http://ken-berger.blogs.cbsspo...ry/11838893/15865675

Posted on: July 2, 2009 10:13 pm Ben Gordon to the Pistons is a done deal. The method by which he will get there is still under discussion.

CBSSports.com has learned that the Bulls and Pistons may yet revisit Detroit's agreement with Ben Gordon and instead investigate a sign-and-trade that would send Allen Iverson to Chicago.

Discussions have not yet reached the highest levels of both organizations, but the revised look at how Gordon goes from Chicago to Detroit would benefit Gordon and the Bulls. Gordon would get an extra year, and thus more money, by signing with the Bulls and getting traded. The Bulls, who currently are getting nothing for losing him, would get Iverson -- a fading future Hall of Famer who would get to finish his career in a major market as long as he's willing to accept a secondary role.

It's a farfetched scenario, and not everyone involved would be on board -- particularly the Pistons. The major sticking point would be how to sweeten the deal for Detroit, which would only consider such an option if it would provide significant cap savings. The Pistons took themselves out of the 2010 free-agent sweepstakes by agreeing to terms with Gordon and Charlie Villanueva on the first day of the free-agent negotiating period. Those agreements are not binding until July 8, when the league-mandated moratorium is lifted and the league and players association agree on the salary cap and luxury tax for the 2009-10 season.

A person familiar with the situation said the Pistons would flat-out refuse to entertain a sign-and-trade for Gordon unless it provided significant savings. The Bulls, too, may not be eager to do business with Gordon, whose agent did not give the team a chance to match Detroit's offer.

The Bulls also would want to know that Iverson, 34, would be totally committed despite not making the $20 million he's accustomed to and without playing the primary role he enjoyed for his entire career until he was traded to the Pistons for Chauncey Billups last season. Iverson did not adapt well to diminished minutes with the Pistons, and late in the season vowed to retire before he would come off another team's bench.

But Iverson apparently is invigorated by the prospect of getting past the Detroit experience. He wrote on his Twitter account Thursday, "For those of you who thought that I was done, think again! ... My only preference will be to play for a coach that knows what I bring to the table and that I am going to bring it every night."

It has been widely speculated that Iverson would land in Charlotte with his former coach, Larry Brown, with whom he had a rocky relationship in Philadelphia. But the two men respect each other, and Brown recently gushed about his time coaching Iverson. Beyond teams with cap space (Memphis, Oklahoma City, Sacramento) who wouldn't be interested in signing a veteran like Iverson, the options for A.I. are limited to sign-and-trades and, more likely, a deal for the mid-level exception or less.

While the sign-and-trade scenario with Detroit is farfetched, Iverson is exploring all options to find one more landing spot in an often tumultuous but Hall of Fame career.

yeah I read this on mlive as well.....very interesting but could make the Bulls better than they are now without Gordan...not worth it like the article says unless we can get some money out of it and sign another good player.

A sign and trade would benefit Iverson, allowing him to get more than the MLE, and it may benefit Ben Gordon, but what does it do for the Pistons?

Only if it's a Iverson/Maxiell for Gordon. Taking $5 million off the books. That would give the Pistons about $9 million to sign McDyess for what he could get elsewhere, and also another center. Others could be involved, but only Maxiell would have a significant impact.

This isn't going to happen. Why would Chicago want to trade for Iverson, especially when they can just pick him up for the MLE as a FA? And they definitely aren't going to take back Maxiell just to clear our cap space.

The Pistons don't even have the Rights to Iverson any more to do a sign in trade he would have to agree with it.Why not do a Sign and Trade with another team for a big man for AI?

The Piston's don't have rights to AI, but they have cap room to sign him for more than the MLE.

Anyone can sign him for the MLE, but if the Bulls really want him, they have to offer him more than anyone else. This is a way to do it. And, the Bulls can tell fans they didn't lose Gordon, they got AI and Maxiell for him.

It also benefits the Pistons. They would have Gordon's "Bird" rights, and could restructure the deal to give him 10.5% raises instead of the 8% allowed for free agents. This could result in the same amount, with a lower 1st year and a higher 5th year.

In a trade for Maxiell, AI could be signde for $6,350,000. If the Pistons add others, it could be more.


Maxiell's $5 mil x 125%+$100 thosand.

Im scared about this. Couldnt Chicago just sign him, and they turn into a **** and not send him to us?

quote:

Im scared about this. Couldnt Chicago just sign him, and they turn into a **** and not send him to us?

I've never heard of that happening. They would probably have the trade finalized before the players are signed.

I heard on the radio that AI told Memphis he wants to play for the Grizzlies. Must be looking for more than the MLE. Memphis and OKC are the only other teams significantly under the cap.

Maybe AI's ego won't allow him to play for the MLE.

quote:

Originally posted by Shoe:
http://ken-berger.blogs.cbsspo...ry/11838893/15865675

The Bulls, who currently are getting nothing for losing him, would get Iverson -- a fading future Hall of Famer who would get to finish his career in a major market as long as he's willing to accept a secondary role.

LOL!!!! Hence the reason this is all BS, Iverson will NEVER EVER accept a secondary role without crying and acting like a little b***h just like he did here last year. Selfish cancer who will go down in history as a great scorer who never won SQUAT!

I also believe Iverson has a big ego thats why this sign and trade is his only option outside of playing for Memphis (OKC is not a legit option IMHO). Probably not going to happern but at the same time this is the kindof trick Joe D seems to have up his sleeve every once in awhile.

quote:

Originally posted by Clutch 2k:
Im scared about this. Couldnt Chicago just sign him, and they turn into a **** and not send him to us?

sign & trades are treated as a single transaction. if they dont fork him over in 48 hours (i think), the entire deal is voided

Sign and Trade AI & Max for Brad Miller. Could this even happen?

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Star
Posted July 03, 2009 07:05 PM Hide Post
Sign and Trade AI & Max for Brad Miller. Could this even happen?
Posts: 1024 | Location: Parts Unknown, MI | Registered: August 22, 2005

If we did that, we wouldn't have cap space to sign Gordon and Villanueva. That deal would eat up $7,250,000 of cap space (Miller's $12,250,000 less Maxiell's $5,000,000). AI was already part of the $19-$20 million we had available.

It is an interesting proposal. A way to possibly clear up a little more cap room for another free agent signing.

I don't see why Chicago would want AI though cause he'd want to start too. And they already have Salmons, and Hinrich who complement Rose a lot better than AI would.

This trade is not going down. Chicago has no incentive to trade with us. They can get AI for cheaper as a FA. Only Ben, and maybe the Pistons (if we can clear up more cap space via a deal w/lower starting salary & higher yearly raises) would benefit. Chicago has no reason to do this deal, much less take on Maxiell. They already have Joakim Noah, a high-energy PF who doesn't score much. They surely don't need another.