Could the ownership have compromised to get AI?

[BornandDieHawks]

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The next two months will be crucial ones for King. The heat of a potential Iverson trade has cooled, as King has said thanks but no thanks to the likes of Wally Szczerbiak, Andre Miller and Kenyon Martin. Atlanta's ownership situation continues to make a trade with the Hawks problematic; while at least one Hawks owner is pushing hard to acquire Iverson, others aren't as enthusiastic.

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By Joe Juliano

Inquirer Staff Writer

BOWIE, Md. - Allen Iverson showed up for his annual celebrity softball game wearing his customary No. 3, although the number was on the throwback Atlanta Braves jersey of Dale Murphy.

Atlanta? Was there anything to be read into Iverson's choice of uniform?

"I don't know," Iverson said last night, before joining rapper Nelly and a celebrity roster to play before a capacity crowd at Prince George's Stadium. "God works in mysterious ways so whatever happens, happens."

The Atlanta Hawks are among the list of teams rumored to be interested in Iverson if the 76ers elect to trade him, as are the Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets and others.

Fans at the softball game, which raises money for underprivileged children, told Iverson they loved him, whatever happens.

"Just people saying they're fans forever ... and if I change teams or whatever, that's the team they're going to root for. That just makes me feel good," he said. "But, hopefully, nothing like that happens."

Iverson even talked basketball.

"We were in a lot of games, but then at the end, we couldn't stop anybody," he said. "Me and Chris [Webber] did a lot of scoring and our team did a lot of scoring, but we couldn't stop anybody. That's how you win championships, getting stops.

"And I think we've got to get a lot more from our bench. We had the worst scoring average [in the NBA] coming off the bench, so we've got to get somebody to give us another

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Could Belkin have made it a condition not to challenge the judge's ruling that BK make a deal he wants to happen?

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/sports/15047156.htm

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/sports/15050165.htm

[WraithSentinel]

Just ignore the rumors. We are not getting AI.

[Dakin]

I know there are lots of haters, but aaquiring Iverson without mortgaging the future would be an amazing thing for this franchise. Still don't see it happening though.

[sturt]

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The next two months will be crucial ones for King. The heat of a potential Iverson trade has cooled, as King has said thanks but no thanks to the likes of Wally Szczerbiak, Andre Miller and Kenyon Martin. Atlanta's ownership situation continues to make a trade with the Hawks problematic; while at least one Hawks owner is pushing hard to acquire Iverson, others aren't as enthusiastic.

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By Joe Juliano

Inquirer Staff Writer

BOWIE, Md. - Allen Iverson showed up for his annual celebrity softball game wearing his customary No. 3, although the number was on the throwback Atlanta Braves jersey of Dale Murphy.

Atlanta? Was there anything to be read into Iverson's choice of uniform?

"I don't know," Iverson said last night, before joining rapper Nelly and a celebrity roster to play before a capacity crowd at Prince George's Stadium. "God works in mysterious ways so whatever happens, happens."

The Atlanta Hawks are among the list of teams rumored to be interested in Iverson if the 76ers elect to trade him, as are the Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets and others.

Fans at the softball game, which raises money for underprivileged children, told Iverson they loved him, whatever happens.

"Just people saying they're fans forever ... and if I change teams or whatever, that's the team they're going to root for. That just makes me feel good," he said. "But, hopefully, nothing like that happens."

Iverson even talked basketball.

"We were in a lot of games, but then at the end, we couldn't stop anybody," he said. "Me and Chris [Webber] did a lot of scoring and our team did a lot of scoring, but we couldn't stop anybody. That's how you win championships, getting stops.

"And I think we've got to get a lot more from our bench. We had the worst scoring average [in the NBA] coming off the bench, so we've got to get somebody to give us another

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Could Belkin have made it a condition not to challenge the judge's ruling that BK make a deal he wants to happen?

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/sports/15047156.htm

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/sports/15050165.htm

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I'm not really understanding the logic.

First, the franchise could just as easily lose value by remaining under the original restrictions, and I can't believe that that was lost on Belkin.

Second, why is it automatically Belkin who wants AI?

And third, what does BK have to gain in that scenario, if he truly doesn't want AI himself? He's spent all of this time building a team as he envisioned it, only to make a bargain that means he has to blow it up? Why not just stand pat and wait it out... that would be the better option.

So, no, I don't see that at all.

[BornandDieHawks]

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The next two months will be crucial ones for King. The heat of a potential Iverson trade has cooled, as King has said thanks but no thanks to the likes of Wally Szczerbiak, Andre Miller and Kenyon Martin. Atlanta's ownership situation continues to make a trade with the Hawks problematic; while at least one Hawks owner is pushing hard to acquire Iverson, others aren't as enthusiastic.

