the iverson trade

I don't know why everybody is so high on Denver's supposed steal of Allen Iverson from Philly. When I first saw that my reaction was shock that Denver got swindled so badly. They coughed up a decent point guard and two first-round draft picks for a guy with an ego problem who's nearing the twilight of his career. What were they thinking? He's always been an out-of-this-world basketball player but he lacks the leadership and solid attitude to make the whole team better. And not only is AI a chemistry risk, to say the least, but poor George Karl must somehow figure out how to make sure both he and 'Melo get enough touches to both stay happy and not let their heads get bigger than their game. Good luck with that one, Mr. Karl.

I think the 76ers definitely sold high on Iverson, and they'll have a better team in the long run for it. Miller is a better fit on a team with some solid players who will now get more chances to shine, and they should at least get some good role players out of the draft. The Nuggets? Well, they have all kinds of offensive firepower now, but can that team work together? It has two alpha superstars who somehow must learn to share the court with one another. On paper the Knicks too should have been an offensive juggernaut over the past couple of years and look how well they've done. Too many egos on one court is not a good thing.

Consider the immediate aftermath of the swap. Beforehand, Philly was pretty much left for dead as a strong contender for the top pick in the 2007 draft and Denver was riding high on an early course for the playoffs. After the trade, Philly has gone 4-4 and Denver has gone 2-4. Sure, it's too early to tell much and Denver has been without the players it lost to brawl suspensions. But still, they've had a losing record and their partner in the deal has improved. Worse yet, the 76ers just thumped them at their own place. You tell me, which team has benefitted more from the trade so far?

Mark my words, that trade will go down as a bust for Denver. Foolish, foolish move. I may be one of the only ones who thinks so now, but he who laughs last laughs longest.