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Yo man, you kinda cute. Wanna get some ice cream sometime?
Iverson - " I'll Retire before i do this again.."....... on his role on Piston.
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by guillermo gutierez,
- Start date
Yo man, you kinda cute. Wanna get some ice cream sometime?
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I was kind of upset when I heard he was taking the rest of the season off. It's like calling in sick to work for the rest of te year because you dont likethe job. I really expected more from A.I. SMH with dissapointment.
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How you gone highlight the "I" in his name
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regardless
iverson is a one of a kind player. and whatever happens to his career from this point in doesnt even matter
we were blessed to see him play n his prime. i hope our kids watch his mixes on youtube or something
iverson is a one of a kind player. and whatever happens to his career from this point in doesnt even matter
we were blessed to see him play n his prime. i hope our kids watch his mixes on youtube or something
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How you gone highlight the "I" in his name
At that point, I was just clowning. But to the one who said I overlooked him taking the blame, you have to look at the statement in it'scontext. He's still looking solely at himself. It's his fault for him not being ready to try to take over games in the minutes he has. Not one mentionof trying to fit in with the team. Not one mention of trying to contribute to the team. It's all about him being able to score when he sees theopportunity.
I was also gonna bring up how much he must like the font that the Pistons currently use, because the "1" even looks like an "I".
mjshoefanatic
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A.I. should have never went to Motown to begin with. He's a franchise player not a 6th man
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So, practice is overrated?Originally Posted by LilStarZ07
what colors am i showing????????????????????????????????? do you even know what the statement means? and if your 15 year old brother dresses like ai when he goes to the mall, you better be piggy backing off his %+! cuz the chain alone is worth 100 thou ...Originally Posted by solefob
and I'm showing my true colors
the clothing issue I brought up wasn't my main argument for not liking him, just one of many things. You're a 30+ year old millionaire, stop dressing like my 15 year old brother when he's going to the mall.
If you want to equate Iverson to a calculus student, he's more like a kid with pretty good intelligence but needs to study to get good grades but doesn't and gets a C instead of working hard and getting an A. Now maybe if he won a championship or had consistent deep playoff runs excluding 2001 then maybe your analogy would work.
The reason why Kobe, along with Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan are my favorite players is because they worked hard. It was Scottie and Mike who created their "Breakfast Club" where they would start their daily workouts at 6 am daily before even getting to practice then put in a full effort in when practice does start. Also its not just for themselves but to make your teammates better through practice, setting a good example. Those bulls team realized that if the best player in the world works hard constantly then they have to match that effort or there would be hell to pay.
Just look at the Celtics before KG got hurt when they started off on that unbelievable tear to open up the season then went on a downward spiral after losing to the Lakers on Christmas day. Their biggest complaint wasn't injuries, fatigue or anything else like that. It was that they didn't have a lot of time between games to PRACTICE and build cohesion amongst the team.
and ill be damned if you make less and less sense as you progress through your statements ... so youre telling me allen iverson for his career is an average (c student) basketball player? your rebuttal to my analogy lacks intellectual basis and can only be rivaled by brain damaged fire ants ... winning a championship (or a team math competition) has no direct correlation between how skilled an individual player is as far as their own abilities are concerned, but rather how well the TEAM performs ... saying an A student isnt an A student because he hasnt won a math competition, yet has set the standard for mathematicians on his own is simply ridiculous ...
and just for your information, practice is a good scapegoat for bad players/teams ... the cowboys liked to blame not having enough practice time with roy williams as to why him and romo sucked ... fact is, they just suck ...
If you look back at Iverson's teams and their results, its C student quality. Nothing spectacular or outstanding and it was you who was using the mathanalogy, I was just trying to speak your "language" but it was so damn confusing that when I spoke it back to you, you couldn't even understandit.
Also, I do know what the meaning of "true colors" You were showing it with your hate of a certain shooting guard who plays in Los Angeles and yourtheory that he only accepts his spanish teammate because he doesn't take away any of his spotlight.
So go ahead and insult my intelligence, it doesn't change the fact that you're on the wrong side of this argument.