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By Joe Juliano

Inquirer Staff Writer

BOWIE, Md. - Allen Iverson showed up for his annual celebrity softball game wearing his customary No. 3, although the number was on the throwback Atlanta Braves jersey of Dale Murphy.

Atlanta? Was there anything to be read into Iverson's choice of uniform?

"I don't know," Iverson said last night, before joining rapper Nelly and a celebrity roster to play before a capacity crowd at Prince George's Stadium. "God works in mysterious ways so whatever happens, happens."

The Atlanta Hawks are among the list of teams rumored to be interested in Iverson if the 76ers elect to trade him, as are the Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets and others.

Fans at the softball game, which raises money for underprivileged children, told Iverson they loved him, whatever happens.

"Just people saying they're fans forever ... and if I change teams or whatever, that's the team they're going to root for. That just makes me feel good," he said. "But, hopefully, nothing like that happens."

Iverson even talked basketball.

"We were in a lot of games, but then at the end, we couldn't stop anybody," he said. "Me and Chris [Webber] did a lot of scoring and our team did a lot of scoring, but we couldn't stop anybody. That's how you win championships, getting stops.

"And I think we've got to get a lot more from our bench. We had the worst scoring average [in the NBA] coming off the bench, so we've got to get somebody to give us another

---

Could Belkin have made it a condition not to challenge the judge's ruling that BK make a deal he wants to happen?

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/sports/15047156.htm

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/sports/15050165.htm

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I'm not really understanding the logic.

First, the franchise could just as easily lose value by remaining under the original restrictions, and I can't believe that that was lost on Belkin.

Second, why is it automatically Belkin who wants AI?

And third, what does BK have to gain in that scenario, if he truly doesn't want AI himself? He's spent all of this time building a team as he envisioned it, only to make a bargain that means he has to blow it up? Why not just stand pat and wait it out... that would be the better option.

So, no, I don't see that at all.

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Belkin was the one who came out in the media and stated he wanted to go after AI.

BK doesn't have anything to gain but the court's ruling could have put Atlanta in bad shape for not only this off season but for at least a year or two down the line. Plus, I believe a third party (Stern) came in and made all parties could up with a solution which would keep the Hawks on the same playing field as the rest of the league.

I am not advocating this deal at all, but what I should have asked is could this be the reason this SNT is taking so long?

[sturt]

Bornanddie, re-reading my post, I didn't mean to sound so critical. But I can't help but think you're assuming a lot there, and for the reasons already stated... plus, I am at the head of the line for suspecting Stern's fingers in so much of what happens in this league... but at the same time, on this matter those would be clearly just suspicions.

Could it be why the SNT is taking so long?

Certainly... but geez, in the universe of things that could be making the SNT take so long, that is just one of many.

I personally gravitate toward simply thinking that BK doesn't want to leave any merchandise on the table, and that he's doing what any good auctioneer will do.

The other important factor is that an SNT requires the input and approval of not two but three parties (the two teams and the player's agent) at a bare minimum... that, by itself, makes the deal 50% more complex. Make it three teams (and remember that some rumors have even more teams involved in a larger trade)... and it becomes 100% more complicated to get it done.

So, conventionally speaking, your scenario is possible, but these other factors are more likely to be the ones stretching out the situation.

[KB21]

Acquiring Iverson IS MORTAGING THE FUTURE. There's no way around that fact. His contract is too large and too long for a team like the Hawks to saddle themselves with a player that isn't going to make the team any better.

[BornandDieHawks]

Sturt,

I didn't take your comments to be critial at all, but I am not assuming this is what's going to happen. I just read a couple of articles on AI and figured I would see what other squawkers think about this theory. Really I am on the same page with KB on AI coming to Atlanta.

The one thing that is positive about the AI rumors is a major superstar wants to come to Atlanta. As hawks fans, we know it been hard to find a star who want to come to the Hawks.

[Eddielives]

Correct me if I'm wrong anybody but even if we do acquire Iverson somehow, if we decided next year that it isn't working out, couldn't we find a suitor(probably New York) to just take him right back off our hands? It's not like he's going to all of a sudden suck even if he didn't make us better. Someone would take that contract until he just flat out can't play anymore.

[Final_quest]

I thought Iverson only had 2 years left on his deal, at most 3.

[Plastic Man]

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I thought Iverson only had 2 years left on his deal, at most 3.

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his deal is through the 08-09 season. he is owed roughly:

06-07: $18.3 mil

07-08: $20.1 mil

08-09: $21.8 mil