Still, Snider said "half the league" had called about Iverson's availability.

While Iverson's maybe a half-step slower than he was 10 years ago, that's still a step quicker than most players in the league. Iverson leads the league in scoring with 31.2 points, averages 42.7 minutes and 2.2 steals, making it easy to imagine him providing a needed jolt to a franchise trying to make a championship run.

King reportedly had a deal to send Iverson to Boston around NBA draft night, but the Celtics no longer have the No. 7 draft pick they were dangling as bait. King is close friends with Indiana Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh, making it likely those two talked about a deal (perhaps involving point guard Jamaal Tinsley?).

Denver (with Andre Miller); Minnesota (with King fan Randy Foye); and even still the Celtics remain strong targets. Minnesota's Kevin Garnett and Boston's Paul Pierce openly have campaigned for their general managers to bring Iverson in, surely forming what might be a 1-2 punch toward the playoffs.

But could they fit? After all, Iverson never clicked with Jerry Stackhouse, Larry Hughes, Keith Van Horn or Glenn Robinson and couldn't win with Chris Webber.

The next time Iverson is late for practice, skips a team function or clashes with a coach, King simply can smile. Iverson will be stirring with some other team, and won't be the Sixers' problem anymore.

But when Iverson rattles off a stretch of 30-point games, packs arenas with his electrifying play and leads a team to the playoffs, King will have to wonder why the relationship had to sour like it did.

"Allen has done a lot of great things for this organization and I wish him well," Snider said.

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