12/21/24
September 23, 2003
What's Iverson worth?: Apparently $77 million over four years ($19.25 mil a year). The extension is expected to be announced Wednesday.
posted by Ufez Jones to basketball at 10:20 PM - 12 comments
Serious dent in the salary cap - however, someone would pay Iverson that if the Sixers wouldn't. Always really liked AI - leaves it all on the floor.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 08:10 AM on September 24, 2003
I wish the Wolves could sign KG for that, but he'll probably go for over $20 mil again.
posted by emoeby at 08:27 AM on September 24, 2003
Is Iverson worth a max contract? Without a doubt. I'm from VA so I've been rooting for Iverson before he even played at G-Town (I'm also a huge G-Town fan. I can't even explain my excitement when AI signed with G-Town) so I'm not even remotely objective. But I don't think many people would disagree.
I think that if possible he deserves even more credit than he gets. How many people realize AI was 18th in the league in assists last year? I also think there is a big discrepancy between AI's "thug" image and the actual record. Go back to the record and AI has one arrest in 1997 for a concealed weapon ... that's it. The gun was registered but it was considered "concealed" because it was under the seat. The 1993 brawl in the bowling alley was overturned on appeal. And the incident with his wife was thrown out. So of all the charges there is one which is a concealed weapons charge. That's the record.
posted by Mike McD at 08:39 AM on September 24, 2003
The 'thug' image is due to more than just tangles with the law. There is his rap career as Jewelz and the tattoos in the mix too. Still, he's got skillz. I'd have him for my team. I'd want him on my team. That said I thought a max contract was around $13m a season? or do the players (Shaq, Garnett et al) that had the huge contracts before the last CBA (or whatever they have) get grandfathered and are able to get raises above that limit?
posted by gspm at 08:48 AM on September 24, 2003
I thought the max was in the neighborhood of $17M a year. And Billy King would be run out of town on a rail if he didn't re-sign AI. Mike, innocence in the judicial system doesn't carry over to the court of public opinion. AI may not be Reuben Patterson, but he's no AC Green, either.
posted by mbd1 at 10:03 AM on September 24, 2003
I'm assuming that those players get grandfathered in, because the word around town is that KG will probably get $20 mil a year. Not bad, but still less than the $28 mil he is getting this year.
posted by emoeby at 10:33 AM on September 24, 2003
I will sign with any NBA team that offers me a multi-year deal at $13M. And by that I mean however many years they want me for with the total contract value at $13M. US$, though, has to be US$. On topic, I will agree that AI is a huge talent, probably more of a team player than given credit for, and would be a huge additon to GSW or any team (except maybe Lakers or SA). Still, I don't think I'd root for him. And contrary to Mikey, I've always been a G-Town hater, going back to that smug John Thompson and the way he beat up on poor Seton Hall every year.
posted by billsaysthis at 11:32 AM on September 24, 2003
Another comment on AI. Weird thing if you've followed him since G-Town. He didn't have the "thug" look at G-Town. He was fairly clean cut at G-Town(and it wasn't that he cleaned up for G-Town. I watched AAU games and he looked the same). It wasn't until he got to the NBA and had secured his money, family, and future that he started wearing tattoos and cornrows. It just strikes me as odd that he intentionally changed his image to be more street after he got to the NBA.
posted by Mike McD at 12:56 PM on September 24, 2003
Another comment on AI. Weird thing if you've followed him since G-Town. He didn't have the "thug" image at G-Town. He was fairly clean cut at G-Town(and it wasn't that he cleaned up for G-Town. I watched AAU games and he looked the same). It wasn't until he got to the NBA and had secured his money, family, and future that he started wearing tattoos and cornrows. It just strikes me as odd that he intentionally changed his image to be more street after he got to the NBA.
posted by Mike McD at 12:56 PM on September 24, 2003
Serious question here: Where do teams get that kind of money to pay one guy $20 million/year? Are the T.V. contracts that rich?
posted by NoMich at 02:54 PM on September 24, 2003
AI gets a bad rap - he has had so few run-ins with the law it's funny. Compared to other NBA guys, he's a poster child - and he plays HARD. Family man. And if I was 6' tall and going to the rim every other play I'd thug out too - just so I didn't feel like a little kid out there.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 09:25 AM on September 25, 2003
good luck to the Sixers assembling a contender with the remainder of the salary cap.