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some of y;all need to speak for yourself.
i can tell you that i was never a fan. i wasn't a hater but i didnt think he was all that when he was on the sixers.
i think the situation in denver could've been better with melo and him but i guess it didnt work out.
i hated this trade from day 1 as well..............but i did thought he would make an impact in the playoffs for the pistons, guess it wouldn't even lasttill the end of the season.
even tho the pistons organization/coachign didnt handle this situation too well, AI did come to team saying he would do whatever it takes to win and all thatcliche stuff...........
i can tell you that i was never a fan. i wasn't a hater but i didnt think he was all that when he was on the sixers.
i think the situation in denver could've been better with melo and him but i guess it didnt work out.
i hated this trade from day 1 as well..............but i did thought he would make an impact in the playoffs for the pistons, guess it wouldn't even lasttill the end of the season.
even tho the pistons organization/coachign didnt handle this situation too well, AI did come to team saying he would do whatever it takes to win and all thatcliche stuff...........
ghenges
Supporter
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I smell childhood memories being crushed. Dudes can't handle seeing Meverson become a washed up role player.
Him making these ridiculous comments aren't helping him either. He's irrelevent at this point.
Him making these ridiculous comments aren't helping him either. He's irrelevent at this point.
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ridiculous? obviously you've never played sports and something like this happened to you. how can he be a washed up role player when last year he avg. 26point per game?everything you just said is irrelevent
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Well, if there's one thing we can gather from this, it's that AI's fan base plays way better defense than he could ever imagineplaying. And they even use teamwork. How ironic.
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Mark Jackson said the same thing.I wish he would have made better "PR" decisions or better "People" around during hiscareer,because actions like this make people believe he is giving up,especially during a contract year and a playoff race.
I really hope he saved a lot of that 150 mil he has made during his career because I don't see a contending team paying him next year.
What we are witnessing folks is the beginning of the end for a lot of folks in the NBA.From AI crossing Mike at the top of the key,Shaq breakingbackboards,seeing KG get drafted out of Farragut,countless Techs for Rasheed Wallace,me not thinking that Jesus Shuttlesworth ankles would make it out the'90s with the way he shoots jumpers,Thanks guys for the memories .
lilstarz07
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Originally Posted by solefob
So, practice is overrated?Originally Posted by LilStarZ07
what colors am i showing????????????????????????????????? do you even know what the statement means? and if your 15 year old brother dresses like ai when he goes to the mall, you better be piggy backing off his %+! cuz the chain alone is worth 100 thou ...
and ill be damned if you make less and less sense as you progress through your statements ... so youre telling me allen iverson for his career is an average (c student) basketball player? your rebuttal to my analogy lacks intellectual basis and can only be rivaled by brain damaged fire ants ... winning a championship (or a team math competition) has no direct correlation between how skilled an individual player is as far as their own abilities are concerned, but rather how well the TEAM performs ... saying an A student isnt an A student because he hasnt won a math competition, yet has set the standard for mathematicians on his own is simply ridiculous ...
and just for your information, practice is a good scapegoat for bad players/teams ... the cowboys liked to blame not having enough practice time with roy williams as to why him and romo sucked ... fact is, they just suck ...
If you look back at Iverson's teams and their results, its C student quality. Nothing spectacular or outstanding and it was you who was using the math analogy, I was just trying to speak your "language" but it was so damn confusing that when I spoke it back to you, you couldn't even understand it.
Also, I do know what the meaning of "true colors" You were showing it with your hate of a certain shooting guard who plays in Los Angeles and your theory that he only accepts his spanish teammate because he doesn't take away any of his spotlight.
So go ahead and insult my intelligence, it doesn't change the fact that you're on the wrong side of this argument.
yes pratice in the middle of the season is overrated ... your point?
and
and if you notice in my first comment comparing ai to kobe, i touched on the fact that i dont let my hatred for the guy blind me of his greatness ... i wassimply pointing out that you can hate a player for whatever reason, but there comes a point when you should put that aside and say you know what, dude is thegoods ... anyone that comes in here and says ai isnt one of the best nba guards of all time and quite possibly the best little guard of all time, is simply ahater ...
ghenges
Supporter
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Time For Iverson To Put the Game First
By J.A. Adande
ESPN.com
(Archive)
If Allen Iverson means it when he says he'd rather retire than keep coming off the bench, then this isn't an issue for Pistons coach Michael Curry or president Joe Dumars to resolve. This is a matter for Dr. Phil, because this is about Iverson's love of the game, his commitment to a relationship that's lasted for a quarter of a century.
The Pistons have asked Iverson to come off the bench for the three games since he returned from a back injury that kept him out for a month. He's reacting about as well as if they'd asked him to come in early for practice.
"I'm in a position now that I've never been in my whole life," Iverson told reporters in New Jersey after the Pistons lost to the Nets on Wednesday night. "It's harder than I thought it would be. With the back injury, I have to sit out at the start, then go in, then sit again. It's tough to really get going. I take my hat off to the guys who can come off the bench and be effective. It's tough for me. I'm struggling with it.
