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The Sixers got owned in that trade. Two late picks and an overweight Andre Miller for Iverson?
Sixers, Nuggets reach agreement for Iverson
By Marc Stein and Chris Sheridan
ESPN.com
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2702501
The Denver Nuggets have reached an agreement in principle with the Philadelphia 76ers to acquire Allen Iverson, according to NBA front-office sources.
The trade, pending league approval, some two weeks after Iverson demanded a trade in Philly, would send Andre Miller, Joe Smith and two 2007 first-round picks to the Sixers for Iverson and perhaps another minimum-salaried player or two. It was expected to be completed later Tuesday barring any snags.
The Sixers had been hoping to take back only expiring contracts in any Iverson deal, unless they were receiving a top-flight young player like Minnesota's Randy Foye or Shaun Livingston of the Los Angeles Clippers.
But with Philly and Denver struggling to find a third team to join in to make the deal more financially enticing for the Sixers, they decided to end an auction that began in earnest when Iverson's demand to be traded was confirmed by Sixers chairman Ed Snider on Dec. 8.
This deal will bring Philly a former league assist leader in Miller, Smith's expiring salary of nearly $7 million and those two first-round picks in June -- projected to be in the 20s -- to go with their own lottery pick. Miller is averaging 13 points and 9.1 assists per game -- third-best in the NBA -- while Smith, an 11-year veteran, has played little this season, averaging only 13.5 minutes and 5.1 points per game.
The Nuggets' interest in Iverson dates to last February and has only increased since the Sixers made him available to the whole league earlier this month. Their chief motivation is pairing Iverson with Anthony in coach George Karl's up-tempo attack, but acquiring Iverson now -- just a day after Anthony and J.R. Smith were suspended for 15 and 10 games, respectively, for their roles in Saturday night's fight with the New York Knicks -- gives a much-needed jolt to Denver's depleted roster.
The former teammates from the 2004 U.S. Olympic squad won't be able to play together until Anthony is reinstated for a Jan. 20 game at Houston.
Miller, who led the NBA in assists with 10.9 per game for Cleveland in 2001-02, makes $8.7 million this season and has $19.2 million left on his contract over the following two seasons.
It's apparent, though, that the Sixers decided it was better to absorb Miller's contract now -- along with the opportunity to have three first-round selections in what scouts are calling the deepest draft in years -- as opposed to dragging out the Iverson saga further.
Iverson has been in exile for the past 11 days, languishing on the Sixers' inactive list while still accruing his per-game earnings of $156,218.
Iverson, 31, is averaging 31.2 points per game -- second only to Carmelo Anthony's 31.6 ppg -- in 15 games this season. He has a career 28.1 ppg scoring average in 11 NBA seasons, all in Philadelphia. He led the Sixers to the 2001 NBA Finals, where they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games, but the team has seen little playoff success since.
He was Rookie of the year in 1997 and MVP in 2001. He has led the NBA in scoring four times, most recently in 2005, finishing in the league's top three every year since 1999, and twice led the league in steals.
Marc Stein is a senior NBA writer for ESPN.com. Chris Sheridan covers the NBA for ESPN Insider.
The Sixers got owned in that trade. Two late picks and an overweight Andre Miller for Iverson?
C Camby
PF Nene/Najera/Evans
SF Anthony
SG Smith
PG Iverson
Damn, the Nuggets might have just become le contenders.
man stan is ponying up this season with some serious $$$
Im glad he is serious about winning no matter what
Two steals for the Nuggets this season
The gayest trade ever.
It sucks but it's not "gay".
Eh, not with George Karl coaching. AI will help them put up more points and get steals, but does this really help them in become a better overall team? I know AI is a HUGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE upgrade over Miller, but I don't see how it makes them a more complete team because Karl doesn't coach D.
Doesn't anyone ever wonder if Nene would be awesome in another system?
Billy King just cemented himself as the worst GM in sports with this move. You're telling me he couldn't get something better than Andre Miller? Miller came to camp out of shape and even when he was in shape, he was an overrated and overpaid player.
Karl isn't that bad of a coach. He made it to the Finals with the Sonics and almost with the Bucks.
He nags and whines and his players end up hating him after a while, but when he has his players listening, he's pretty effective.
Plus he's never really been able to put in his fullcourt pressure defense he's used in Seattle and Milwaukee because Andre Miller was such a "big boned" PG he couldn't press anyone.
