Philadelphia 76ers Basketball Team

Less than three weeks after Allen Iverson was traded, Larry Brown rejoined the Philadelphia 76ers, this time as an executive vice president instead of a coach. The 76ers said early today that Brown would assist team President Billy King and the basketball operations department, and work on other special projects. "Oh yeah, I think he's very happy back in Philly," said Brown's agent, Joe Glass. The move was expected after Philadelphia traded Iverson to Denver last month.

The Clippers are among the teams the Philadelphia 76ers have contacted about Allen Iverson, proposing a multiplayer trade that would include Corey Maggette to bring the disgruntled star guard to Los Angeles, multiple team sources said Tuesday night. It appears unlikely, however, that the Clippers would complete a deal for Iverson unless the 76ers softened their demand that Shaun Livingston be part of the trade. Also, it would force Clippers owner Donald T.

As a sworn contrarian and hot dog, there's no percentage whatsoever in sneering at the 76ers. Every Tom, Dick and Harry will do that and these days most of them write blogs. So just for a moment, let's look at the Allen Iverson trade from Philadelphia's perspective ... Whew, this is harder than I thought. Well, I tried. Moving Iverson may have been rough on 76ers President Billy King, but it was a great 10 days for the league, because everyone, but everyone, was part of it.

Allen Iverson was no longer the answer in Philadelphia. The question now is, how will his unique blend of talent, passion and uncompromising independence play in Denver? The four-time NBA scoring champion, nicknamed "the Answer," was traded by the 76ers on Tuesday, along with forward Ivan McFarlin, to the Nuggets for point guard Andre Miller, forward Joe Smith and Denver's two 2007 first-round draft picks, pending league approval.

Twice in two games over three days, spread across the opening weekend of a two-week trip that probably will define their season, the Clippers had the ball in their hands in the final seconds, a play drawn up and a chance to win or force overtime. Twice the play broke down. Twice a shot that wasn't in their plans fell off the rim. And twice they walked off the court dejected and frustrated after losing to an opponent with a sub-.

The star-crossed seven-year career of Chris Webber in Sacramento ended in a stunner Wednesday night, when the Kings, who had risen and fallen with him, sent the five-time All-Star forward to the 76ers for three journeymen. Going to the 76ers with Webber were reserve forwards Matt Barnes and Michael Bradley. Coming from the 76ers were forwards Corliss Williamson, Kenny Thomas and Brian Skinner.

Right in the middle of the playoffs an exhibition broke out. At times this felt less like the third game of a first-round series between the Detroit Pistons and Philadelphia 76ers and more like a celebration of all things Allen Iverson. It wasn't just his phenomenal play, which resulted in 37 points and 15 assists -- plus the usual assortment of faster-than-the-eye-can-see dashes and bumps and bruises -- that set this apart.

The Philadelphia 76ers hired Jim O'Brien as their coach Tuesday, handing the former Boston Celtic coach a team that could be on the verge of a major rebuilding project. O'Brien replaces Chris Ford, who was promoted from assistant on an interim basis after Randy Ayers was fired Feb. 10. O'Brien will be introduced today at a news conference. O'Brien, 52, stepped down as coach of the Celtics on Jan. 27 after clashing with Danny Ainge, the team's executive director of basketball operations.

It wasn't supposed to be like this. Sam Clancy, last season's Pacific 10 Conference player of the year and a second-team All-American at USC, was a can't-miss, first-round draft choice, a possible lottery pick whose game of low-post power and feathery baseline jumpers would translate well into the NBA. Instead, five months into a rookie season in which he has yet to play, he's bound to the bench in street clothes, breaking a sweat only during pregame shoot-arounds and off-day practices.

Larry Brown's travels continue. Where he will land next is anyone's guess. He quit Monday as coach of the Philadelphia 76ers and said the team released him from the final two seasons of his contract, leaving him free to pursue job openings with the Clippers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Houston Rockets, among others. Brown, 62, did not speak about his future Monday except to say, "A lot of jobs are open, but I just left a great one.