"I'd rather retire before I do this again. I can't be effective playing this way. I'm not used to it. It's tough for me both mentally and physically. If I'm able to go out there, I should be able to get it done and I can't right now. It's my fault. I have to be able to overcome the adversity and do what I have to do. I just have to find a way to get it done. Not being 100 percent makes it harder and you can see that I'm not 100 percent."
If Iverson truly loves the game and wants to continue playing in the world's most prestigious league, he'll understand that it's time to continue on the game's terms. He had his turn in Philadelphia, when the roster was reworked around him while the likes of Derrick Coleman, Jerry Stackhouse, Tim Thomas and Larry Hughes came and went. He won an MVP that way, took a trip to the Finals that way. The game was good to him. It put him first.
This is the time to reciprocate, to realize that sometimes you have to put others ahead of you. The Pistons had a losing record with Iverson in the starting lineup after they acquired him in a trade with the Denver Nuggets. Richard Hamilton did his stint on the bench, did it without publicly questioning his desire to continue. It's not too much to ask Iverson to do the same.
I take Iverson seriously when he says he wouldn't want to stay in the league as a bench player. He's said in the past that he will play as long as he's among the elite, the brand names. He said it again after the All-Star Game in Phoenix, only it didn't jump out at me then, but it stuck with me just enough that I searched through the digital recorder Wednesday night to hear his exact words: "For me, once I can't play like this any more, once I can't compete with the younger guys and do things that I'm accustomed to doing on the basketball floor, I'll know it's my time."
The greats are often the last to know. They have to be told, explicitly. Nothing speaks louder than allocation of minutes. Iverson has played a total of 35 in the past two games, or two fewer minutes than Will Bynum.
There isn't a great big payday to be had for the free-agent-to-be. He won't be the second-highest paid player in the league like he was this season, when he made $22 million. The Pistons weren't going to pay him a lot to be a chemistry-clogging backup, especially if he balks at the role. The cash-strapped Grizzlies aren't going to lavish big contracts, the prudent Thunder won't go after a 33-year-old who still wants to be The Man. He'll have to go somewhere for less money; he'll have to go somewhere where he's asked to fit in.
So it's a question of what has the greatest tug on Iverson's heart: his love of the game, or his love of the way he's used to playing it.
http://
lilstarz07
Banned
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lets see how many .gifs you have for this post Tra ...
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You seem to have conveniently missed a few good quotes in there. Respond to these and maybe I'll take you serious enough to rebut your endless loop ofexcuses for a washed up journeyman:
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LilStar it is over man,lol.
Your trying to save a man that don't want to be saved.Let him gallop into the sunset.
Your trying to save a man that don't want to be saved.Let him gallop into the sunset.
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From today's Daily Dime:
Next Stop For The Answer? That's The Question
By Marc Stein
ESPN.com
(Archive)
My friends who follow American football tell me that Terrell Owens pretty much had only one option for a soft landing after his exile from Dallas, aftereveryone initially thought that T.O. had no options.
As a former not-too-far-from-Buffalo resident who still loves the place -- even though I haven't been anywhere near Western New York since the age of 8 --I don't really get why this is seen as such a step down.
Yet the reason this is relevant matter in the Weekend Dime is not my (annoying) allegiance to the (old) home of the Braves. It's relevant because AllenIverson, after suddenly leaving the Detroit Pistons by mutual consent Friday night, isn't just The Answer any more.
He would seem to be the NBA's answer to T.O., as my pal Wally Lynn of ESPN Radio in Dallas keeps claiming.
Iverson might even be worse off than Owens. You could certainly make that case after the Pistons, who are having enough trouble nailing down a playoff spot inthis increasingly painful season of transition, decided that they didn't need the added burden of dealing with Iverson's daily discontent, deeming itbetter to grant Iverson's wish to heal his back and bruised psyche -- "It's a bad time for me mentally," Iverson admitted earlier this week-- away from the team and the spotlight.
Maybe there was only one team in the NFL universe that was willing to give T.O. his (supposed) last chance, but at least the radioactive wide receiver foundthat team in a matter of days. Iverson really isn't as flammable as Owens and won't be subjected to teams sending out press releases to announce thatthey have no interest in signing him, as T.O. endured, but he will have to wait until free agency begins July 1 to see if he can still generate some interestat 34 after an injury-plagued, tension-filled 54 games in Detroit in which the four-time scoring champ averaged a measly 17.4 points. Which is the first timein Iverson's 13 seasons that he failed to score in the 20s.
So …
Who's next on the AI roller-coaster?
As all the football mavens loudly wondered when T.O. was first let go, will anyone want Iverson next season?
