salary cap, or if the trade would take them over the salary cap plus $100K.Iverson is making $17.1 million this season, and any suitor must come within 25 percent of his contract on a deal to make it work.
http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm#67
In practice, most teams are over the cap, and all the teams in the running for AI are over the cap. So I guess it's a moot point. But really... NBA writers should get their facts straight.
someone told me that miami had somehow nabbed him... that person was a filthy liar.
Maybe he's done his research, and didn't feel like wasting two paragraphs on explaining it seeings none of the teams involved meet that qualification.
I'd love to see AI and KG on the same team... not that I think Minne has enough to offer in order to prise AI away though.
The reason I don't think they'd take that Bulls offer is that Minne has had KG for what, 10 years, and as yet they've only put one really good team around him - the one that went to 6 against the Lakers in 03 with Sam and Spree.
As with 76ers fans, Minne has had one of the great players of all-time but failed to consistently support him. They would lose half their fan base if they traded KG for "potential to be good in a few years", and so they should.
I think they'll offer just about anything to have one last go with a KG-AI combo. And it scares me a little, except that the rest of the team would be so horrible that it probably wouldn't work. From a Wolves fan's perspective I'd be all for it though. Imagine those two, the fiercest compe ors in the NBA, on the court, on the same team! Woah. It'd be fun.
I hope AI goes to Boston for Jefferson, Green, and Ratliff. Keep him out of the West, and he and PP could work together quite well. Boston would have a non-exostent front line and lose their best youth though...
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