After all, there’s no financial risk, and if at some point they change their minds and decide that Iverson is messing up their…well, that’s it, what do they have to mess up, really?  Philly’s season is almost screwed.  Teams that start the season 4–15 do not make the playoffs unless they only sucked because their big time superstar was out injured and comes back 100%.  Well, the 76ers don’t have any superstar to come back from injury, so they’ve hired a former superstar and hope he still has it.

I’m talking myself into this.

Iverson’s a tough fit on almost any team, but the Princeton offense doesn’t really require a point guard, just someone to bring the ball up the floor.  After that, it’s all about passing and off-the-ball movement.  Well, AI’s game has been all about ball monopoly for several years, but once upon a time, Larry Brown had Iverson moving around screens as well as Reggie Miller ever did.  And although AI shoots a ton, I never thought it was selfish; it’s just how he knows to play.  Furthermore, though he’s not a drive and kick guy, and it’s kind of hard for me to remember him ever catching a pass and then immediately passing to someone else, he’s always been a nifty interior passer on the way to the hoop.  And now instead of having George Lynch and Dikembe Mutombo to pass to, he can dish off to Elton Brand near the basket and a bunch of high-fliers who can get at the rim pretty quickly.  (Yes, I know he had Carmelo, J.R. Smith, and some other jumpers in Denver, but it was more of an every man for himself, offense.)

The one other angle I’m considering is Bill Simmons’ whole Elton Brand is a “second banana” thing.  I’ve never really given much thought about the wolf pack mentality on teams the way Simmons does, but maybe he’s right; maybe it’s really important for a team to have an alpha dog.  Lou Williams being out for two months definitely decreased the talent level in Philly, but it’s not like he was top dog, team leader; he’s a young guy figuring out his way like the rest of their roster.  Elton Brand can’t play that role if he can’t bring it on the floor.  And either way I get the impression that neither he, nor Andre Iguodala have the personality for it anyway.  Maybe that’s what the 76ers have missed most from Andre Miller, a guy whose moxie was as important (or more so) than his talents.  I don’t know if I’d ever call AI a leader, but he sure as hell has moxie, and plays with a fervor that borders on desperation: like he needs the ball to go in.  Maybe he flexes superior, throws his body at the defenders, and the rest of the team falls into place behind him

OK, yeah, I’ve just about talked myself into it, that the AI signing is the right way to go.  I needed a third favorite-team-to-watch this year, anyway.  Now, when the Rockets aren’t on, I can flip back and forth between Oklahoma City and Philly games.  Starting Monday.

AI is one of my favorite players ever and I love watching the guy on the court—as long as he doesn’t play for my team.  It’s nothing against AI and it doesn’t have anything to do with off-the-court stuff; I never paid much attention to that.  Rather, having big-contract players with oddball blends of gifts and detriments can be huge commitments in this trade-restrictive, salary-capped league.  And Iverson is an extreme case.  As I wrote last year, getting the most out of AI’s sui generis package requires fully customizing a roster around him.

Remember, AI needs a backcourt mate who can play point guard but also ably defend shooting guards.  How many of those are there in the NBA?  How many are starter-quality players?  How much money do they make?  And can they shoot well from three?  Because, do you want to spend a third of your payroll on a backcourt that can’t shoot?  You’re talking what, Chauncey Billups, Jason Kidd, and…who?  That’s just the start.  Basically, Hall-of-Famer or not, Iverson’s addition to a roster still creates as many personnel problems as it solves.  Just look at the roster of the team he took to the Finals: bar none the least likely Finals roster of the last 25 years.  (Is this a stronger argument for Iverson’s Hall of Fame inclusion or Larry Brown’s?)

So now Philly comes along…  Remember, we don’t even know how good Iverson is at this point.  That he didn’t work in Detroit doesn’t mean that his abilities suddenly deteriorated.  He didn’t fit, he got injured, etc.  He only played 67 unhappy minutes in Memphis, was injured, released.  The present state of his abilities is unknowable.  The only way we’ll find out if he still has it is to get him signed and out on the court.  But in Philly?  The only reason it’s worth considering is because AI doesn’t make big money anymore, and it would be a one-year contract.

OK, then three (among many) questions for Philly:

1. Elton Brand was injured, and then played, and didn’t fit in, and was still rusty and then was injured, and then was rusty…  Now, finally, Brand looks like he might, might, be close to being 80% of the guy Philly thought they were signing to a max deal.  You’ve got him for years to come and are hoping like crazy that he won’t be an albatross.  You want to throw AI into the mix, too?  Really?  Two guys who monopolize the ball, while you’re also trying to develop young players on the roster?

2. What happens when Lou Williams comes back?  How are those minutes split?  Neither Williams nor Iverson is over 6-feet tall.  It’s hard for me to imagine the two spending much time on the court together unless it’s at Rucker Park.

3. Really?

That said, could it work out?  Well I for one think that Iverson might still have it; I haven’t seen strong suggestions to the contrary, and I don’t bet against him.  I think this could be really good for him, just by proving he’s still got the chops.  Could this work out for Philly?  Ummm, sure: I’m a romantic.  And since I don’t have an emotional stake (or $) in the 76ers, I say go for it!  Roll the dice!  You’re nuts but good for you!