The early indications aren't encouraging. We reached out to 10 teams Friday night after Pistons president Joe Dumars announced that Iverson would beshelved for the rest of the season, heard back from seven of them and didn't turn up even a hint of concrete interest or even promising speculation. Thefollowing list of five possible landing spots, we must warn you, contains far more pessimism than optimism after Iverson's time in Detroit playing for aboss who had coveted him for years proved to be so short and bitter.
MEMPHIS
The Grizzlies believe that there are suddenly some free-agent hoops fans in town in the wake of John Calipari's departure from the University of Memphis toKentucky. Optimistic as that sounds, given the Tigers' local stature no matter who's coaching them, more than one rival executive we spoke withpromptly nominated the Grizz as the team most likely to pursue to Iverson, since they could clearly do with a proven ticket-seller if nothing else.
I'm not at all sold, though.
The Answer, with apologies to O.J. Mayo, would instantly become biggest basketball personality in town with Calipari gone. It's also true that Memphis isprojected to have more cap room this offseason, at an estimated $20 million, than any other team in the league. So you figure that the Grizzlies, given theirwell-chronicled issues filling seats in the Tigers' shadow, would have to at least weigh the possibility of gambling on AI.
However …
No team in the league is more averse to spending money than the Grizzlies, who have agonized all season about whether they could afford to keep Quinton Rossand his modest $926,678 salary on the roster for all 82 games. So it's a major stretch to envision Grizz owner Michael Heisley sanctioning even a one-yeardeal at a hypothetical $7 or $8 million, in spite of the countless empty chairs at FedEx Forum that I'm looking at as I pound this story out with aMemphis-Dallas game on the TV in my home office.
The notion of an Iverson signing in Graceland seems even less likely if you dare to consider any of the on-court implications. Divvying up the shots betweenMayo and Rudy Gay is already a huge issue for the Grizz. Does anyone see Iverson as the facilitator/mentor to get those two clicking?
"Most basketball guys wouldn't touch him," said one Western Conference executive, "but he does sell tickets."
You could also question whether that still holds true. Our best friend in Memphis said he doubts AI would make much of a difference for the Grizz gate-wise. Iacknowledge that doesn't exactly qualify as scientific evidence, but I trust this friend's read on things.
LOS ANGELES
Not the Lakers, silly.
Iverson to the Clippers.
L.A.'s long-suffering other team was the most popular suggestion as a potential AI destination from the small handful of execs we surveyed. I'm alsoquite sure that Clippers owner Donald Sterling would love to see the Iverson circus relocate to Staples Center, no matter how clear it is to everyone else inthe league that we're talking about a fading star.
Of course, as we were reminded by one Clippers expert: "If box-office appeal was the only consideration, there would be a long line for the guy. A lot ofteams fall into the category of needing to sell tickets."
Translation: You'd like to think that even Sterling would realize that his dysfunctional team -- which will be bringing the Mike Dunleavy/Baron Davisdisconnect into training camp in October if the Clips don't find a way to trade Baron, because plugged-in sources insist that Dunleavy's job continuesto be safe with two years and more than $10 million left on his contract -- has no room in the backcourt for Iverson. Not with four years and nearly $54million left on Davis' contract and not with rookie stud Eric Gordon at the other guard spot.
Just to be safe, though, I want to re-issue this quote about the Clips that we ran from a Western Conference scout in March: "They have enough talent tobe relevant. But it looks to me like they're trying to become the Oakland Raiders, going out and getting all the guys who are on their last chance."
EUROPE
The rational among us never believed that the exodus of a dozen or so NBA role players to Europe last summer meant that we should start buying the hystericalstories about Kobe Bryant or LeBron James getting one-year overseas offers of $30 million or more.
Apart from the free-spending Angelopoulos brothers from Greek League power Olympiacos -- better known Stateside as the team that signed Josh Childress awayfrom the Atlanta Hawks last summer -- pretty much no one has money to spend over there. Basketball simply isn't a revenue-generating sport in most foreigncountries, where tiny, rundown arenas and a skeletal infrastructure are the norms.
It was always more likely, even before the global economic downturn hit European basketball harder than it hit the NBA, that the next big name to move abroadwould be a former All-Star at the end of his career, just like we saw in the '80s (Bob McAdoo) or '90s (Dominique Wilkins).
Someone like Stephon Marbury.
Or someone like Iverson … assuming he's even interested in playing something other than NBA basketball.
One Eastern Conference general manager immediately tossed out the European option for AI, since there would be no shortage of shots, minutes and adulation ifhe went to, say, Italy, Spain or Greece.
That GM, though, quickly caught himself, remembering how scarce money will be this summer for players seeking international work.
