Joe Maloof is Talking Positively About Iverson

by Tom Ziller on Dec 11, 2006 2:05 PM PST in Commentary

Joe Maloof thinks it would be a match made in heaven.

Maloof, owner of the Sacramento Kings, told me today that he would have no fear whatsoever of putting the volatile Ron Artest and the volatile Allen Iverson together as teammates.

"Absolutely not," Maloof said in a telephone conversation. "I think they would be fabulous together because they both have the same personalities. They both want to win. They're both warriors. And they both bring it in every game. When you get guys like that together, there's no telling what can happen."

Maloof did not say the Kings were definitely out to trade for Iverson. He said team president Geoff Petrie was handling all trade talks, and would be the one to determine whether Sacramento becomes a major player in the A.I. Sweepstakes.

However, Maloof said Petrie told him a few days ago that the Kings were "in the mix" for Iverson.

I'm worried. AI is about to be a King. Chris Broussard, who just got back from visiting Europe, has the scoop.

Deja frickin' vu.

(From a rocking photoshop'r at Kingstalk.)

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Re: Joe Maloof is Talking Positively About Iverson

I wont believe it until I read the Kings press release. Stop declaring done-deal. Maloofs may like AI but that doesnt mean a thing.

by kingme18 on Dec 11, 2006 2:56 PM PST reply actions

Re: Joe Maloof is Talking Positively About Iverson

i have masterminded the trade that is going to happen:

three team trade involving denver, sacramento, and philly.

save your comments as this is purely in our favor but it worked on espns trade machine.

philadelphia recieves vitaly (expiring), corliss (expiring), bibby, and najera.

denver recieves iguodala and dalembert

sacramento recieves iverson and camby

this trade fails on many expert levels but the salaries match and i was forwarding on tz's proposed miller and camby deal

by CrownUs93 on Dec 11, 2006 2:57 PM PST reply actions

Re: Joe Maloof is Talking Positively About Iverson

Regardless of whether it happens, way to think to think it through! I hear people on the radio or around the water-cooler talking about this and it is so freakin' annoying because they have no clue about basic things like salary match and the rules surrounding trades.

by Kusian on Dec 11, 2006 5:55 PM PST up reply actions

Re: Joe Maloof is Talking Positively About Iverson

The King's need Camby much more than they need AI. Rebounding, defense, and shotblocking at the center position is just what the doctor ordered. But I love AI and I'll take him just to see "what if." You have to admit the Kings are going nowhere and you might as well get some kind of entertainment out of the season.

by Mityt on Dec 11, 2006 3:14 PM PST reply actions

Re: Joe Maloof is Talking Positively About Iverson

BTW, with AI, the Kings will have #1 and #2 in the league for steals per game. The more I think about it, the more I like the deal. If we can steal Iggy or Dalembert too... all the better. I will be sad to see Mike go. I still cannot really think this trade will go down but we shall see. I'd rather have KG, but that's another post.

by Mityt on Dec 11, 2006 3:18 PM PST up reply actions

Re: Joe Maloof is Talking Positively About Iverson

Oh no, not the AI trade talks again. Seriously, people are too in love with AI's game. He's a shot-happy, ball-hogging, turnover-prone player and his high steal rate has more to do with his willingness to gamble then real defensive skill. I've never heard of a player saying they wouldn't want AI to face them on D. Not to mention he's gonna stunt the growth of our rookie PG's...

AND on top of that, he's been doing this for what, 10-odd years now? You'd think he would have learned from his mistakes somewhere in that long time span...

If it were up to me, I'd only give up Bibby if we got someone better to get packaged with AI. Camby sounds great, if a little farfetched.

by silverace99 on Dec 11, 2006 7:05 PM PST reply actions

Re: Joe Maloof is Talking Positively About Iverson

Iverson
this year: 7.3 apg
last year 7.4
last last year 8.0

Bibby
this year: 5.7 apg
last year 5.4
last last year 6.8

ball hog?

iverson is better than mike on D

you'd rather have the injury prone camby over ai? dude what are you smoking

our offense is pathetic and I'd rather have AI chucking up shots rather than mr ron ron

by kingme on Dec 12, 2006 12:16 AM PST up reply actions

Re: Joe Maloof is Talking Positively About Iverson

yes ball hog. He gets 7.3 apg because the ball is always with him. And yet almost nobody in philly other than him is happy with the touches they are getting. Philly ball has always been about standing around hoping that when Iverson runs into a defensive wall on one of his drives, he'll kick it out to you. Not much of a team game going on there.

and being better than mike bibby on D doesn't say much. In fact it says nothing at all. And why wouldn't I prefer camby over AI? He's far less damaging. Be honest we might win a few more games with AI onboard, AND he's very entertaining to watch, but we'd never contend. We're in a rebuild phase right now and Iverson is the wrong player for that kind of plan.

Not to mention it would involve taking on his huge contract and that like bibby he's in his thirties.

by silverace99 on Dec 12, 2006 11:02 AM PST up reply actions