NOTE: I've moved this article, which summarizes pretty well what did and didn't happen today, to start a new thread. That way, hopefully, we won't end up with the world's longest thread that no one ever reads. -- VF21
Sources: Iverson nixes trade to Bobcats
Indiana, Boston, Minnesota and Sacramento are among the teams still in the mix, according to sources.
BY DAVID ALDRIDGE
The Philadelphia Inquirer
December 11, 2006, 10:42 PM EST
PHILADELPHIA -- For a while Monday, the Philadelphia 76ers were close to solving their Allen Iverson problem.
The Sixers, according to a source, were close to sending Iverson to the Charlotte Bobcats for a package of players Monday afternoon. But Iverson indicated his displeasure with being sent to the Bobcats -- the league's newest team, having begun play in 2004 -- and the deal died, the source said.
Iverson, a former Bethel High standout, asked to be traded last week, and a source indicated that he didn't care where he was sent. But that apparently did not extend to the Bobcats, who are struggling to draw fans, and who would have difficulty bringing someone to Charlotte who didn't want to be there, and who would likely make that unhappiness known to the public.
With only a little more than $38 million in player salaries -- forward Gerald Wallace is the team's highest-paid player, at just $5.5 million this season -- Charlotte is about $15 million below the league's salary cap of $53.1 million and could make a major player acquisition easier than any team in the league.
The Bobcats also have players with short contracts, which fits the Sixers' desires. Philadelphia wants to trade Iverson for players whose deals expire either this season or after the 2007-08 season, when Chris Webber's contract ends and the Sixers expect to finally get under the salary cap.
Charlotte has a few players who fill that bill: veteran guard Brevin Knight, who makes $4.4 million this season on a contract that expires in 2008; forward Melvin Ely, whose $3.3-million contract ends after this season; forward Othella Harrington (2008, $2.2 million this season); and underrated center Primoz Brezec (2008, $2.75 million this season).
Dealing any or all of those players would not affect the Bobcats' core group: guard Raymond Felton, guard Adam Morrison, forward Sean May or center Emeka Okafor. Wallace, 24, who has become a much-improved player in Charlotte, would be attractive to the Sixers, but he's also part of that core.
At least one team believed the Bobcats were in the driver's seat earlier Monday. "It's Michael (Jordan)'s deal to turn down," said an executive of one team that is involved in the trade discussions, referring to Charlotte's new minority owner. It is uncertain whether the proposed trade can be resurrected.
Meanwhile, Sixers president Billy King continues to sift through other offers. He's keeping those offers extremely close to the vest. One longtime friend of King's, with an NBA team, said King "wasn't telling me a ... thing" about which way he was thinking.
Sources indicate that Indiana, Boston and Minnesota continue to express interest in Iverson, with Denver and Sacramento also in the mix. But in some cases, King would likely have to take a player he wouldn't necessarily want in order to get rid of Iverson. The Pacers, for example, want to rid themselves of swingman Stephen Jackson, who has three years left on his deal. The Timberwolves are shopping guard Ricky Davis.
The Kings seem to be stronger players in the bidding for Iverson than one would think at first glance. A source said Sacramento was discussing a package including guard Mike Bibby and forward Kenny Thomas for Iverson.
Each has connections to Webber: Bibby and Webber led the Kings to the Western Conference finals in 2002; Thomas was part of the package the Sixers traded to Sacramento for Webber in 2005.
But Thomas' contract, which King negotiated, does not expire until after the 2008-09 season.
http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/dp-bobcats.d12,0,1857875.story?coll=dp-news-local-final
Sources: Iverson nixes trade to Bobcats
Indiana, Boston, Minnesota and Sacramento are among the teams still in the mix, according to sources.
BY DAVID ALDRIDGE
The Philadelphia Inquirer
December 11, 2006, 10:42 PM EST
PHILADELPHIA -- For a while Monday, the Philadelphia 76ers were close to solving their Allen Iverson problem.
The Sixers, according to a source, were close to sending Iverson to the Charlotte Bobcats for a package of players Monday afternoon. But Iverson indicated his displeasure with being sent to the Bobcats -- the league's newest team, having begun play in 2004 -- and the deal died, the source said.
Iverson, a former Bethel High standout, asked to be traded last week, and a source indicated that he didn't care where he was sent. But that apparently did not extend to the Bobcats, who are struggling to draw fans, and who would have difficulty bringing someone to Charlotte who didn't want to be there, and who would likely make that unhappiness known to the public.
With only a little more than $38 million in player salaries -- forward Gerald Wallace is the team's highest-paid player, at just $5.5 million this season -- Charlotte is about $15 million below the league's salary cap of $53.1 million and could make a major player acquisition easier than any team in the league.
The Bobcats also have players with short contracts, which fits the Sixers' desires. Philadelphia wants to trade Iverson for players whose deals expire either this season or after the 2007-08 season, when Chris Webber's contract ends and the Sixers expect to finally get under the salary cap.
Charlotte has a few players who fill that bill: veteran guard Brevin Knight, who makes $4.4 million this season on a contract that expires in 2008; forward Melvin Ely, whose $3.3-million contract ends after this season; forward Othella Harrington (2008, $2.2 million this season); and underrated center Primoz Brezec (2008, $2.75 million this season).
Dealing any or all of those players would not affect the Bobcats' core group: guard Raymond Felton, guard Adam Morrison, forward Sean May or center Emeka Okafor. Wallace, 24, who has become a much-improved player in Charlotte, would be attractive to the Sixers, but he's also part of that core.
At least one team believed the Bobcats were in the driver's seat earlier Monday. "It's Michael (Jordan)'s deal to turn down," said an executive of one team that is involved in the trade discussions, referring to Charlotte's new minority owner. It is uncertain whether the proposed trade can be resurrected.
Meanwhile, Sixers president Billy King continues to sift through other offers. He's keeping those offers extremely close to the vest. One longtime friend of King's, with an NBA team, said King "wasn't telling me a ... thing" about which way he was thinking.
Sources indicate that Indiana, Boston and Minnesota continue to express interest in Iverson, with Denver and Sacramento also in the mix. But in some cases, King would likely have to take a player he wouldn't necessarily want in order to get rid of Iverson. The Pacers, for example, want to rid themselves of swingman Stephen Jackson, who has three years left on his deal. The Timberwolves are shopping guard Ricky Davis.
The Kings seem to be stronger players in the bidding for Iverson than one would think at first glance. A source said Sacramento was discussing a package including guard Mike Bibby and forward Kenny Thomas for Iverson.
Each has connections to Webber: Bibby and Webber led the Kings to the Western Conference finals in 2002; Thomas was part of the package the Sixers traded to Sacramento for Webber in 2005.
But Thomas' contract, which King negotiated, does not expire until after the 2008-09 season.
http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/dp-bobcats.d12,0,1857875.story?coll=dp-news-local-final
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