"It would have to be a Greek team," he said.
BOSTON
I need to stress that this is purely an educated guess from one of my guys who knows his stuff. But I was sufficiently convinced to share the speculation.
If the Celtics fail to repeat as champs -- and if A.I. were willing to take a short-term deal to chase the ring that has eluded him -- Iverson to Boston is notnearly as outlandish as it sounds.
Iverson would almost certainly have to accept the bench role he has repeatedly said he'll never accept again, which is a sizable impediment. But that wouldprobably be the biggest impediment here.
Why are you so sure that the Celts would have no interest in a short-term arrangement? Weren't you just as sure that Boston would never sign Marbury?
We dipped into the archives to find this paragraph from an old Weekend Dime in December 2006, shortly after Iverson's request to be traded in Philadelphiawas made public and when the Celts had no idea that Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen would be arriving months later: "Boston's Paul Pierce, sources say,still wants Iverson as a teammate and remains hopeful that his team has a shot. Danny Ainge, meanwhile, is said to be a longtime Iverson fan, with AIapparently possessing the Michael Jordan brain type and with the Celts' personnel boss known to be a big believer in brain-typing."
The other provocative suggestion in circulation comes from TNT's David Aldridge, who in an NBA.com piece posted Thursday made the claim that the best placefor Iverson to try to resurrect his career is in Charlotte with the offensively challenged Bobcats. And with a certain coach from Iverson's past namedLarry Brown.
RETIREMENT
The latest Iverson drama accelerated to this latest fork in his career Wednesday night in New Jersey, when AI announced after his third game as Detroit'ssixth man that he'd rather retire than come off the bench next season.
You'll notice that pretty much no one is treating it as an April Fool's joke.
That's because it's not hard to imagine the famously proud/stubborn Iverson following Latrell Sprewell into early retirement rather than play for lessof a role and less of a contract than he thinks his stature deserves. Not hard at all.
In spite of the new lows in selfishness he's hit with his candor this time -- which can only exacerbate the me-first reputation that often overshadows thefour scoring titles and 2001 MVP trophy he racked up as one of the most dynamic and durable little men this game has ever seen -- I don't doubtIverson's sincerity one bit when we hear him say: "I'm happy with my career and the things I've done in my career. I feel blessed thatI've had the opportunity to accomplish the things that I've accomplished, to do the things that I've done. I would feel fine if I had to[retire]."
How likely is it that he'll end up feeling that way?
Let's be honest. In the very best-case scenario -- which required him to grit his teeth through one season in Detroit as a role player after the Pistonsacquired him mostly for the future flexibility that comes with his $20.8 million expiring contract -- Iverson was still looking at a massive pay cut in the $15million range next season.
And that was before Iverson missed 16 games with a mysterious back injury, grudgingly logged limited minutes in three games and then negotiated a mutual leavefrom the Pistons for the rest of the regular season on the eve of what undoubtedly would have been a humbling return to Philadelphia on Saturday as a bit-partreserve.
Now?
"I don't think AI has much of a market … if any," said one Western Conference executive. "Maybe some team that wants to get a ticket-salebump. But a serious club, no way. His act is tired and even in his best years, I don't think he was great enough to put up with all the BS he put teamsthrough."
Said another decision-maker in the West: "If he only wants to start, his career may be over."
Next Stop For The Answer? That's The Question
By Marc Stein
ESPN.com
(Archive)
My friends who follow American football tell me that Terrell Owens pretty much had only one option for a soft landing after his exile from Dallas, aftereveryone initially thought that T.O. had no options.
As a former not-too-far-from-Buffalo resident who still loves the place -- even though I haven't been anywhere near Western New York since the age of 8 --I don't really get why this is seen as such a step down.
Yet the reason this is relevant matter in the Weekend Dime is not my (annoying) allegiance to the (old) home of the Braves. It's relevant because AllenIverson, after suddenly leaving the Detroit Pistons by mutual consent Friday night, isn't just The Answer any more.
He would seem to be the NBA's answer to T.O., as my pal Wally Lynn of ESPN Radio in Dallas keeps claiming.
Iverson might even be worse off than Owens. You could certainly make that case after the Pistons, who are having enough trouble nailing down a playoff spot inthis increasingly painful season of transition, decided that they didn't need the added burden of dealing with Iverson's daily discontent, deeming itbetter to grant Iverson's wish to heal his back and bruised psyche -- "It's a bad time for me mentally," Iverson admitted earlier this week-- away from the team and the spotlight.
