All right, I can't wait any longer. I've been trying not to jinx it, but here you are:
As ESPN reported, the Denver Nuggets have finally wrapped up trade talks with the Philadelphia 76ers and acquired superstar guard Allen Iverson.
Early verdict: it's a good move. No, it's a great move. Not even that. It's a tremendous move. In the short term, Iverson can pick up the scoring slack while Carmelo is out. In the long term-when Anthony comes back-the Nuggets will have two absolutely unstoppable scorers. It may cost both players a shot at the scoring title, but it'll cost opposing playoff teams so much more.
Iverson is only:
1. Hands down, no question, the toughest player since Michael Jordan. (Notice I didn't include any of that "pound-for-pound" garbage, either.)
2. One of the best scorers in NBA history. You knew that, but did you really? Michael Jordan has a higher per-game scoring average than the Answer. So does Wilt. But that's it. He's ahead of West, Shaq, Bird, and everybody else.
3. One of the top passers in the league, and a perfect fit for a high-altitude, open-court game. Everyone says he's selfish, and this year he's been selfish to the tune of more than seven assists per game.
This is so awesome, it almost doesn't matter who we gave up. Yet I've already seen people slam the Nuggets for giving up to much, given Philadelphia's bargaining position. Please. What, exactly, are we going to miss?
Two first-round draft picks? We're giving up ours, and one that originally belonged to Dallas. Both picks, then, will probably come at the end of the first round. The NBA draft is consistently so Jared Jeffries-thin, it's a wonder any team wants those picks or their guaranteed contracts. (That said, rookies drafted that late don't get paid much by NBA standards.)
Joe Smith? Well, the only thing he brings to the table is an expiring contract. Why would you want that? Cap space. Why do you want cap space? So you can get a superstar. I think we just cut out the middleman.
Andre Miller? A solid point guard, to be sure, who can pass, rebound, and miss more wide-open 15-footers than anyone in the league. Since he's the only thing of value we give up for, you know, Allen-freaking-Iverson, I think it's a good move. Wait, no-it's the most exciting trade of my life.*
And so we return to the Answer, who has certainly been dying to play with a team this talented ever since he dragged Dikembe's rotting carcass to the 2001 Finals. He'll love playing alongside Marcus Camby, who allows him to gamble defensively (something Iverson is going to do anyway) and grabs enough boards to keep the fast breaks coming. Guys like Reggie Evans and Eduardo Najera will provide more of the same. Now picture the offense. Iverson might have too many options running the break alongside Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith, and Anthony in particular gives him a terrific complement in the halfcourt offense. Oh, and if we're really lucky, we'll see Iverson play in short stretches with the Earl of Boykins.
There are only two potential downsides, which are hardly worth mentioning. First, Carmelo and AI could fight over shots and primacy. I think both players will recognize the opportunity they have and act accordingly-Iverson because he's 31, and Anthony because of the fallout from the fight. Second, AI could bristle at playing point guard. But in a lot of ways, that's been his role in Philadelphia for years. He'll be fine.
* = Yes, the Elway trade happened in my lifetime, but I was 1 at the time. And I didn't know we had a hockey team when the Avs traded for Patrick Roy.
As ESPN reported, the Denver Nuggets have finally wrapped up trade talks with the Philadelphia 76ers and acquired superstar guard Allen Iverson.
Early verdict: it's a good move. No, it's a great move. Not even that. It's a tremendous move. In the short term, Iverson can pick up the scoring slack while Carmelo is out. In the long term-when Anthony comes back-the Nuggets will have two absolutely unstoppable scorers. It may cost both players a shot at the scoring title, but it'll cost opposing playoff teams so much more.
Iverson is only:
1. Hands down, no question, the toughest player since Michael Jordan. (Notice I didn't include any of that "pound-for-pound" garbage, either.)
2. One of the best scorers in NBA history. You knew that, but did you really? Michael Jordan has a higher per-game scoring average than the Answer. So does Wilt. But that's it. He's ahead of West, Shaq, Bird, and everybody else.
3. One of the top passers in the league, and a perfect fit for a high-altitude, open-court game. Everyone says he's selfish, and this year he's been selfish to the tune of more than seven assists per game.
This is so awesome, it almost doesn't matter who we gave up. Yet I've already seen people slam the Nuggets for giving up to much, given Philadelphia's bargaining position. Please. What, exactly, are we going to miss?
