Metro League’s ‘Soda’ on Allen Iverson and the Grizzlies, a bad mix from the start.
By Andrew ‘Soda’ Wadden
Ladies and gentlemen, A.I. has left the building!
Without even getting a chance to cart him out to their home crowd the Memphis Grizzlies and Allen Iverson have parted ways. The former M.V.P. and the Grizzlies are finished after the Grizzlies announced that they and Iverson have come to an agreement to dissolve his contact after getting just three games from Allen, all of which came on the road. You got to feel for Iverson. Not long ago Allen was one of the biggest stars in the game, but ever since he was shipped from Denver to Detriot it’s been a roller-coaster ride for A.I. Allen’s time spent in Denver was positive for the most part, though no playoff success was his ultimate demise from the Nuggets. Taking a look at what the Nugs needed the most at the time, it was easy to see why they traded Iverson to the Pistons for Chauncey Billups. The Nuggets already had scorers Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith, and they needed a true point guard to get Melo and Smith baskets. The Pistons were just flat out the wrong team for Allen. A veteran team that already had two very capable starting guards in Richard Hamilton and Rodney Stuckey. With Rip and Stuckey as starters Iverson was banished to the bench, and if there’s anything Allen hates more then practice, it’s being told to come off the bench. It’s just not an option for Iverson. Rightfully so.
Remember this, Iverson just two years ago was third in the NBA in scoring with 26.4 PPG, behind only Lebron James and Kobe Bryant. At 34 Iverson still has game, he just needs the right environment to prove so. The Grizzlies needed a cheap solution to put fans in their seats and adding Iverson without considering what they already had was a mistake. They should have known better. The Grizz already had a young nucleus of budding stars in O.J. Mayo, Mike Conley and Rudy Gay. Adding Iverson to this bunch was like adding oil to water, they won’t mix. So now he’s gone from Memphis without a team to play for. Is there a place still for Allen Iverson in the NBA? Yes. Question is where? Rumors of the Knicks showing some interest. Iverson on Broadway playing for Mike D’Antoni’s uptempo offense is a mix that might actually make sense. In New York, Allen would get free-reign to light it up night in and night out, which I’m sure any Knick fan would rather see as Nate Robinson, Wilson Chandler and Larry Hughes don’t seem to be capable to do so. It should be very interesting to see who will take a stab at Iverson next. Whomever that it will be, they better have 20 plus shots a game to give and have a starting position available or they won’t be getting the real Answer.