Maybe there was only one team in the NFL universe that was willing to give T.O. his (supposed) last chance, but at least the radioactive wide receiver foundthat team in a matter of days. Iverson really isn't as flammable as Owens and won't be subjected to teams sending out press releases to announce thatthey have no interest in signing him, as T.O. endured, but he will have to wait until free agency begins July 1 to see if he can still generate some interestat 34 after an injury-plagued, tension-filled 54 games in Detroit in which the four-time scoring champ averaged a measly 17.4 points. Which is the first timein Iverson's 13 seasons that he failed to score in the 20s.
So …
Who's next on the AI roller-coaster?
As all the football mavens loudly wondered when T.O. was first let go, will anyone want Iverson next season?
The early indications aren't encouraging. We reached out to 10 teams Friday night after Pistons president Joe Dumars announced that Iverson would beshelved for the rest of the season, heard back from seven of them and didn't turn up even a hint of concrete interest or even promising speculation. Thefollowing list of five possible landing spots, we must warn you, contains far more pessimism than optimism after Iverson's time in Detroit playing for aboss who had coveted him for years proved to be so short and bitter.
MEMPHIS
The Grizzlies believe that there are suddenly some free-agent hoops fans in town in the wake of John Calipari's departure from the University of Memphis toKentucky. Optimistic as that sounds, given the Tigers' local stature no matter who's coaching them, more than one rival executive we spoke withpromptly nominated the Grizz as the team most likely to pursue to Iverson, since they could clearly do with a proven ticket-seller if nothing else.
I'm not at all sold, though.
The Answer, with apologies to O.J. Mayo, would instantly become biggest basketball personality in town with Calipari gone. It's also true that Memphis isprojected to have more cap room this offseason, at an estimated $20 million, than any other team in the league. So you figure that the Grizzlies, given theirwell-chronicled issues filling seats in the Tigers' shadow, would have to at least weigh the possibility of gambling on AI.
However …
No team in the league is more averse to spending money than the Grizzlies, who have agonized all season about whether they could afford to keep Quinton Rossand his modest $926,678 salary on the roster for all 82 games. So it's a major stretch to envision Grizz owner Michael Heisley sanctioning even a one-yeardeal at a hypothetical $7 or $8 million, in spite of the countless empty chairs at FedEx Forum that I'm looking at as I pound this story out with aMemphis-Dallas game on the TV in my home office.
The notion of an Iverson signing in Graceland seems even less likely if you dare to consider any of the on-court implications. Divvying up the shots betweenMayo and Rudy Gay is already a huge issue for the Grizz. Does anyone see Iverson as the facilitator/mentor to get those two clicking?
"Most basketball guys wouldn't touch him," said one Western Conference executive, "but he does sell tickets."
You could also question whether that still holds true. Our best friend in Memphis said he doubts AI would make much of a difference for the Grizz gate-wise. Iacknowledge that doesn't exactly qualify as scientific evidence, but I trust this friend's read on things.
LOS ANGELES
Not the Lakers, silly.
Iverson to the Clippers.
L.A.'s long-suffering other team was the most popular suggestion as a potential AI destination from the small handful of execs we surveyed. I'm alsoquite sure that Clippers owner Donald Sterling would love to see the Iverson circus relocate to Staples Center, no matter how clear it is to everyone else inthe league that we're talking about a fading star.
Of course, as we were reminded by one Clippers expert: "If box-office appeal was the only consideration, there would be a long line for the guy. A lot ofteams fall into the category of needing to sell tickets."
Translation: You'd like to think that even Sterling would realize that his dysfunctional team -- which will be bringing the Mike Dunleavy/Baron Davisdisconnect into training camp in October if the Clips don't find a way to trade Baron, because plugged-in sources insist that Dunleavy's job continuesto be safe with two years and more than $10 million left on his contract -- has no room in the backcourt for Iverson. Not with four years and nearly $54million left on Davis' contract and not with rookie stud Eric Gordon at the other guard spot.
Just to be safe, though, I want to re-issue this quote about the Clips that we ran from a Western Conference scout in March: "They have enough talent tobe relevant. But it looks to me like they're trying to become the Oakland Raiders, going out and getting all the guys who are on their last chance."
EUROPE
The rational among us never believed that the exodus of a dozen or so NBA role players to Europe last summer meant that we should start buying the hystericalstories about Kobe Bryant or LeBron James getting one-year overseas offers of $30 million or more.
Apart from the free-spending Angelopoulos brothers from Greek League power Olympiacos -- better known Stateside as the team that signed Josh Childress awayfrom the Atlanta Hawks last summer -- pretty much no one has money to spend over there. Basketball simply isn't a revenue-generating sport in most foreigncountries, where tiny, rundown arenas and a skeletal infrastructure are the norms.
