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Reminder: Thanks to Stephen A. Smith, Allen Iverson-Tracy McGrady Combo Never Happened

ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith recently admitted that his reporting on the Sixers trading for Tracy McGrady in 1999 gave the Raptors cold feet.
Justin Grasso|
Reminder: Thanks to Stephen A. Smith, Allen Iverson-Tracy McGrady Combo Never Happened
Reminder: Thanks to Stephen A. Smith, Allen Iverson-Tracy McGrady Combo Never Happened

The 'should've, could've, would've' game in sports sometimes can be tiring, but at this point in time, we've got nothing better to do. Aside from NBA 2K20 tournaments and a classic game of HORSE, there's nothing all that entertaining going on in the NBA world as far as 2020 news goes.

Therefore, some fans and analysts are dipping into the past to discuss some scenarios of what could've been. On Saturday, the Philadelphia 76ers were topic of discussion as a potential trade rumor from 1999 made its rounds on Twitter.

When a Twitter user, @TrevRichHD, tweeted out a picture with a rumored trade rumor from decades ago involving Tracy McGrady and the Sixers, it got the attention of ESPN personality, Stephen A. Smith.

The picture revealed the following text:

"In 1999, the Raptors had a deal in place to send McGrady and a first-round pick to the 76ers for Larry Hughes. Toronto got cold feet and backed out after Stephen A. Smith broke the news. Allen Iverson was only 24 at the time. Could that have been the best backcourt ever?"

Now, this picture creeps into what would be considered meme territory since there's no sourcing. However, there wasn't a need for fact-checking after Stephen A. Smith himself caught wind of the tweet and decided to confirm the report.

Let's be clear; this isn't actually considered to be "news" at the moment. Former 76ers General Manager Billy King revealed this scenario multiple times, most recently dating back to 2017. However, this does mark the first time we can recall Stephen A. admitting he might've caused Toronto to get cold feet. While Stephen A's report might've spoiled something that could've been great in basketball back in 1999, it's difficult not to issue props to him for getting the scoop. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s Philadelphia 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia Threads: @JGrassoMedia

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