As I write this on Monday night, there are two big NBA stories swirling around Los Angeles: the Clippers are in serious talks with Allen Iverson, and the Lakers are having trouble signing Lamar Odom.
Should these two stories break a certain way, the Clippers would become relevant in Los Angeles, almost overnight.
Let's say, for the sake of argument, that the Clippers sign Iverson. A lot of people think he's finished, but I'm not one of them. He's a career 27 points a game scorer (30 per game in the playoffs), who has appeared in the last ten NBA All Star games. You simply cannot guard him with one player--he'll torch whoever it is. I covered a game in Denver in December of 2007 and watched Iverson score 51 points against the Lakers (49 in the first three quarters). Last November, Iverson scored 25 points in leading the Pistons past the Lakers, handing LA its' first loss of the year. He did all of this over the last 20 months, and I'm convinced he has a lot left in the tank.
At the same time, let's say that Mitch Kupchak isn't bluffing and that the Lakers pass on signing Odom. Here's what Elliot Teaford from the LA Daily News wrote on Monday night:
Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said tonight he was "not as hopeful" of re-signing unrestricted free agent Lamar Odom "as I was Friday." Asked why, Kupchak said, "It's just a feeling you get. You have conversations with the player's representative and, right now, I'm not sure we're on the same page."
Asked during halftime of the Lakers-Clippers summer league game, if he was the point of throwing up his hands in frustration, Kupchak said, "Perhaps."
Kupchak said he had no further plans to talk with Odom's agent, Jeff Schwartz.
"I understand it's a process. I am surprised it's taken us so long to get to this point."
It's believed the Lakers have offered Odom a deal of more than $8 million per season. It's also believed that there are no other teams currently courting Odom, who made $11.4 million last season in the final year of a six-season deal he signed with Miami.
So let's say the Lakers don't sign Odom. That would leave the following line-ups on opening day of next season:
LAKERS
Starters: Kobe, Fisher, Bynum, Artest, Gasol.
Bench: Farmar, Brown, Powell, Mbenga
CLIPPERS:
Starters: B. Davis, Iverson, Kaman, Camby, Griffin
Bench: Gordon, Thornton, D. Jordan, M. Taylor, R. Davis
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Wouldn't you at least watch that game? A year ago, the Clippers couldn't even compete with the Lakers, and now they would put up a fight. Even better, when teams like Denver, San Antonio, Dallas, Houston and New Orleans came to town--you would actually want to go to Staples to see who would win. And I'm talking about the Clippers here.
If they sign Iverson, I think they make the playoffs. Especially if Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady don't show up in Houston, and Carlos Boozer leaves Utah. I would bet on it.
Of course, since we're talking about the Clippers here, they could always screw this up. But it's fun to think about, isn't it?
