PHILADELPHIA -- The nameplate is gone. The locker is cleaned out. Video highlights have been edited, and those No. 3 jerseys will soon hang on the discount rack.
Yet, Allen Iverson began another day with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Unable to swing the right deal for the seven-time All-Star, team president Billy King appeared in no hurry to rush a trade Wednesday. While it seemed likely Iverson would be gone by now after chairman Ed Snider said last week they were seeking to trade him, the search went on for a new home for the point guard and his 31.2 points per game.
Iverson was to be inactive again for Philadelphia's game against Boston on Wednesday night, his fourth straight game on the list.
The Sixers have grown weary of the daily Iverson interrogations, getting quizzed about Iverson's status from the media to friends and family. Everyone wants to know what's up. Coach Maurice Cheeks said after Wednesday's shootaround he knew nothing about a possible trade.
"People call and ask about this and about that, but there's nothing going on," Cheeks said. "They just know we haven't been winning games and they know other things are going on."
The Sixers aren't the only ones dealing with the swirling speculation. Almost every team has been linked in some sort of trade rumor, most of them unfounded, though some appear to be dropping out of contention faster than the Sixers in the Eastern Conference.
Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof both said the club wasn't interested Tuesday, apparently removing Sacramento from the mix. And Charlotte could be involved in a possible multi-team trade, though it's unlikely the Bobcats will end up with Iverson. Even some in Minnesota suddenly seem cautious about taking on "The Answer."
"As things are going well, people are apprehensive to change what got us there," Timberwolves assistant coach Rex Kalamian said.
While a few players, like Minnesota's Kevin Garnett and Boston's Paul Pierce, said they would openly welcome Iverson on their team, others are more on edge, realizing they could be part of a swap.
"Whatever happens with the Sixers is the Sixers," said Timberwolves rookie guard Randy Foye, a trade option for his potential and for his Philadelphia connection after a college career at Villanova. "He's a great player, but you can't let things like that distract you. You just have to keep on playing."
For all the scoring he brought to the Sixers, not even Iverson could make a difference for a franchise sliding toward another draft lottery. The Sixers were stuck in last place when he was placed on the inactive list Friday, and they're still there after Monday's loss to Portland.
The Sixers take an eight-game losing streak into Wednesday night's game against Boston, their worst skid since April 1997. The Sixers (5-15) have lost 15 of 17 and are tied with Charlotte for the worst record in the East.
brf132 
