Count Julius Erving among those convinced the Lakers hoodwinked his beloved Sixers in the deal that landed Philadelphia oft-injured center Andrew Bynum.
Erving told USA Today Los Angeles sent Philadelphia “damaged goods,” when they decided to ship Bynum east last off season. Bynum, now a free agent, never played a game for the Sixers and his future with the team remains as big a mystery as the day Philly dared to take its initial gamble.
Erving candidly spoke before a special premiere of The Doctor, a documentary produced by NBA TV on the life of the Hall of Famer and former 76ers great, who helped lead Philadelphia to a sweep of the Lakers in the 1983 NBA Finals, the organization's most recent title. He also helped the Sixers reach the finals in 1977, '80, and '82.
Narrated by hip hop icon Chuck D, the 90-minute movie will air at 9 p.m. June 10 on NBA TV. Erving, now 63, used the USA Today interview to weigh in on a host of league issues, including his belief today’s players are more viewed as mercenaries as fans tend to follow players more than teams.
Erving emphasized his point by pointing out one of his son’s favorite player is LeBron James, while another son's favorite is Derrick Rose – and that if Rose joined the Sixers, his son would still like the point guard but wouldn't be a Sixers fan. As one of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players and a Hall of Famer, Erving used the dunk to revolutionize the game. He is a four-time league MVP, a three-time league champion and was named an All-Star in every season of his 16-year career.
Beyond his playing career, the film addresses three tragedies in Erving's life, which he speaks publicly about for the first time ---the deaths of his father when he was 9 years old, his brother Marvin when he was 19 and his youngest son, Cory, after an automobile accident.
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