Sixers would be foolish to part ways with Iverson

It doesn't matter what the question is -- Philadelphia definitely wants and needs the answer. Whether the Philadelphia 76ers understand this is another story all together.

Philly has seemed more like the Windy City lately with all the trade rumors swirling around the Wachovia Center, most of them centering on Allen Iverson.

And although there are many reasons management would be tempted to move its mercurial guard, such a move would still be a mistake.

Without doubt, Iverson does bring his share of negatives to the table. He does have a rap sheet, although his only conviction -- a 1993 mob fight in a Virginia bowling alley -- was overturned by the governor. He has released a rap album with homophobic lyrics. He sometimes feuds with coaches.

He has made numerous eyebrow-raising statements, among them his famed "practice" interview. He has also expressed fear about living in Philly.

"I want to be in Philadelphia but I'm scared to be here," Iverson told the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News in the fall of 2002. "I've heard about police officers toasting to Allen Iverson's next felony conviction."

Another problem is that no one can be a productive No. 2 scorer alongside Iverson. The Glenn-Robinson trade was a disaster, but then, what did you expect? Jerry Stackhouse couldn't play second banana to AI. Neither could Larry Hughes or Keith Van Horn.

Did you really think Robinson, a known whiner, was going to sacrifice his offense for defense and rebounding? Of course not. So the dilemma is that no one can play wingman to Iverson (and Iverson is surely not deferring to anyone else) so the team is filled out by role players who play great defense but sometimes have problems providing offensive support.

Additionally, you have to wonder how much longer Iverson is going to be able to perform at his current level. He is only 28, but at the same time, he's also only 165 pounds. He probably takes more abuse than anyone else in the league, and the injuries are wearing down on him (he missed 11 games in 2001, 22 in 2002, and has only played in 45 this year).

What should make the 76ers wary is that what sets Iverson apart from everyone else who plays -- his blazing first step -- is the first thing he will likely lose. And once that's gone, well, let's just saying no one's paying all that money for Iverson to become a jump shooter; his shot is not that pretty anyway.

But, even with all this is mind, the Sixers still shouldn't trade Iverson.

He wants to win as much as anyone in the league and plays as hard as anyone. He is a great teammate and leader. He is a dynamic offensive force (although his defense is overrated mostly due to his high steal totals).

And his occasional statements aside, Iverson really loves Philadelphia and wants to be there, and the city loves him. Next to Ben Franklin or Will Smith, he is the city's premier icon. He single-handedly fills seats, which in a business like the NBA is just as important, and often related to, winning (see the Atlanta Hawks).

Right now, the 76ers are just 28-39. But in the sad-sack east, that's only one game out of the playoffs. And this team can still be dangerous. People forget that because they lost in the second round last year.

But remember, this team was this close to making the conference finals last year. If Iverson didn't miss two free throws at the end of a game, and Tayshaun Prince didn't turn into Larry Bird all of a sudden, and Chucky Atkins, of all people, didn't make that ridiculous game winning goaltended layup, Philadelphia would have won that series, and the Sixers would have played the New Jersey Nets in the conference finals. And you had better believe they would have put up a lot more fight than the Pistons, who were swept by the Nets. Of course, since then, other teams have gotten better, and the Sixers have not.

But the key word with Iverson is heart. He, along with Eric Snow, Aaron McKie, and Kenny Thomas are the heart of the team (so was George Lynch, and things started going downhill when they traded him).

The crucial component to Iverson's game is his heart, and that won't diminish or slow down. If any thing, he will have more of it, and more of a desire to prove his detractors wrong when they start questioning if he has in fact lost a step.

If the Sixers choose not to renew Iverson's contract when it runs out, so be it. But there is absolutely no good reason to trade him now. It doesn't make basketball sense, it doesn't make emotional sense, and it doesn't make financial sense.