Same story, different city

In the Philadelphia Daily News John Smallwoord follows up on rumors that the 76ers have been quietly surveying season ticket holders to their reaction to the possibility of life without Allen Iverson. The team strongly denies it. Smallwood thinks about it for a bit and asks, well: why not?

There are only two reasons to keep a player as the centerpiece of your franchise: He can win you a championship or he is a ticket magnet who keeps the money flowing.

Iverson, through no fault of his own, is no longer either of those for the Sixers

Only 15,732 fans showed up for the game against the Pacific Division-leading Suns, the highest-scoring team in the league, featuring reigning MVP Steve Nash. With the Sixers' average home attendance being the fourth worst in the NBA, it's clear that seeing Iverson play is no longer enough for the team's fans.

So if the Sixers can't win a title with Iverson and he's no longer a draw, what's the benefit of keeping him?

King said the Sixers did not survey season ticketholders about life without Iverson.

Maybe they should. The results might be surprising.