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For the struggling Philadelphia 76ers, that means bringing back enigmatic guard Allen Iverson.
"He really wanted to come back to Philadelphia," Sixers general manager Ed Stefanski said in a conference call. "He wants to show people that he can still play."
Iverson's return to the City of Brotherly Love will prove to be the defining
moment for embattled general manager Ed Stefanski, a now toothless front man
that has already expended all of the political capital he inherited when he got the job nearly two years ago.
Stefanski, a Philadelphia native, was hailed as a savior when he took over for
Larry Brown's caddy, Billy King. Now, he's the punch line of a joke, a guy
that makes BK look like Red Auerbach.
To this point, Stefanski's two major moves in Philly were overpaying a broken-
down Elton Brand and hiring his friend from New Jersey, Eddie Jordan, as the
team's head coach. Both decisions have turned out to be disasters, and
Stefanski clearly can no longer spin either to his bosses.
Brand was a great player until an Achilles injury robbed him of any explosion
or lift. I suppose Stefanski could always throw Dr. Jack McPhilemy, the team's
medical director, under the bus for medically clearing the former All-Star, but that's stretching things.
Meanwhile, despite ringing up a 6-23 record over his last 29 games as an NBA
coach, a number of NBA people, including Stefanski, still trip over themselves
while trying to fall on their swords for Jordan, claiming the disciple of the
Princeton offense is a solid mentor despite all evidence to the contrary.
Problem is, Stefanski's superiors, Ed Snider and Peter Luukko, aren't buying
what their GM is selling these days and the business people are now making the
decisions in Philly.
That's never a recipe for success.
Remember, it's not all about your record in the NBA. You are either a "have"
(championship contender) or a "have not". The Sixers are clearly in the latter
category so Stefanski's mindset should be building toward the ultimate goal.
If that means taking a step backwards to take two forward, so be it.
To be fair, Stefanski has amassed some young talent. Andre Iguodala, Lou
Williams and Thaddeus Young still have some upside, while rookie Jrue Holiday
and second-year big man Marreese Speights have shown flashes.
Of course words like "upside" and "potential" mean nothing to the notoriously
tough Philly crowd and the Sixers have been playing in front of half-empty
houses while losing. It is believed Stefanski was getting pressure from the top to boost the team's attendance, currently the second-worst in the NBA.
And what better way to do that then re-sign one of the franchise's all-time
most popular players?
"The first thought was basketball," Stefanski claimed. "Lou was our guy and we didn't need Allen. When Lou went down (with a broken jaw) that changed things. If that means we play better and bring more people in the building, that's great but we have to win."
The Sixers' brass met with the mercurial Iverson on Monday, hours before their
seventh straight loss against the Dallas Mavericks. They sealed the deal
Wednesday morning and are targeting next Monday's home game against the
Nuggets for Iverson's return to the organization.
Make no mistake, Stefanski is worried the 10-time All-Star will hinder the
growth of his younger players with complaints about playing time and late-night trips to the local after hours clubs or The Borgata in Atlantic City.
But, he no longer had the power to stop what was a runaway train.
"There was no guarantee from the organization or Eddie Jordan (about playing time)," Stefanski said. "We are bringing him to play basketball but there was no guarantee. He knows he has to play well to warrant the minutes. Allen knows where the organization stands and where I stand."
I'm sure he does...Iverson was forced on the Sixers' basketball chief.
Desperate for relevance, Snider, who couldn't wait to rid himself of Iverson in 2006, gave his general manager an "Answer" that will end up costing him his job.
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