Not to step too far outside the bounds of good sports blogging etiquette, but this passage from John Heilemann's New York Magazine piece on the devolution of the (ahem) factual quality of one side of the presidential election's ads deserves some attention.

[Racial undertones are] most glaring in "Troops," which features footage of [Barack] Obama sinking a three-pointer in Kuwait. [...] But the spot's deeper aim is to foster an unconscious simile: Obama as a blinged-up, camera-hungry, NBA shooting guard, Allen Iverson with a Harvard Law degree. Am I reaching? Consider this: Would the ad have featured footage of Obama on a golf course draining a hole-in-one? "No, it wouldn't," laughs a GOP media savant. "The racial angle is the first thing I thought of when I saw that ad.

If this is really the aim or motive of the ad (which you can see here), some John McCain operative has been paying attention as the NBA struggles to overcome the unfair American perception that the league is full of thugs.

It's a sad, sad commentary that in any part of this country the game of basketball can be used as a visual smear on someone's image. For every effort the NBA makes to fix the image, we're still pretty damn close to square one. Of course, there are issues bigger than A.I. at foot.

Via The700Level, Comcast Sports Net in Philadelphia checked in with old Sixer stars Allen Iverson and Charles Barkley on the Elton Brand acquisition. (Try not to get too distracted as A.I. bobs and weaves like Floyd Mayweather and Campbell Brown.)



Barkley's take is a popular one from the typically silent majority of NBA fans: players should make their own decisions. Unfortunately, the loudest insistence often comes from columnists shouting "greed!" and "disloyalty!" For all the caterwauling from Mike Dunleavy, this comes down to a decision made by a grown man. Brand chose Philadelphia for whatever reason was important to him, and Dunleavy's has little choice but to live with it.

Aaron McKie has had some recent trouble with the law -- an alleged 2001 attack on his then girlfriend is what got him in trouble recently for attempting to purchase a handgun -- but that does not make him any different from a large portion of America.
However, a member of the exclusive Gladwyne community, a suburb of Philadelphia, apparently took umbrage to the idea that McKie would be welcome as a new neighbor. So much so that a flier was distributed anonymously throughout the mailboxes in the community, which read:

"Attention please, read if you care about your neighborhood!!! How can we prevent Aaron McKie from moving into our safe and peaceful neighborhood. His house is almost complete on Youngsford Road. Let's prevent another Iverson from moving in!"

The stereotypical idioms expressed in the flier -- referring to McKie as "another Iverson" -- certainly seem to stem from a racially based prejudice rather than an actual belief that McKie is dangerous. Or, as Matt at the 700 Level said, it's a good guess "that the characteristic [Allen Iverson] and McKie share that is bothering the pamphleteer isn't that they're both professional athletes or possessors of criminal records."

Allen Iverson had until today to opt out of the final year of his contract with the Denver Nuggets, and his agent Leon Rose just confirmed to the Rocky Mountain News that his client will play out his current deal, which will pay him more than $20 million in 2008-09. This was certainly expected -- Iverson has said he wanted to remain all season, and Marcus Camby predicted his teammate would return earlier this week -- but you can never take anything for granted.

Just because Iverson decided against opting out doesn't mean he'll necessarily be playing in Denver next year: his hefty expiring deal is an interesting bargaining chip for teams looking to make a move, and guys like Carmelo Anthony and Camby have also been mentioned in their share of rumors. Plus J.R. Smith, whom AI is essentially blocking from the starting lineup, is a restricted free agent -- while Denver's up-and-down style of play fits his game, he may be able to find a starting gig elsewhere.

Even if the Nuggets can't find a blockbuster to their liking, expect at least a small deal: ESPN's Chad Ford reported a rumor yesterday involving the Grizzlies sending Kyle Lowry and the 28th overall pick to Denver for Linas Kleiza. That deal coud. make sense for both teams, considering Grizzlies' glut of point guards and the fact that Anthony Carter, the Nuggets' starter last year, is now a free agent. Whatever happens, expect the Nuggets to be one of this summer's most active teams.

Welcome to a new intermittent NBA FanHouse feature. Peter Vescey of the New York Post throws more crap against the wall than any other ink-stained scribe (now that Sam Smith is a blogger). Vescey Watch is our way of keeping track of how many bad rumors he prints this summer.

Two more teams fell victim to the Offseason Blues this weekend, and our man Vescey knows exactly what will happen to one of them:

FAILING to crash The Finals for the third straight season is guaranteed to cost Pistons coach Flip Saunders a fourth try. ... On the "flip side," assistant Michael Curry - not Terry Porter, a leading candidate for the Suns' vacancy, or Dave Cowens - is certain to succeed Saunders.

At least P.V. backs the conventional wisdom on this one. He rejects at least part of it in his May 25 guarantees concerning the Knicks' draft plans.

I guarantee Donnie Walsh will not surrender his first rounder (No. 6, overall) for the express purpose of liquidating a loathsome contract, as certain hysterical media mopes hypothesize . . . and continue to be employed.

"Hysterical media mopes?" That has a nice ring ... maybe we should rename this feature.

Two days prior, The Viper addresses those pesky Carmelo Anthony rumors.

... [I]t's absurd to think the "Imperial" Anthony is available. Allen Iverson is a different story. On the final year of his deal, it's highly unlikely he'll get a stratospheric, long-term commitment from the Nuggets.

We'll see about that, Pete.

Chris Tomasson of the Rocky Mountain News punches in a piece asserting the Nuggets and the camp of Allen Iverson have discussed a contract extension which could keep The Answer in Denver through 2010-2011 (or longer). On first glance, already salary-addled Denver would seem to be adding to its burden. But Tomasson notes this deal could save the Nugs some cash next year.

