Looking for the ‘Answer’

As I sit here and watch the Allen Iverson situation unfold, I can’t help but think how awesome he would look in a Cavaliers uniform. Three years ago when there were rumors he might come here via trade, I didn’t want him. Mainly because I thought it would hamper LeBron’s development. Now, I think LeBron can handle it. And I think the Cavaliers would look fantastic with a much faster, trimmed-down starting five that could roll Eastern teams and hang with Western teams. Consider;

-It would probably take a combination of Hughes, Z, Marshall, Shannon Brown, Sasha to get Hughes. In fact, I think any trade would have to include at least Hughes, if not Z too. Now, before you start crying about how much of a difference Hughes makes in the starting line-up, consider that you would basically be swapping Hughes for Iverson as AI would most certainly have to play the two-guard – and is much more durable than Hughes.

-Given that trade (Z/Marshall and Hughes for Iverson) your starting five would look like this: Gibson/Snow at the point (preferably Gibson, although Snow has a nice familiarity with Iverson having played with him in the late 90s and on that Eastern Champion team), Iverson at the two, LeBron at the three (further establishing him as a point forward), Gooden at the four and either Marshall or Andy at “center”. That is a line-up that could run up and down the floor all night. And with Iverson’s mentality and LeBron’s ability to get his teamates the ball, defenses wouldn’t be able to come down and set-up and wait for the Cavs, much like they are now with Z, especially the much faster, much more agile teams in the West.

-Would this team win the finals? Maybe. Let’s not forget that Iverson is a fierce competitor that is much more saavy than people think. He wants to win. Badly. And playing with a contender, a locked-up superstar, good supporting players, a solid coach and an owner that believes in the team and has the dollars to prove it? Well, I like the Cavs chances a lot better now.

For more on why any team should want Iverson, check out the Sports Guy’s column on A.I.

Anyway, I’m just not sure why there hasn’t been heavier discussion about this among the Cleveland media and fans.