Source: Sixers offer Iverson deal - 籃球

原文:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4704151&campaign=rss&source=NBAHeadlines

似乎需要縮網址 我不太會縮 煩請版友幫忙

連結有影片 ESPN記者口述報導 外加AI 76人時期的畫面XD

內文:

PHILADELPHIA -- Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers are closer to a
reunion.

The Sixers offered a one-year, non-guaranteed contract to Iverson on Tuesday,
a source confirmed to ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher. Iverson had not yet
accepted the deal, according to the source.



Iverson

Iverson, his agent and business manager met with team president Ed Stefanski,
coach Eddie Jordan and two other members of the organization Monday during
the first formal meeting between the Sixers and their former MVP.

CSNPhilly.com first reported the offer.

A person with knowledge of the deal, who also spoke to The Associated Press
on condition of anonymity because the talks had not been made public, said
Iverson's decision should come Wednesday.

The person says the 76ers are taking a chance on Iverson because he's the
best free-agent guard available and the financial commitment is minimal. The
Sixers would owe just under $650,000 if they guarantee his contract for the
remainder of the season on Jan. 10.

Iverson would still need to undergo a physical before the deal is complete.

Iverson announced his retirement last week after an ill-fated stint with the
Memphis Grizzlies. The 10-time All-Star was NBA MVP in 2001 when he led the
Sixers to the NBA Finals.

ESPN.com's Marc Stein reported early Tuesday that the Sixers, according to
two sources close to the situation, were targeting Monday's home game against
the Denver Nuggets for Iverson's return to the team that drafted him in 1996.

After club officials met face-to-face with Iverson and his representatives
for nearly two hours Monday before Philadelphia's 104-102 loss to Dallas,
three of the organization's key figures -- Jordan, Stefanski and
Comcast-Spectacor chairman Ed Snider -- all insisted publicly that no firm
decision has been made on re-signing Iverson for the rest of the season.

But sources stressed to ESPN.com that plans behind the scenes had progressed
to a level where Iverson's return was now regarded by both sides as far more
likely than not. Although it remains unclear whether Iverson has the leverage
to command anything more than a prorated share of the $1.3 million veterans'
minimum, all indications late Monday suggested that only an unforeseen
about-face by the Sixers could prevent Iverson from formally rejoining them
by week's end.

Iverson announced his intention to retire last week after no other team
expressed an interest is signing the four-time scoring champion. The 6-foot
Iverson played three games this season with Memphis before taking a leave of
absence to attend to personal matters. He was waived after the two sides
agreed to part ways.

He's on the brink of getting a second chance with the Sixers. The Sixers
(5-13) have lost seven straight games entering Wednesday night's game at
Oklahoma City and need Iverson to spark sagging ticket sales and their
playoff chances.

This reconciliation was once thought foolish after their acrimonious split
three years ago. Iverson's last game with Philadelphia was Dec. 6, 2006 in
Chicago. He refused to play the fourth quarter and was banished from the team
two days later. He was eventually traded to Denver as part of the Andre
Miller deal, and bounced to Detroit then Memphis.

The Sixers finish their four-game road trip Saturday against the Charlotte
Bobcats and Iverson's former nemesis, coach Larry Brown.

If Iverson accepts the offer, his likely debut would come Monday night at
home against Denver. In a double-dose of intriguing timing, the Sixers play
at home Dec. 9 against Detroit.


Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley told the AP on Tuesday that he spent almost
an hour on the phone with Stefanski before his meeting with Iverson.

"I told him I thought Allen had the game and I thought he would be a positive
contribution to his team and was sorry it didn't work out with us. I thought
to get back with Philadelphia, it was a good chance it would work out for
them. I feel extremely happy about it," Heisley said.

"Quite frankly, I'm sorry that we couldn't work it out between us and Allen.
I don't feel duped. I don't feel upset. I quite frankly arranged for the
severance, which we could've stopped which would've stopped him from being
able to play for anybody. I did it so he would have an opportunity to go
play."

One source told ESPN.com that the team has already made tentative plans to
send assistant coach and former Iverson teammate Aaron McKie home from the
Sixers' current road trip to meet Iverson in Philadelphia later this week and
work him out to ensure Iverson's readiness for the Denver game. The Sixers
play Thursday in Oklahoma City and Saturday in Charlotte before returning to
Philadelphia.

Although another team insider cautioned that no deal with Iverson should be
considered done until it's official -- especially after the New York Knicks
seemed to get just as close to signing Iverson earlier this month before
electing to back out at the 11th hour -- there was an unquestioned sense of
inevitability in the locker room in Dallas that Iverson will soon be a Sixer
again.

"No doubt he's coming back," one source said.

Information from The Associated Press, ESPN.com senior NBA writer Marc Stein
and ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher was used in this report.

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標題和前幾段非常振奮人心!!!!

尾段雖然撥了點冷水

但是整體來說仍然是令人興奮的

No doubt he's coming back!!!!


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