<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Billy King says things swirled around the 76ers and Allen Iverson last season that he does not expect to happen again. "That's over," said King, the Sixers' president/general manager. "It's a new start." It's the ninth season for Iverson, the three-time NBA scoring champion, a former Most Valuable Player and a member of this summer's U.S. Olympic team that will compete in Athens, Greece. Another new start. King and new coach Jim O'Brien were encouraged when Iverson showed up Sunday at rookie camp, going through a full practice, then meeting with a couple of reporters to confirm that he very definitely was fulfilling his commitment to the Olympic team, that he had been lifting weights, that he was looking forward to a better season. Never mind that Iverson appeared in an injury-riddled, career-low 48 games last season, that O'Brien is the team's third coach since Larry Brown left after the 2002-03 season, that Iverson sat out the final eight games of last season with a knee injury, that he openly battled with interim coach Chris Ford, that he declined to play a game against Detroit after Ford told him he'd be coming off the bench. "It's a whole new season," King said yesterday, after the final preparation for summer-league competition in Minneapolis. "I don't think you look at last season. We have a new coaching staff, [Iverson] is preparing for the season. It happened. Now you move forward." Iverson called ahead to let King and O'Brien know he wanted to join the summer campers Sunday. O'Brien's response was: "You can come over any time. You're always welcome." "[Iverson] and I have had long discussions," King said. "A lot that happened [last season] wasn't good, but I'm very confident. I know him. I've known him for 8 years, and a lot that happened never happened before. I just look at it as being behind us." King isn't absolving anyone for some of the controversy of last season, including the firing of first-year coach Randy Ayers after only 52 games. But much of his confidence and optimism for the coming season revolves around O'Brien's longstanding reputation for dealing diplomatically with situations and individuals without giving up any of his authority or respect with everyone.</div> <div align="center">Full Story</div> Seems as if everyone has a positive mind-set and is going to be well prepared next season. But I'm interested to see how O'Brien offense is going to work next season. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">From a general standpoint, O'Brien has explained the Sixers' new offense as "three perimeter players, a big guy and Allen Iverson." Yesterday, the coach said Iverson's projected role "is to be Allen Iverson, to be a scorer, and if he gets in a situation where there are two people on him, he has to find the open man."</div> I'll make an early predicition that Allen Iverson is going to average 30+ next season.
i'm gonna risk my heart and let the sixers have it again, let's give AI some props for trying to reform and hope we can run with it come the season
This is retarted, because a guy finally grows up you all jump on the bandwagon of sorts. This is the type of attitude he had to have when he first stepped foot on any NBA owned property. Keep in mind, Iverson lifted last year as well, Iverson showed promises of a great season last year as well through different articles, and actions. Guess what happened? Nothing. Next season might not be as worse as this one, if Allen get's injured it will be, if he doesn't we'll get knocked out of the first round. Let's face facts, this team with this roster isn't getting anywhere anytime soon. With Allen aging, and not taking care of his body, he'll be injury prone for years to come. Unless we land some kind of huge player, then the Sixers future is not that bright.
it could be worse tho. we've got some young players who can turn into either good role players (Korver), possible starting point guard (Green), a decent shot blocker and rebounder (Dalembert), and of course AI. If everyone can stay healthy we have a shot at a decent season and then the playoff's. All we have to do is tough it out till next year when Big Dog are free agent and we get that huge cap space to work with for FA. I don't feel i've ever been off the bandwagon, just wasn't an AI supporter like i used to be because of the past few incidents on and off the court.
i woulda defended him till i was blue in the face. but what he did last year by refusing to play off the bench and watching the game in street clothes was the last straw. I'm ready to commit to him as a player again if he continues to do what he's doing now, showing he wants to be a part of the sixers organization
I hope he keeps up the good work because the Sixers havent won an NBA Title in like what 21 years.....I would like to see Iverson get a ring at least before hes gone.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TheAnswerIsAi3:</div><div class="quote_post">I hope he keeps up the good work because the Sixers havent won an NBA Title in like what 21 years.....I would like to see Iverson get a ring at least before hes gone.</div> Where did this come from? If Allen stays in Philadelphia and the situation is the same as has been in his whole carrer, then the only ring he'll get is the one from the store. If something miraculous were to happen and he signed with a powerhouse franchise, then maybe so.
What would you accomplish by trading Allen right now. His trade value is at an all-time low, so the possibility of getting another superstar caliber player is not bound to happen. Or, to get a mixture of players in Allen's spot would be totally stupid, because Philadelphia would be going on that rebuidling trip all over again.