It was always more likely, even before the global economic downturn hit European basketball harder than it hit the NBA, that the next big name to move abroadwould be a former All-Star at the end of his career, just like we saw in the '80s (Bob McAdoo) or '90s (Dominique Wilkins).
Someone like Stephon Marbury.
Or someone like Iverson … assuming he's even interested in playing something other than NBA basketball.
One Eastern Conference general manager immediately tossed out the European option for AI, since there would be no shortage of shots, minutes and adulation ifhe went to, say, Italy, Spain or Greece.
That GM, though, quickly caught himself, remembering how scarce money will be this summer for players seeking international work.
"It would have to be a Greek team," he said.
BOSTON
I need to stress that this is purely an educated guess from one of my guys who knows his stuff. But I was sufficiently convinced to share the speculation.
If the Celtics fail to repeat as champs -- and if A.I. were willing to take a short-term deal to chase the ring that has eluded him -- Iverson to Boston is notnearly as outlandish as it sounds.
Iverson would almost certainly have to accept the bench role he has repeatedly said he'll never accept again, which is a sizable impediment. But that wouldprobably be the biggest impediment here.
Why are you so sure that the Celts would have no interest in a short-term arrangement? Weren't you just as sure that Boston would never sign Marbury?
We dipped into the archives to find this paragraph from an old Weekend Dime in December 2006, shortly after Iverson's request to be traded in Philadelphiawas made public and when the Celts had no idea that Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen would be arriving months later: "Boston's Paul Pierce, sources say,still wants Iverson as a teammate and remains hopeful that his team has a shot. Danny Ainge, meanwhile, is said to be a longtime Iverson fan, with AIapparently possessing the Michael Jordan brain type and with the Celts' personnel boss known to be a big believer in brain-typing."
The other provocative suggestion in circulation comes from TNT's David Aldridge, who in an NBA.com piece posted Thursday made the claim that the best placefor Iverson to try to resurrect his career is in Charlotte with the offensively challenged Bobcats. And with a certain coach from Iverson's past namedLarry Brown.
RETIREMENT
The latest Iverson drama accelerated to this latest fork in his career Wednesday night in New Jersey, when AI announced after his third game as Detroit'ssixth man that he'd rather retire than come off the bench next season.
You'll notice that pretty much no one is treating it as an April Fool's joke.
That's because it's not hard to imagine the famously proud/stubborn Iverson following Latrell Sprewell into early retirement rather than play for lessof a role and less of a contract than he thinks his stature deserves. Not hard at all.
In spite of the new lows in selfishness he's hit with his candor this time -- which can only exacerbate the me-first reputation that often overshadows thefour scoring titles and 2001 MVP trophy he racked up as one of the most dynamic and durable little men this game has ever seen -- I don't doubtIverson's sincerity one bit when we hear him say: "I'm happy with my career and the things I've done in my career. I feel blessed thatI've had the opportunity to accomplish the things that I've accomplished, to do the things that I've done. I would feel fine if I had to[retire]."
How likely is it that he'll end up feeling that way?
Let's be honest. In the very best-case scenario -- which required him to grit his teeth through one season in Detroit as a role player after the Pistonsacquired him mostly for the future flexibility that comes with his $20.8 million expiring contract -- Iverson was still looking at a massive pay cut in the $15million range next season.
And that was before Iverson missed 16 games with a mysterious back injury, grudgingly logged limited minutes in three games and then negotiated a mutual leavefrom the Pistons for the rest of the regular season on the eve of what undoubtedly would have been a humbling return to Philadelphia on Saturday as a bit-partreserve.
Now?
"I don't think AI has much of a market … if any," said one Western Conference executive. "Maybe some team that wants to get a ticket-salebump. But a serious club, no way. His act is tired and even in his best years, I don't think he was great enough to put up with all the BS he put teamsthrough."
Said another decision-maker in the West: "If he only wants to start, his career may be over."
lilstarz07
Banned
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- Jun 1, 2008
i cant believe people think his skills have diminished THAT much one year removed from averaging 26 a game ... i get the fact that he didnt work in detroit butdamn ...
Ya know, I don't think his skills have diminished at all. And that has never been a part of my argument in this thread. The guy can still play ball, Inever said he couldn't.
I'm talking (and maybe others too) more along the lines of it's time for him to take the lesser role while he still does have a high skill set and bemore effective. Does that make sense?
I think it's only common sense to look at AI and say that at age 34 (next season) he won't be able to carry a team anywhere. So he either joins aloaded team and contributes to that team or he goes to a crappy team and posts huge numbers, but no wins.
