Allen Iverson Is A Step Closer To Returning To Philly
Allen Iverson
Ever since, Allen Iverson and the Grizzlies parted ways a few days ago, the rumors of his next destination have been running wild. First it was the Knicks, then it was the Celtics, then he was going to retire, now the talk is going back to the place where it all started for Iverson: Philadelphia.
Before this is dismissed as just more hearsay, consider this. The Sixers met with Allen Iverson for two hours in Dallas today. Sixers GM Ed Stefanski even posted a brief recap on the team’s website. Here are the highlights:
“This afternoon, we met with free agent Allen Iverson in Dallas for the first formal discussion regarding a possible return to the Philadelphia 76ers. The meeting lasted approximately two hours and covered a variety of topics, all of which we would prefer to keep between the team and Allen.
The meeting was attended by Allen, his agent Leon Rose and his personal manager Gary Moore, along with 76ers Senior Vice President/Assistant General Manager Tony DiLeo, Head Coach Eddie Jordan, Assistant Coach Aaron McKie and me.
At this time, both parties remain non-committal regarding a final decision and we will continue to discuss internally whether or not to pursue this course.”
A.I.’s return to Philly could be good for both sides. There is no way Iverson wants to end his career on a bad note. Plus he is loved in Philly and he will get a chance to play and start (keyword) for a Sixers team that has a chance to make the playoffs. For the Sixers, they will provide a replacement for Louis Williams who is out two months with a broken jaw. The Sixers are also stuggling, losing their last six games. Iverson could provide that spark to get back into the playoff race.
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November 30th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
control says:
This must be “quick, weak and cancer point guard” day at Dime or something…
November 30th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
control says:
I could just imagine Arron McKie sitting in that meeting thinking about how many times he was open in the corner or top of the key watching while AI fought off a 3 or 4 on 1 situation to jack up another horrible shot…
November 30th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Troni says:
Somebody’s gotta say it
hilarious that the 76ers traded this guy because he was taking them nowhere. Now he’s been on 2 teams making 20+ million every year, and now he’s tryna get back on the same team he left. For only around 2 mill??
At first i thought the 76ers brass was stupid as hell giving this guy a max contract, then i realize that they’re tryna bring the same guy back. He sucks.
November 30th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
ProphetGK says:
For all u AI haters, I got two words for ya, “SUCK IT!”… and for the people who actually know basketball, AI could lead the Sixers to the promise land..
November 30th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
Jah says:
@ Troni
Big Iverson fan here. I was always under the impression that they acquiesced to A.I.’s trade demands because he wasn’t happy with the way the team’s “rebuilding” process was going.
November 30th, 2009 at 6:21 pm
S-SiN says:
Good indicaton is that they’ve met. i just don’t like the non-commital part of it.. let’s hope they have some more good meetings and get it done. its a win win
November 30th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
quest??? says:
damn no love 4 me? i posted the link awhile back… anyways there is something about the letter that tells me that they wont sign him
November 30th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
TL says:
Do it for the fans please. Who cares if it doesn’t work out. I just want to see more of AI just like Marbury. Marbury anyone?
November 30th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
Heckler says:
i dunno about any of this iverson stuff.
as a proven “give your all” bball player, allen iverson only has 1 request to any team. to start.
i dont see how 28 teams in the league are going in a direction where allen iverson isnt good enough to start in the backcourt on their teams.
15 teams probably dont need him. heck, 20 teams probable dont need him. but c’mon….all 28?!!?
and not ONE team could say that allen iverson starting for them is NOT better than what they have now?
he is clearly being “black-balled”
November 30th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
Heckler says:
sheeeeit. the new jersey nets are winless. by not having an interest in allen iverson, are they saying they are better off on their current path?
they are friggin WINLESS.
allen iverson aint good enough to start on a WINLESS team? the nj nets are gonna tell their fans and everyone else that they rather continue in their current direction? again…they are WINLESS.
they rather remain futile and winless rather than consider signing allen iverson and starting him?
sheeeeit. they have no real coach. no real ownership (russian mofo hasnt been approved yet). no real management (kiki vandy and rod corny thorny are in the last yr of their deals).
what risk is it to them to sign allen iverson?
November 30th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
boxcar rena says:
Nobody really thought his retirement was permanent, did they? It’s the little kid who won’t play baseball unless he can be the pitcher. Juvenile. Still love to watch him though.
November 30th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
Guitar Hero says:
I love AI, but “money bagz”???
That must be the dumbest tattoo i’ve ever seen.
November 30th, 2009 at 9:41 pm
MJAX says:
AI is being black-balled like Chris Jackson and Craig Hodges!! “Heckler” I’m with you, all the teams in the League don’t need this guy?!! I mean really, look at the backcourts in the League, there are at least 16 tames that would improve with him there. Check the Miami Heat files. The NJ Nets files, I don’t even know who Toronto starts, but I know he would improve them. They doin’ him dirty!