Two first-round draft picks? We're giving up ours, and one that originally belonged to Dallas. Both picks, then, will probably come at the end of the first round. The NBA draft is consistently so Jared Jeffries-thin, it's a wonder any team wants those picks or their guaranteed contracts. (That said, rookies drafted that late don't get paid much by NBA standards.)
Joe Smith? Well, the only thing he brings to the table is an expiring contract. Why would you want that? Cap space. Why do you want cap space? So you can get a superstar. I think we just cut out the middleman.
Andre Miller? A solid point guard, to be sure, who can pass, rebound, and miss more wide-open 15-footers than anyone in the league. Since he's the only thing of value we give up for, you know, Allen-freaking-Iverson, I think it's a good move. Wait, no-it's the most exciting trade of my life.*
And so we return to the Answer, who has certainly been dying to play with a team this talented ever since he dragged Dikembe's rotting carcass to the 2001 Finals. He'll love playing alongside Marcus Camby, who allows him to gamble defensively (something Iverson is going to do anyway) and grabs enough boards to keep the fast breaks coming. Guys like Reggie Evans and Eduardo Najera will provide more of the same. Now picture the offense. Iverson might have too many options running the break alongside Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith, and Anthony in particular gives him a terrific complement in the halfcourt offense. Oh, and if we're really lucky, we'll see Iverson play in short stretches with the Earl of Boykins.
There are only two potential downsides, which are hardly worth mentioning. First, Carmelo and AI could fight over shots and primacy. I think both players will recognize the opportunity they have and act accordingly-Iverson because he's 31, and Anthony because of the fallout from the fight. Second, AI could bristle at playing point guard. But in a lot of ways, that's been his role in Philadelphia for years. He'll be fine.
* = Yes, the Elway trade happened in my lifetime, but I was 1 at the time. And I didn't know we had a hockey team when the Avs traded for Patrick Roy.
Comments
Occasional reader, first time contributor. The moment I read the AI news, I knew I needed to check Hole Punch Sports for the latest chatter. Contrary to the opinions already expressed, I am not excited to see AI in a Nuggs uniform. I must admit that my emotions have tainted my reaction; it is a bad day when one of your least favorite players ends up on your favorite team. Emotions aside let us think logically; I am not convinced that the AI/Melo duo will be as dynamic as indicated. AI has worked with a number of legitimate #2 scorers with limited success, i.e. Stackhouse & Robinson. I am also concerned about the AI/Karl mix, this concern stems from two precedents AI/Brown and Karl/Martin. Karl has shown he does not mix well with hardheaded players and AI likewise with high profile demanding coaches. This aside, I am a nuggets fan and as such I have become an AI fan tonight. I truly hope your analysis proves accurate and this trade also becomes the most exciting trade of my life.
You bring up some good points. First, the coaches. Yes, Iverson feuded with Larry Brown. A lot. But Iverson was really young then and has done some growing up. While he's not the ideal team player, he's not Terrell Owens, either. And by now I think it's clear how much Brown enjoys using the media to make his players look bad. (Of course, you could say the same about George Karl, though he hasn't done much of that in Denver.)
I agree that the Iverson-Carmelo chemistry is the big wild card here. However, I don't think the Anthony to Stackhouse or Robinson comparisons are quite fair. Robinson was close to spent when he joined Philly, and Stackhouse was something of a selfish, offense-only player when he was younger. Sort of a poor man's Vince Carter-though Stackhouse, like AI, has matured.
Anthony, too, is hardly just a No. 2 option-he's got the highest scoring average in the entire league right now. Outside of All-Star or Olympic teams, Iverson's never had a teammate this good. And I think there's at least a small chance those two will really hit it off. They both come from nightmarish upbringings. They both have an image the league isn't exactly comfortable with. And both probably think they're frequently misunderstood, even though both have also made some pretty huge mistakes.
On the court, Iverson gives the Nuggets another huge perimeter threat on offense. That's obvious, but still important. Other top Western teams have been able to counter Melo with stoppers like Bruce Bowen, Josh Howard, or even Raja Bell. Now, though, they have to pick their poison, and put someone less effective on the other guy. (The worst-suited to the task, unsurprisingly, is Phoenix-what's the best case for them? Steve Nash on J.R. Smith? Yikes.)