Allen Iverson hasn’t returned to the Sixers, and the “he’s done for the season” rumors are getting stronger every day. While there are parallels to Iverson’s brief stay in Memphis – when AI left the team and was contemplating retirement – his motivation this time has been clear. His family is dealing with the severe illness of his four-year-old daughter, Messiah, who has been suffering with an as yet undiagnosed respiratory condition for months.
While we hope for little Ms. Iverson’s speedy recovery, let’s re-assess the fantasy values of her dad’s teammates – many of whom get a boost in value while AI is out of the mix.
The most obvious beneficiary is Lou Williams, who re-claims the lead guard role from Iverson. And as the Sixers’ playoff hopes fade and the franchise looks to transition to younger players in important roles, Thaddeus Young should have the opportunity to finish strong.
Williams and Young are owned in close to 90 percent of all ESPN NBA.com leagues. But Marreese Speights’ percent-owned has dropped to under 9.0. And like Young, he should get more playing time in March and April as part of the Sixers’ youth movement. Don’t forget rookie point guard Jrue Holiday, who also moves up in the pecking order 0.8% owned and newly-acquired Jodie Meeks 0.1% who could get a look if the Sixers go with a full-bore “let the kids play” philosophy.
via Working the Wire – Iverson Experiment Over?.
