Re: What would you give for Iverson?

["Berry, Mark S" <berrym@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I remember. I also remember when the Celtics were unselfish, committed
to the team and more concerned with wins than stats. The only guy who
earned the right to blow off practice (and he still showed up), was Bill
Russell. Iverson is talented, but Larry Brown got the most anyone would
ever get out of him when he surrounded him with unselfish, egoless
defenders and coaxed them to the Finals in a weak Eastern Conference. An
Iverson team will never do better than that. Forget any kind of
offensive system with Iverson. He freelances every time down the floor.
He's impossible to play with. He's a great talent who requires the
entire team to be tailored to him, but he's not capable of carrying a
team to the title.



Are you willing to trade Pierce for him? That's what it would take. As
down as I am on Pierce right now (and I'm really down on him), I
wouldn't do that deal. Would I do Pierce for Steve Francis? I'd think
seriously about it. I think Francis is the closer comparison to Isiah,
and I sympathize a little with Francis. I don't think he's chafing at
passing the ball to Yao. I think he's chafing at walking the ball up the
floor and playing Van Gundy's grind-it-out offense every game. That's a
waste of Francis' talents. Someone needs to turn him loose - turn that
team loose. You can play good defense without being a root canal
offensive team. Van Gundy is such a fraud. He's Obie with a better sense
of humor.



Anyway, if you're going to trade Pierce (and if you're talking Iverson,
that's what you're saying), you have to get a big man or a GREAT point
guard. You have to end up with a Pau Gasol, an Amare Stoudamire, a Nene,
a Zach Randolph - an impact big guy. Or a Francis, Kidd, Bibby, etc. You
can't trade him for another swingman UNLESS that swingman is Kobe. And
yes, I'm throwing out there a Pierce for Kobe sign-and-trade after the
season. Kobe's the best in the business.



Mark



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I would move heaven and earth to get Allan in
green.  The guy is the toughest competitor in
the league, and far and away the most talented
small man since Isiah Thomas.  I don't care how
much he palms the ball, or how many tattoos he
has, or how often he's late for practice.  Auerbach
would have loved him.  Doesn't anybody remember
when the Celtics were tough?