As Jason Terry sank the last-second jumper that sent the 76ers to their 7th straight loss, Philly’s suits were busy working the phones in a bid to lure Allen Iverson back to the team he led to the NBA Finals in 2001 en route to a league MVP title. They later offered their former franchise player a 1-year non-guaranteed contract for the veterans minimum of $1.3 Million. This amounts to a prorated $640 – $650K, according to Phil Jasner, assuming he stays in Philly for the duration of the contract.
Of all the teams that came up in discussion after AI severed ties with Memphis, Sixers was the least on everyone’s mind. Larry Brown, who had been harassing every team in the league on AI’s behalf since the Grizzlies fallout, said Sixers was the only team he didn’t think of calling.
Just as I rightly predicted, AI was only one starting Guard injury away from a comeback. In a twist of bizarro fate, Sixers PG Lou Williams just happened to break his jaw a day before Iverson announced his retirement. This opened up the door of opportunity for Old No.3.
The 76ers announced today that Iverson has accepted their offer and that he’d be making his debut Monday against his former team the Denver Nuggets on Monday, December 7. It’s funny how that works out.
The Sixers will have a tough decision to make when Lou Williams returns in January, but for now Iverson is the answer to Philly’s funk. He’ll fill those empty seats immediately and more significantly, he gives them a legitimate shot at the playoffs. If this works out well, Iverson should consider sending a portion of his check to the man who first suggested an AI-Sixers reunion — Amar’e Stoudemire.
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