Obviously, a key factor would be what the contract numbers might be. If Iverson, in exchange for additional contract years, were to sign a new deal that paid him $5 million less next season, the Nuggets would save $10 million due to the dollar-for-dollar luxury tax.

As the frequency of major trades has ticked upward in recent years, there seems to a vogue toward erasing payroll (and its associated luxury tax pain) in the immediate term with the hope you can tinker around the edges later. This sort of plan -- increase the length of your financial burden with A.I., but find a way to shrink your obligations for just next year -- does just that. Sure, 2010-11 looks like it will suck, with $17 owed to Carmelo Anthony, $16 million for Kenyon Martin, and $11 million for Nene. But there's plenty of time to worry about that; the key is finding some breathing room in 2008-09.

It doesn't hurt that Iverson is precisely the sort of player who won't likely see his trade value fall over a cliff one of these summers. A.I. had a good season in Denver, and despite what you've heard Denver had a good season. This is a smart move (depending on the dollars).

And Tomasson doesn't mention it, but ... there exists the possibility that A.I. opts out in order to take Denver's deal, but another team steps in to offer more money. There's no indication A.I. would leave, but you can never bet against teams taking extreme measures to land a talent like Iverson.

After a rather humiliating sweep in the first round by the Los Angeles Lakers following a rather mediocre regular season, Denver Nuggets fans wanted change. Be careful what you wish for, for ye will surely get it.

In a report this morning by the North Jersey Record, there is a blockbuster trade being worked on between the New Jersey Nets and the Nuggets that would send Carmelo Anthony, yes, Carmelo Anthony and Marcus Camby to New Jersey in exchange for Richard Jefferson, Marcus Williams, Keith Van Horn and his faux-contract, and the Nets potential lottery pick.

Take a sec to let that idea sink in. I'll give you a few.

Okay.

So beyond the obvious prospect of trading away the player that was long considered their franchise player and one of the league's leading scorers, the Nuggets are also considering throwing in a former Defensive Player of the Year that is still able to do things like, you know, defend. In return they are talking about a 27 year old solid small forward, but after that it's a rookie prospect, some cap room, and a draft pick that is likely to be around the eleventh. In order for this to work, the Nuggets would have to make a pretty big splash in both the draft and free agency. We're talking "max contract offer to Elton Brand" level of splash. If that weren't to happen, where does this leave Allen Iverson? Carrying the burden for a group of underachievers and a few talented pieces? Haven't we seen this script before? The Nets, on the other hand, would instantly have a ton of talent, and still have a first rounder. They would then start a lineup of Devin Harris, Vince Carter, Carmelo Anthonyge, Krstic, and Marcus Camby, with a late 1st round draft pick, Josh Boone, and reasonable cap flexibility within a few years with Melo's player option and Carter's expiring. Wowzers.

Ah, trade season's back. How we missed it. Let the rumors fly!

In another of our continuing series, five things to keep an eye out for tonight in the Lakers-Nuggets game tonight.

1. Dear God, Make It End: You know those scenes in The Office, where it's too painful to watch? Yeah, this series has been like that. Yes, watching Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom play keep-away is pretty exciting, and don't get me wrong, Kobe dropping 49 always makes for good television. But having to watch as the Denver Nuggets implode on national television just makes you feel bad for them. Carmelo Anthony admits the entire team quit, and George Karl's already updated his resume at this point. At some point, you just want the misery to end. Yes, a victory would salvage some level of pride, but really, is it worth it to prolong the inevitable?

2. What Does The Future Hold?: This game could tell a lot about where the Nuggets are headed. If they get swept, you have to anticipate a reboot/detonation of the current core. Likewise, if trailing 3-0, at home, trying to avoid a sweep, after that disgusting display in Game 3, if the Nuggets are unable to formulate any sort of passion, pride, or sense of self-dignity, it's curtains for George Karl. There may be no way to avoid that possibility at this point, anyway, but a blowout loss tonight would actually make it difficult not to let Karl go.

Who said the Nuggets didn't have any fight in them Saturday afternoon as the Lakers smoked them? Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson each ripped coach George Karl after the game, and Karl fired back himself. Chris Tomasson of the Rocky Mountain News offers an A.I. quote, who reacted to being benched for the final 11 minutes of the game.

"To not go back in, I don't understand that,'' Iverson said. "And (Karl) didn't even say nothing to me even afterward . . . I played every game with a broken finger and all. I always came to play, every game we had. So why not tell me nothing?''

'Melo didn't wait for the post-game, according to Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times.

How can the Lakers judge their playoff acumen if they are beating a Nuggets team whose most energetic moment Saturday occurred in the fourth quarter when their coach George Karl was being heckled? "Just don't sit there!"

The heckler's name? Carmelo Anthony.

'Melo also told the Mountain News the entire team quit, from the coaches to the players. Coach Karl disagreed ... well, at least in defense of himself.

"Well, I don't think I quit. I quit on not passing the ball,'' said Karl, when asked about Anthony's post-game comments. "In the fourth quarter. I tried to find some answers. I tried to find, 'Is Chucky (Atkins) going to help us?' . . . I think Melo's emotional right now. He's frustrated right now, as we all are. And keeping our composure and a maturity to it is probably the best way to go.''

Fun times, Denver!

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded NBA Correspondent, brings his exclusive NBA reporting to FanHouse. Check back here regularly for more videos.

In this video, Nuggets All Star Allen Iverson has some tips for reporters. Around 1:22 into the video Lakers Center Pau Gasol tells us what makes him happy.


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