November 30th, 2009 at 10:20 pm
S-SiN says:
@Heckler
Exactly. Neither Nets nor 76ers risk anything here. U’re very much on point about what’s going on inside the Nets as well.
@MJAX
Toronto has Jose, J-Jack, Marcus Banks and Belinelli in the backcourt and swingmen they sometimes play at the 2: Sonny Weems and Antoine Wright.
I want to see someone pick two better starters than The Answer out of that group. As much as I wanna see AI in a Sixer uni again, I think North of the border would even be a better move for him this year.
November 30th, 2009 at 10:25 pm
V says:
o my goodness if i were louis williams, i would be trying to go to the doctors quick time to get my ass cured as soon as possible! Because his spot is about get snatched!
November 30th, 2009 at 11:13 pm
QQ says:
Once I read that SI article that said AI retirement’s letter is more a sales pitch than a goodbye note, my views change. SO much for us fools that are making those fucking tributes to AI thinking that he would really retire.
And yeah, thank you Dime for taking the lead (The Legendary Allen Iverson, etc.) Dammn. Another point for dime!
November 30th, 2009 at 11:23 pm
quest??? says:
qq u are a fucking fool if u thought he was really retiring.
November 30th, 2009 at 11:49 pm
QQ says:
@ 17:
I was the only one who thought he is really retiring? I was the only one giving tributes to him?
Burn, you fucking imbecile, burn:
November 25th, 2009 at 6:57 pm
quest??? says:
damnnnn im sooo sadd, this was my favorite player, a hero of mine and i never had the pleasure of watching him play in an nba game. My favorite memory was the first and only time i saw allen iverson play. That was probably one of the happiest days of my life. It was a game against venezuela in the preolympics of 2003 that were held in puerto rico.
As seen on this article: http://dimemag.com/2009/11/we-reminisce-the-legendary-allen-iverson/
You’re asking for it, kid, hahaha. NOW FUCKING BURN, YOU DUMBASS.
November 30th, 2009 at 11:52 pm
QQ says:
Why the fuck would you say ‘damnnnn im sooo sadd, this was my favorite player, a hero of mine and i never had the pleasure of watching him play in an nba game’ if you didn’t think he was retiring?
BURN, YOU FUCKING BITCH.LOL.
November 30th, 2009 at 11:52 pm
mules says:
AI would be a disaster in Toronto’s inside-out ball movement offense…so would any other shoot-first point guard for that matter. The idea of their system is force a double team inside and swing the ball quickly to the open shooters before the defense can recover…AI dribbling the ball 15-20 times each time he touches it give the defense time to recover. Jose’s struggled a bit early in this season but he’s the type of distributing point guard that works best for their offense.
AI may be able to play the 2 in NJ next to Harris but that’s an awfully short backcourt on the defensive end and the Nets are clearly more interested in developing young talent than they are in signing a superstar nearing the end of his career just so they can win an extra 10-15 games and still miss the playoffs.
He’s really perfectly suited as a high-scoring 6th man. Most teams resort to more 1-on-1 isolation offense when the 2nd unit comes in and that’s what AI is built for. It’s really too bad his ego’s too big for that role.
November 30th, 2009 at 11:54 pm
P says:
@ quest???
Checkmate.
November 30th, 2009 at 11:59 pm
QQ says:
@ P:
Murdered. I pity the fool.
December 1st, 2009 at 12:23 am
quest??? says:
just in case bitch
December 1st, 2009 at 12:27 am
QQ says:
‘just in case’.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
December 1st, 2009 at 12:33 am
P says:
@23
Maybe you should have noted that then quest??? rather than attacking QQ for saying pretty much the exact same thing as you.
You did look really hard though. Respect.
December 1st, 2009 at 12:41 am
jr. says:
i said it on this site & others sites last year that ai was coming back to philly. but dam i c yall got on love for ai so yall gonna b back on his dick when lead us DEEP in the playoffs this year…. im from philly an we got love for ai no matter what all i gotta say is WELCOME HOME bubba chuck
December 1st, 2009 at 1:20 am
the big fundamental says:
@dime you said he will get a chance to start but in the team news release it said that one condition that they talked about is how willing he’d be to come off the bench one Lou Williams comes back! so like you said START is a keyword and AI and the team better make sure they understand each other before signing anything cuz its the man last chance HONESTLY!
Im a big AI fan btw and always thought he belonged in a sixers uniform
December 1st, 2009 at 5:42 am
Sweet English says:
Ha Ha Ha QQ that was some ‘to catch a predator’ style journalism there.
Take a seat quest??
December 1st, 2009 at 5:46 am
Sweet English says:
oh lord i read quest??s little cry about iverson about three times and it just gets funnier everytime.
‘I’m soooo saaddd’ ‘that was the happiest day of my life’
BWAHAHAHAHA. hi-larious.
December 1st, 2009 at 7:24 am
QQ says:
@Sweet
haha. Damn, that’s a good way to look at it. To catch a predator style lol.
I eat them fools for dinner.