5 replies to this topic

[AxlsMainMan]

Allen Iverson: Can He Still Help A Team?

By Dan Welin (Member) on August 19, 2010


It was reported over the summer that Allen Iverson is working out with the intention of returning to the NBA this season. If that is true the only thing that would hold him back is which team would gamble on a player with the potential to be an astronomically large distraction?

Allen Iverson’s star power has lost its shine ever since he left Philadelphia. He hasn’t averaged higher than 26 points per game in a season and that was last done during the 2007-2008 season.

He is now 35 years old and a few months removed from arguably his most forgettable season as a professional basketball player. He showed glimpses of his old self, but for the most part it was evident that his skills have declined. To go along with that, he was an enormous distraction on and off the court.

Despite saying that, Allen Iverson could still help an NBA team during the 2010-2011 season. He has many qualities and has accomplished so much that it’s hard to see how he wouldn’t help a team.

Allen Iverson has played 13 full NBA seasons and participated a little bit last season. That makes about 13 and a quarter seasons of NBA experience. That alone right there is reason enough to believe that he could help a team. If someone is competing in the best basketball league in the world for that long, he’s obviously doing something right.

Iverson also still possesses many other intangible things that the average NBA veteran wouldn’t be able to provide a team.

We are talking about Allen Iverson here. He is a former NBA MVP, four-time scoring champion, 11-time NBA All Star. He also led the 76ers to the NBA Finals in 2001. To think that a team can get a player with that kind of resume to “help” them make the playoffs this season is insane.

That is where the main issue of this comeback resides. Iverson has had trouble in the past being a role player and coming off the bench. It makes sense because he has been “the guy” his whole life, but in a league of immense talent you can’t be the best forever and Allen needs to understand that before he gets himself into any more trouble this season.

Ultimately Allen Iverson will be able to help a team this season. It appears that he has come to realize that in order to keep playing in the NBA he needs to accept a reserve role and rebuild his public image.

All of the evidence is on his Twitter page. He has had a few tweets this summer that show he has sat down and thought about how to get his life back together and make a successful return to the NBA. His most recent post is the one that makes it seem like Allen knows what he has to do.

On July 5th he tweeted, “I want to return to the NBA this season, and help any team that wants me, in any capacity that they feel that I can help. I'm disappointed, and I owe my fans more than what they have seen of me the last couple seasons. However, now that my family is healthy and rock solid, I can concentrate fully on doing what I do best! At the camp, I will help teach kids some of what it takes to be successful in life on and off the basketball court.”

Allen Iverson is ready to return to the NBA and help a team contend this season. The question is not “Can Allen Iverson still help a team?”, but rather “Who wants to take a chance on the “new” AI?”

http://bleacherrepor...s-or-is-he-done

[Kujo]

He used to be great because of his reckless style on the court. That style has lead to too many injuries that have diminished his skills significantly. While he can still help a team, he isn't the superstar that he thinks he is anymore. Definitely not worth the trouble that he brought to Philyy (2x), Denver, and Detroit.

[AxlsMainMan]

You should check out this video of his last game as a Grizzly against the Lakers:

Even at 34 with an arthritic knee, he still played with a tremendous amount of heart. It's also really strange when a dude with Iverson's resume can't get signed but Ben Rapistburger and Pacman Jones, etc have employment.

[Kujo]

I will never question the mans heart. He abused his body more than anyone since Dennis Rodman. He is capable of the occasional stand out game but he is no longer "The Man" caliber. Those other two should not be allowed to play anymore. They have abused 2nd and 3rd chances both. Has Iverson announced that he is definitely playing this year? Someone will grab him in the hopes of capturing lightning in a bottle. I would have thought the Kncks but if the land Carmelo, they wont risk the distraction. I think the Celtics with a good core veteran team could handle Iverson.

[AxlsMainMan]

All I've heard from Iverson so far is he wants to play and is actually finally ready to be a role-player now. Celtics have wanted him forever to be a back-up for Rondo, so that's still one scenario, but the best one for him to finally get his ring would be for the Heat to sign him. An aging arthritic Iverson is still an upgrade over Mario Chalmers.

[Kujo]

Except the Heat aren't winning a damn thing I still am not majorly impressed with Bosh and don't think they will be as good as Orlando or the Celtics in their conference, let alone the Lakers. Plus if the Knicks add Carmelo and Paul over the next year, there is another team that would be on par with them. It will be interesting to see how Lebron handles going from one of the most beloved players in the league, to one of the most hated outside of Miami.