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All Quiet on the Eastern Front

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Well, I've now read the Wednesday morning edition of the Philadelphia Daily News and the Boston Herald, and there is nothing new on the Iverson Watch.  

Phil Jasner in Philadelphia actually seems to have come up with less than nothing.  

The latest rumor filtering in from Sacramento had the Kings sending Mike Bibby and rookie Quincy Douby. Well, maybe that wasn't the latest rumor. The Sacramento Bee, attributing information to a source, suggested Bibby and Kenny Thomas, and a three-way deal sending Bibby and Thomas to the Los Angeles Clippers, with Shaun Livingston and Corey Maggette going from the Clippers to the Sixers and Iverson landing with the Kings.

Um, let's see.  The Clippers have said Livingston is untouchable even if it gets them Iverson.  Why in the name of all that is holy would they give up Livingston and Maggette in return for Bibby and Kenny Thomas?  When you make up stuff, you really ought to have it be remotely believable.

Mark Murphy in Boston also mentions Maggette and Livingston, but I'm convinced at this point that the beat reporters just automatically include those two names when the Clippers are involved.  It's a substitution algoritm, a trade-lib if you will.  

1) Enter the name of a young point guard.  
2) Enter the name of a disgruntled wing.

Congratulations, you have created an Allen Iverson trade rumor.  

So for the Warriors, it's Monta Ellis and Mike Dunleavy Jr.  For the Wolves, it's Randy Foye and Ricky Davis.  Try it, it's fun!  None of it makes any sense of course.

Ric Bucher told the NBA guys on ESPN Tuesday night that Indiana, offering Jamaal Tinsley and Marquis Daniels (point guard and wing!) and presumably something else, was the new front-runner.  Hmmm.  Hard to figure that one.  The Indianapolis Star hasn't picked up the same scent.  The only mentions of Iverson in Wednesday's edition are to say that Indy is NOT a likely destination for AI.

So, for now, there does not appear to be any news.  As the days go by, and we get closer to Dec. 15, it seems more likely that the Sixers are waiting for an offer that includes a free agent from this summer, like Marquis Daniels or ... Sam Cassell.  I also have to figure that if the Clippers had already offered Livingston in any package, this deal would be done.  The Sixers would jump at that, wouldn't they?  

I dunno... the Clippers continue to be mentioned as being contenders... but the deal is not done yet...  Are those dots I see before me, waiting to be connected?  Or do I just need some sleep?