If you are an Allen Iverson fan, you will have to wait a little while longer to see AI play in the NBA again. This past Tuesday, he was given the opportunity to join the Texas Legends (The Dallas Mavericks’ D-League affiliate), but decided to decline the offer.
Most NBA fans will remember Iverson from his years as a Philadelphia 76er, where he won the NBA Most Valuable Player award, took the team to the NBA Finals, and won 4 NBA Scoring titles. Iverson also had stints with the Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Memphis Grizzlies, and Beşiktaş (A Euroleague/Turkish Basketball League team (where Deron Williams played during the 2011 NBA Lockout)). Iverson was not a popular player among NBA GMs when he left the league in 2010, because he was considered a problem player.
From 2003 onward, Iverson’s career had many bumps with one striking similarity with the majority of issues as Iverson coming off the bench. Allen was first asked to come off the bench in 2003, while still with the 76ers, and attempting to return from injury. Then-Coach Chris Ford was fired at the end of the season, particularly for failing to develop chemistry with his players. After 4 more disappointing years in Philadelphia, and a demand to be traded, Iverson was traded to Denver for 2 first round picks, Andre Miller and Joe Smith. After being traded from Denver to Detroit, Iverson again had a problem with reduced playing time. Then-Coach Michael Curry favoured Rodney Stuckey to Iverson, and therefore Iverson lost minutes, and was forced to come off the bench. He would eventually sign a one-year deal with Memphis, but ended up leaving the team less than 2 months after signing said contract. On his departure from Memphis, Iverson stated that he wasn’t pleased with being a bench player, only having played 3 games with the Grizzlies.
Fast forward to this past Tuesday, when Allen declined the offer from the Legends. Although he is 37 now, he still sees himself once again playing in the NBA. He declined the offer humbly, releasing a statement that also mentioned that he doesn’t mind coming off the bench at this point in his career. Based on Iverson’s recent history in Basketball, it is doubtful that he will ever put up stunning numbers anymore, but it is foreseeable that Iverson could contribute to a team for the next 2-3 years. Age and fitness level are the two questions surrounding Allen Iverson’s future in the NBA.
With the recent loss of All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo, many Celtics fans are perhaps looking at the possibility of adding Iverson. There is no doubt of Iverson’s once unstoppable scoring abilities, but the question we are all left asking is ‘Does he have anything left in the tank?’. I believe that he still has a little left in the tank, and could contribute/help lead a team to the NBA Finals again. He should look to teams decimated by guard injuries, like: Boston; Chicago; Los Angeles (both teams); Atlanta; Utah; Philadelphia; Minnesota; Golden State; Toronto; Portland; and Washington. I personally would like to see him replace Jason Richardson in Philadelphia, sort of a homecoming, helping out J’rue Holliday and Evan Turner win some playoff games.
Defense over Offense 
Nice blog….