When the Sixers traded for Chris Webber on that snowy deadline Thursday in the east last season, Maurice Cheeks figured Philadelphia had secured the Atlantic Division title and perhaps a return run at the conference. After all of these years, solo artist Allen Iverson finally had a super wingman, a true post buddy for the postseason.

C-Webb and Philly looked like a legitimate contender, Cheeks thought, fresh off being fired as coach of that Portland team of back-talkers and can’t-players — the Jail Blazers.

Cheeks had always coveted that Sixers gig, too. He was Mocheeks in Philly, a retired jersey, and beloved point guard on the city’s last title team with Doc and Moses and Coach Billy C. Cheeks was later assistant to Larry Brown during the Finals run of ’01. When Brown finally left, the Sixers tried to hire Cheeks, but Portland denied all access to its Anthem Hero. So Philly opted for the other Brown assistant, Randy Ayers, who didn’t make the season, and then settled for Celtic castoff Jim O’Brien for last year.

More than coaches, stars win in this league, and the Sixers suddenly had two, even if Webber was on the downside of his career. The Sixers gave up pocket change in Kenny Thomas, Corliss Williamson and Brian Skinner to make the deal with new-direction Sacramento, but gambled heavily on Webber’s sizable contract. There’re two ways to rebuild in the NBA: Tear it down, play the lottery and bear years of growing pains (see the baby Bulls) or get lucky (see Heat) and land Shaq.

The Sixers had no such luck. In the 21 regular season and five playoff games Webber played for the Sixers last year, he looked old and rickety and troubled by weary, noisy knees. He couldn’t run the floor and he couldn’t board, and on those rare nights when he felt good he seemed bored, struggling to make the transition from the Kings’ motion offense predicated on ball movement to the Sixers’ notion of moving the ball to AI.

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Webber made no secret of his unhappiness, particularly with O’Brien, who could never get the Sixers to fit his mantra of spread the floor and jack up 3-balls. With the players griping over the coach, who became more withdrawn as the season transpired, and Cheeks on the market, President/General Manager Billy King boldly opted for change.

Enter Mocheeks.

“I was shocked when I got the call,” Cheeks said. “It’s always been my dream job, but I put it out of my mind once they hired Jim. When Philly traded for Webber, I thought they were going to be an immediate contender. He was a thorn in my ass all the time while I was in Portland. He’s a finesse player and he needed time to fit in. Health is a big factor with him. He was used to a different style. He’s used to having the ball in his hands, finding guys for layups. He makes players better. If he’s completely healthy he’s a star.”

Webber’s health likely will determine the success of Cheeks’ second career with the Sixers. The team was extremely cautious with him during the preseason, as he played in only two games. In fact, Cheeks has yet to have his starting lineup of Iverson, Webber, Andre Iguodala, Kyle Korver and Samuel Dalembert on the floor during an actual game, and will have to wait another week or so until Dalembert returns.

“Coach Mo has brought a positive environment, but he will definitely let you know what is going on,” Webber said. “Positive doesn't mean not telling you what you are doing wrong and not getting on you, because he does that without even thinking of it.”

Webber entered the league in 1993-94, the year after Cheeks ended his 15-year playing career.

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“With him, I’m trying to soak up all that I can,” he said. “He played with Moses [Malone] and [Charles] Barkley, guys that I myself admired. For me, when he says something, I kind of look at him [as] a player who played and try to feel his knowledge that way.”

In the end, Cheeks will have to find a way to make Iverson and Webber mesh on the floor. Both need the ball to be effective, Iverson to score, Webber to pass. In Sacramento, Webber was used to touching the ball during each possession, and that didn’t happen last year in Philadelphia.

“C-Webb makes other players better, and we’ll use him in that role,” Cheeks said. “I see Webber finding Allen and the others for layups and Kyle for open jumpers. I think he’ll only help Allen.”

Iverson is turning thirty, and thirty is one of those transition ages for professional athletes. Suddenly, he is not the renegade who tormented the old-school suits on and off the floor anymore. Now he’s a veteran who has accomplished the individual goals of a Hall of a Famer, and now the only thing left is to prove that he, too, can play with others.

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