Tracy McGrady a Perfect Fit for the Sixers

Reports surfaced Thursday that the Philadelphia 76ers are highly interested in former NBA All-Star Tracy McGrady. The Sixers are willing to trade Samuel Dalembert and Andre Igoudala for Tracy McGrady. Since the Sixers brought their legend Allen Iverson back, they have not been winning too many games.

The team is not playing great defense, and they can be much better on the offensive end because they have one of the greatest scorers the game has seen, and the rest of the squad is very talented and can score the ball well. Problem is, they run a Princeton offense, which is very structured, and is a bad offense for explosive scorers like Allen Iverson.

But the biggest reason the Sixers are struggling is because their franchise player is not a franchise player. Andre Igoudala is a great player, but he is not a guy who can carry the team. Quite frankly, a 34-year-old Allen Iverson with arthritis in his knee is still doing better for the Sixers and can lead the team further if given the green light to do so. Some guys just have the ability to lead a team single-handedly and some don't.

Igoudala would be an incredible second option on a team with a dominant big man like Dwight Howard. He would be a great fit with a team like Orlando or the Cavaliers. Igoudala is almost like Scottie Pippen because he can be a superstar once he is the second option, but when he is a first option he is inconsistent. Igoudala has never been an all-star player and that's why the Philadelphia Sixers have not had any success since Allen Iverson left the team in 2006.

But now Iverson is back, sacrificing and showing GMs and owners all over the league that he can fit in—and not cause problems for teams. He is also proving that he can still score and be a good first or second option. Iverson is shooting a career-low 10 shots per game and a career-high 47 percent from the field. His jumper is as good as ever, and he still has quickness and explosiveness. Iverson is playing well, averaging about 16 ppg and five apg in just 30 minutes.

He is not a distraction like people predicted, and he is being a great leader by helping the young guys on the team. This is all good, and it is great watching Iverson back in Philly and in a happy situation. Iverson is sacrificing, which is a good thing, but he is doing it for the wrong team at the wrong time. Iverson is sacrificing for a team that is 12-26 and 14th place in the East. He is supposed to be the go-to guy and the guy the Sixers go to on most possessions like they did in his first tenure with the team.

But Igoudala is that guy, and he is not willing to give that spot up. It seems like the Sixers front office and coaches are beginning to realize, however, that Igoudala is not the guy who can carry the team like Iverson once did. Hell, Iverson is probably thinking this himself and is probably wondering why the Sixers have their franchise in the hands of a second option. It is time for a new start with some old flavor. They don't even have to start over because this is a team that can make the playoffs and even win a round or  two.

But not with Igoudala as their leader. He just does not have that quickness, clutch, or mentality that a superstar carrying a team is supposed to have. He should sit back and learn from one of the best—because one of the best is on his team again and is still capable of doing it especially if he gets the freedom, touches, shots, and minutes Igoudala gets. If he is not willing to do that, then another guy capable of carrying a team is available.

The Sixers are in hot pursuit of Tracy McGrady, and they should trade Iggy and Dalembert for T-Mac if they can. McGrady and Iverson is a deadly combination. Iverson would get more freedom, and when he gets freedom he is unstoppable. Elton Brand would start to do his thing at the PF spot. McGrady, who has been working out with one of the best trainers in the world in Tim Grover, would prove doubters wrong once he got his minutes and shots.

This team would have more offensive fire power than any team in the league. The McGrady and Iverson backcourt used to dominate in all-star games. But the only negative for the Sixers would be the fact that a dominant post presence in Samuel Dalembert. If the team fails, which I doubt, then they have T-Mac's $23 million coming off the books and they could make a run at a player in the best free agent class in recent memory.

T-Mac is hungry and Iverson is hungry. This team would be starving to prove doubters wrong. They could have a huge second half of the season after the all-star break with this team and it would be a scary team if they got into the playoffs.

The future of this team lies not in Igoudala's hands but in Tracy McGrady's hands because it will work now—and if it doesn't the Sixers will have $23 million in the most stacked free agency class in recent memory.