Croce: Iverson Staying, As Of Right Now

Yes, Pat Croce said during a CNN interview yesterday that 76ers star Allen Iverson "is not going anywhere."

Just understand the circumstances.

The 76ers' president was on the floor of the First Union Center, the site of the Republican National Convention. He helped recruit 10,000 volunteers for the convention, gave a motivational speech and helped deploy groups to various events.

This was anything but an NBA setting, but Croce was still asked about the status of Iverson, who has been the subject of trade rumors and speculation.

Croce's exact response included Iverson's nickname when he said, "Bubbachuck is not going anywhere."

Reached last night, Croce said: "And that's true - as we stand today, he's not going anywhere. But [coach] Larry Brown and [general manager] Billy King have the authority to do whatever it takes to bring us a championship parade.

"I didn't guarantee anything, and I'm not guaranteeing anything. I don't know what could be coming. I just said that, as of right now, he's not going anywhere. And that's true. That's what I told Gary Moore [Iverson's personal assistant] when he called a few days ago."

Iverson has been locked in a battle of wills with Brown, who has talked openly about Iverson's record of lateness for practices and shootarounds and an unwillingness to properly rehabilitate injuries and take part in regular conditioning programs. Iverson is scheduled to play Aug. 6 in Los Angeles in a charity game sponsored by former Lakers star Earvin "Magic" Johnson.

Iverson was a key figure in a blockbuster deal that had been discussed among the Sixers, Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Lakers and Charlotte Hornets. In that proposal, which could have included as many as 21 players to satisfy sign-and-trade and salary-cap constraints, the Sixers would have sent Iverson and Matt Geiger to the Pistons and would have received Jerome Williams from the Pistons, free agent Eddie Jones from the Hornets and free agent Glen Rice from the Lakers.

The other facets of the package would have sent Christian Laettner and Jerry Stackhouse from the Pistons to the Hornets, and Travis Knight from the Lakers to the Hornets. The Lakers would have acquired Anthony Mason from the Hornets and free agent Toni Kukoc from the Sixers.

Teams can begin signing free agents tomorrow. They have been able to speak with the players and their representatives since July 1, but by league rule were not permitted to consummate deals.

Since the story about a potential four-team trade broke last week, Kukoc has instructed agent Herb Rudoy to do whatever it takes to keep Kukoc in Philadelphia. At this point, Rudoy said the two sides were not close.

A source familiar with the workings of King's four-team proposal said "a flicker of hope" remained, but doubted that the deal would be consummated.

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