End of an Era

So it’s official: The Allen Iverson-Philadelphia 76ers marriage is about to end.

Allen Iverson has asked to be traded and the Sixers are going to accommodate his request.

After several seasons of toiling in mediocrity, followed by a very sluggish 5-12 start to this season, the proverbial camel’s back has finally broken.

The last straw happened during the Sixers practice last Friday. Iverson showed up at practice but what was told that he didn’t need to participate (because of his back, which Iverson said was not a problem). Furthermore, he was also told not to be in the game against the Wizards on Friday night and against Orlando on Saturday.

In a statement that he released, Iverson had this to say:

"In my entire career, even the doctors haven't been able to tell me not to play. I've played through injury and illness. I think everyone knows how much I love being out on the court, competing and winning. That's why it was so disheartening to be told that I couldn't play, knowing that I was ready. It hurt even more to be told not to come at all.

"This season has been very frustrating for everyone. We've lost 12 of 14 games and nothing seems to be working. I have expressed my frustration to my teammates; however, I have continued to give 100 percent night in and night out. Apparently, it hasn't been enough to help our team win. As hard as it is to admit, a change may be the best thing for everyone. I hate admitting that because I love the guys on the team and the city of Philadelphia. I truly wanted to retire a 76er.

"I appreciate that in my 11 years in Philadelphia, the fans have always stood by me, supported me, and gone to bat for me."

We’ve all gone through this with the Sixers and Iverson. They look to trade him, tease us with all the teams they’re talking to, only to pull back on the trigger and up doing nothing.

This time, it’s looking like it will really go down.

Lisa Salters, ESPN correspondent, talked to Ed Snider, the Sixers chairman during the game against the Wizards. Salters asked Snider whether Iverson had come up to him and asked to be traded. Snicer’s response was a short, yet resolute “yes”.

Then Salters asked Snider the question all Philadelphians have feared.

”Has Allen Iverson played his last game as a Philadelpia 76er?”

“Probably.”

"At a certain point, you have to come to grips with the fact that it's not working. He wants out and we're ready to accommodate him," Snider adds.

While I can’t say I’m surprised, I am kind of bummed out at how everything has played out. I’ve always been, and I can’t stress this enough, a huge fan of a franchise player sticking it out with one team throughout the course of his career, whether they’re contenders or whether they stink up the gym every night. That’s why I’ll always admire Reggie Miller for that. Here’s a guy who was the face of the Indiana Pacers for almost two decades. Through thick or thin, through all the ups and downs, Reggie Miller never cut sail and bolted. Even though he didn’t win a championship, you respect him more because he really bled Hoosier blood.

I look at the league right now and see only two players who fit that bill: Allen Iverson and Kevin Garnett.

Let’s face it. Allen Iverson is the Philadelphia 76ers. While he may have had his fair share of off-court troubles, nobody can deny that he loves to play for the Sixers. The Sixers fans love him too, there’s no question about that. A.I. has always made it known that he wanted to end his career in Philadelphia.

"I always wanted to stay here because of the loyalty, it's all I know," he said then.

As a matter of fact, you can actually make a case that Iverson just might be the most popular 76er of all time. He’s more popular than Chamberlain, Barkley, Moses, or any of those guys.

The only one that is as popular as him is Julius Erving and if you ask Philadelphians, there’s no 1 and 2 between them, just 1a and 1b.

But the inevitable has come. Sixers fans have to come to grips that they may be seeing a whole lot less of The Answer from here on out.

With regards to where A.I. might potentially go, there are a number of teams that can make a trade work, although it’s not as easy as it looks. Iverson, after this season will still be owed around $35 million for two years, a risky proposition considering he’s turning 32 next year.

I’m not that familiar with players’ salaries but with his salary, his high asking price will cost a lot for other teams to acquire him. As for the teams, the three teams that I’m thinking has a legitimate shot at landing Iverson are Minnesota, Boston, and Chicago.

Minnesota, for example, just might have to give up Mike James, Ricky Davis, and Randy Foye and some draft picks. Boston might have to part ways with Wally Szczerbiak, Al Jefferson, and Gerald Green. Chicago, although it’s unlikely that they’ll make a run for Iverson, has Tyrus Thomas, Luol Deng, Ben Gordon and a plethora of draft picks as bait.

Whatever happens, Allen Iverson has done so much and meant so much to the Sixers and to the city of Philadelphia that it’s almost a blasphemous sight to see him in another uniform and playing for another city.

It’s a crying shame they couldn’t make it work.