I think Nene pretty much sucks (not to mention he's a tweak away from his career being over) and the Nuggets signed him to a horrible contract. But this trade pretty much makes up for that.Doesn't anyone ever wonder if Nene would be awesome in another system?
Billy King is the greatest GM ever. He just solidified getting the best percentage chance at the no. 1 pick in this upcoming draft so he can get Greg Oden.
Good job, Billy.
So does Iverson play for the East in the all-star game?
So the deal is officially done, or does it still need to clear with the league?
its no given the Nuggets are the contenders. Buy this system suits AI, he can basically score like crazy and play little defense
Did anyone else pick up on this?
I don't think Miller is trash, and would be a great point guard on a team that just lacked a primary distirbutor. But two picks in the 20s and only $7 million in cap space? Yeah, the Sixers screwed themselves by admitting too early they were trading him.
May AI can toughen up Melo. But are there going to be any shots left over for JR Smith now?
How's that?The Sixers got owned in that trade. Two late picks and an overweight Andre Miller for Iverson?
They dropped the dead weight of Iversons contract. Took Smith's expiring contract. Got a point gaurd who can distribute which is what they need, and got 2 extra first rounders to go with the high first rounder they're going to get from a draft that's going to be deep.
Denver's the one that got owned.
He is making Isiah look smart.
Philly is getting boned in this deal. They aren't even getting that much cap relief. The way I'm looking at it, they owe AI $38M and get $26M back in salaries from Smith and Miller. They just traded one of the greatest players in NBA history who still has a lot in the tank for $12 million and two crappy first round picks who will probably both be out of the league in 5 years -- especially if King is doing the picking. This is unbelievable. How can this be the best deal they could make?
Miller distributing can't hurt the Sixers, but they still got hosed.
I don't know how Billy King can even be considered the worst GM currently working in the NBA, given the dude who operates that team that plays at MSG.
King at least didn't spend consecutive lottery picks on Eddy Curry.
Agreed.
Only better trade he could have gotten was prying a Biendrins type player but that wasn't going to happen. This draft is deep and he can parlay two 20s into a low lottery and get a uva player. 6ers were going nowhere with AI and weren't going to get much for him. Denver got a great deal but that's the way it goes. Look at what TO got for Carter or Oralndo for TMac if you want to see what a crappy deal looks like.
That jumped out of the original story at me as well. Harsh, particularly in the East; but probably spot-on, too.
Whose picks are those? If they're getting a extra chance or two at Oden that's the only way this makes any sense, even then though...
edit: Wait, they're projected to be in the 20s? W...T...F...?
Philly definitely clears some space by ridding of...
Iverson - $18.2 million (06-07), $20.1 (07-08), $21.9 (08-09)
Taking on
Miller - $8.6 (06-07)
Smith - $6.8 (06-07)
Plus some picks.
Hard not to like a trade that clears your books from that kind of salary while netting you some picks which may be useful.
Obviously the trade isn't equal as far as talent is concerned. But it could save Denver some face during the suspensions of Melo and JR Smith.
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The trade isn't that bad for Philly. They were stuck in the muck anyway and had the possibility of wasting a losing season by winning their division.
So they could have 3 1st round picks in the next draft? Not bad. Tools they could use to rid of CWebb's albatross of a salary and begin complete rebuilding process with Iggy as one of the centerpieces.
If you're Billy King and the best offer you're getting is Andre Miller's bad contract and two late first rounders, you sit on Iverson until a team gets desperate.
Actually, Kevin McHale is the one who came out of this the worst. It looks like all they had to give up was Randy Foye and salary fillers to get AI. How the don't you make that happen?
KG and AI make the T'Wolves a very good team. Foye might be good someday ... but by that time KG will be traded or out of his prime.
Dre is very underrated (see the game last night as an example). He is a great passer, can rebound and score in bunches when needed. His only knock is his D
he is a great pickup for Philly. They could use a solid veteran PG to help groom any rookie point guard they get next year,
Damn, I have to admit Nuggets GM is very active ; Melo is suspended, so he did everything he could to fill the void
I just hope Melo doesn't care about his potential scoring le, now that AI is his teammate ; that would be a bad thing to screw the team up
Anfre Miller is an excellent addition to the Sixers
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