NBA Jeopardy … The ANSWER is: With the Cavaliers or the Heat
The QUESTION is … for, let’s say, approximately $6.4 M …
What two NBA franchises would Allen Iverson, possibly, be the best fit with at this stage of his career?
[i.e. based strictly on their respective player rosters and regardless of any Salary Cap/Luxury Tax restraints on a 1 year contract]
SCENARIO ONE
If the Cavaliers are truly serious about trying to win the 2009-2010 NBA Championship, then Cleveland needs to ratchet up its Offense with a line-up that looks like this:
STARTERS
PG - Allen Iverson [UFA, high cost]
OG - Anthony Parker [UFA, medium cost]
SF - Lebron James
PF - Anderson Varejao
C - Shaquille O’Neal
KEY SUBS
PG/OG - Mo Williams or Daniel Gibson
OG/SF - Keith Bogans [UFA, low cost]
SF/PF - JJ Hickson
C - Zydrunas Ilgauskas
———-
SCENARIO TWO
If the Heat are truly serious about trying to reach the 2009-2010 NBA Finals, then Miami needs to ratchet up its Offense with a line-up like this is:
STARTERS
PG - Allen Iverson [UFA, high cost]
OG - Dwyane Wade
SF - Jamario Moon [UFA, low cost]
PF - Udonis Haslem
C - Jermaine O’Neal
KEY SUBS
PG - Mario Chalmers
OG - Daequan Cook
SF - Michael Beasley
PF - Joel Anthony
C - Chris Mihm [UFA, low cost]
———-
For a single season … a move like that would still leave Miami and/or Cleveland in the free agent sweepstakes expected to take place next summer [i.e. 2010] … while giving their respective teams a definite boost this year, in an effort to reach their specific goal.
Are either of these two situations likely to occur next month?
Hmmmm …
[Probably not ... although either one would certainly be very interesting to see materialize this summer.]
Tags: Allen Iverson, Anderson Varejao, Anthony Parker, Chris Mihm, Cleveland Cavaliers, Daequan Cook, Daniel Gibson, Dwyane Wade, Jamario Moon, Jermaine O'Neal, JJ Hickson, Joel Anthony, Keith Bogans, Lebron James, Mario Chalmers, Miami Heat, Michael Beasley, Mo Williams, Shaquille O'Neal, Udonis Haslem, Zydrunas Ilgauskas
June 30th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
I really like your proposed lineup for Cleveland. Why wouldn’t the Cavs extend a longer contract to Iverson? I imagine he has a couple more seasons at a high level in him still.
That heat lineup wouldn’t be an ECF contending type team IMHO. Wade would need much more help then just Iverson to get there with that squad.
July 1st, 2009 at 8:49 am
Raps Fan,
Cleveland should stay away from signing any big contract which extends beyond this season to keep themselves afloat for the Free Agent bonanza which is expected to occur next summer.
If things were to work out for a player like Shaq, or The Answer, then, they could always re-sign them at that time … in addition to one of the younger big ticket signees who will be available in 2010.
If things were to fail, then, they could easily go in a different direction instead.
Keeping your options open when you’ve got a horse to ride like Lebron … is a solid way to operate.
Focusing on a “specific path” is something which needs to be done, however, when you don’t have a high horse powered animal to ride on but still wish to compete with the Big Boyz.
————————-
re: Miami with A.I.
Wade is an outstanding player.
If Beasley continues to improve … and they were to add a ball-dominant player like Iverson, to relieve some of that burden from Wade, with a plethora of shooters who can knock down open shots, and select rebounders like Haslem, O’Neal, and Anthony, who can “go and get it” … the Heat might be able to win a round or two in the playoffs next season while still keeping themselves in the 2010 Free Agent market for a Max Contract Add.
July 1st, 2009 at 7:01 pm
Not sure AI would sign for only 1 season, but the logic is sound.