Back in 2006, the relationship between Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers was unsalvageable. Among other things, “The Answer” wasn’t on the best terms with the coaching staff, which led to a trade request from the 2001 NBA MVP.
AI was still a dangerous player during that year, and whoever got him would have a big chance to compete in the league. During that time, he gave then Sixers GM Billy King a list of teams where he would like to play next.
The Denver Nuggets were on the list, as well as the Los Angeles Clippers. Moreover, Iverson named one team that could have put him in an excellent position to compete for an NBA championship again. Talking on Adrian Wojnarowski’s The Vertical Podcast with Woj, King revealed Iverson wanted to join Kevin Garnett in Minnesota.
“He gave me some teams,” King said, via Bleacher Report. “Denver was one of them. The Clippers were one, I think. There was another one—Minnesota, to go play with KG.”
In the end, he was shipped to Denver in exchange for Andre Miller, Joe Smith, and two 2007 first-round picks. KG would be traded to the Boston Celtics one year later. One can only imagine how good these two would have fared together.
Most people consider that the 2001 Sixers needed one more star to compete against the Los Angeles Lakers. If Iverson was put in a different position, with a star like Garnett, we would probably be referring to him as a one-, two-time NBA champion now.
Instead, he went to Denver, missing a big chance to team up with the Big Ticket and wreak havoc in the Western Conference.