But skill set wise, he's still got game. I do not question that at all. But if at 24 his skill set wasn't enough to get it done, why should webeleive that at 34 his skill set will be enough now?
I'm talking (and maybe others too) more along the lines of it's time for him to take the lesser role while he still does have a high skill set and bemore effective. Does that make sense?
I think it's only common sense to look at AI and say that at age 34 (next season) he won't be able to carry a team anywhere. So he either joins aloaded team and contributes to that team or he goes to a crappy team and posts huge numbers, but no wins.
But skill set wise, he's still got game. I do not question that at all. But if at 24 his skill set wasn't enough to get it done, why should webeleive that at 34 his skill set will be enough now?
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- Feb 28, 2008
no one is really saying his skilled have diminished a ton, people are saying he is a selfish bastard who is incapable of being a good teammate, hence the T.O.comparisons in the article above you.
winning a championship (or a team math competition) has no direct correlation between how skilled an individual player is as far as their own abilities are concerned, but rather how well the TEAM performs ... saying an A student isnt an A student because he hasnt won a math competition, yet has set the standard for mathematicians on his own is simply ridiculous ...
wow
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- May 3, 2003
It's official. The A.I stands for Absolute Idiot. or An Idiot.
Just to be a little thourough and make sure I wasn't hard on the guy for no reason, I went and looked at AI's playof numbers........
They are staggering.
As in, not good.
First, I did not even realize that 01 is the ONLY time he's even made a conference finals. That's it. First or second round outs in all otherseasons. And they were swept in one of the 3 other second rounds so that barely counts does it?
In his "magical" 01 playoffs he scored 723 points.........on 661 shots.
That doesn't include the 208 free throws he shots ontop of that. He shot .389 that year in the playoffs.
THAT is incredible. I've seen Xtra and Clutch say many times that he was just chuckin em up in those days, but I had no idea it was like that!!!
Last year he shot 43 percent in the sweep against the Lakers. That RAISED his shooting percentage for his CAREER to .401 percent.
I'm the first guy to say that stats are misleading sometimes. Ask Osh.
And i know that stats don't show the heart that AI has had and how you can measure the way he carried his teams into the playoffs. But thosekind of numbers show what I have been saying. He's not a winner. In the regular season, fine, take too much energy for me to dispute that. But foroverall body of work, when it's all said and done, if he doesn't take a different role real soon and get in and make some noise in the playoffs, hiscareer very well could end up 71 career playoff games, shot 40 percent, advanced to the conference finals 1 time in 13+ years.
And yet he is regarded as one of THE best of his era. AI fans hold him in such high esteem that they ignore all signs, numbers, quotes, whatever, that the guywas about him, and not about winning. Maybe I'm overdoing it a bit, but look again at what his playoff career could end up at. 71 games, 40 percent, 1third round in 13+ years.
So why does he belong on a list of immortals with Shaq, Duncan, Kobe, Garnett and soon to be James for the all decade type teams, and best of this generationtype teams and so on? I'm not so sure anymore.........
They are staggering.
As in, not good.
First, I did not even realize that 01 is the ONLY time he's even made a conference finals. That's it. First or second round outs in all otherseasons. And they were swept in one of the 3 other second rounds so that barely counts does it?
In his "magical" 01 playoffs he scored 723 points.........on 661 shots.
THAT is incredible. I've seen Xtra and Clutch say many times that he was just chuckin em up in those days, but I had no idea it was like that!!!
Last year he shot 43 percent in the sweep against the Lakers. That RAISED his shooting percentage for his CAREER to .401 percent.
I'm the first guy to say that stats are misleading sometimes. Ask Osh.
And yet he is regarded as one of THE best of his era. AI fans hold him in such high esteem that they ignore all signs, numbers, quotes, whatever, that the guywas about him, and not about winning. Maybe I'm overdoing it a bit, but look again at what his playoff career could end up at. 71 games, 40 percent, 1third round in 13+ years.
So why does he belong on a list of immortals with Shaq, Duncan, Kobe, Garnett and soon to be James for the all decade type teams, and best of this generationtype teams and so on? I'm not so sure anymore.........
trueblack88
Banned
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- Mar 20, 2008
What is this "Shaq was out of shape" crap people keep kicking? What year did Shaq NOT dominate the league when he was in his prime? Idon't understand this argument. Not when Kobe said it, not when people on this board say it. Kobe had always been saying Shaq was out-of-shape, even whenthey were winning championships. Kobe and Shaq didn't get along because they both wanted to be 'the man'. Everything else was just side-talk...
