Halftime Hype

Finally, some NBA news! I've been very anxious for a press release, a trade, something, anything worthy of devoting a post to. These past few weeks I've been counting on A.I. and the Answer, indeed, came through. It's official: Allen Iverson has signed with the Memphis Grizzlies. The world found out firsthand via Twitter when A.I. made his decision public: "God Chose Memphis as the place that I will continue my career". Is this good a good move for Memphis? Can A.I. really help them win? Why did it take so long to sign him?

Honestly, as of now, there's no definite explanation as to why it took so long for a deal to emerge. Allen Iverson has had a Hall-of-Fame career and just because it's winding down shouldn't prevent him from being effective. Regardless, apparently there were only a handful of teams who could afford Iverson's salary. The Clips could've had an deadly duo or destroyed their franchise with a backcourt of Baron Davis and Allen Iverson. Portland, the team with the big bucks, saw no interest.

While many paid little attention to the Grizzlies when they had Pau and stopped following the team after Elvis (a.k.a. Pau) left the building, this team still showcases promising talent. Marc Gasol is a solid center who provides double figures, O.J. Mayo and Rudy Gay, who both average 18+ ppg, can really light up a scoreboard, and Hasheem Thabeet is a sturdy low post player. That said, this team lacks a veteran who has been there and done that. I wouldn't rely on A.I. to provide guidance or count on him to inspire the team with leadership, but he can definitely mesh the offense together and pull aside a teammate to help him get better. Nobody else in the free agent class even remotely came close to having as much talent as Iverson. Similarly, no other free agent could add more wins than the Answer. With the circumstances being the way they were, this was a great move for Memphis.

The big question in this transaction, though, is whether or not Iverson can actually help the Grizzlies? The front office in Tennessee is definitely hoping for a playoff berth. However, in his brief stint in Detroit, he could barely get a team with champion veterans and blossoming youngsters - otherwise known as the ideal team - to the playoffs. And once the Pistons secured the eigth place finish, they raised the white flag in a 4-0 rout by the Cavs. What's worse is that Memphis is in the toughest division in the league; the Grizzlies share a division with San Antonio, Dallas, the Hornets, and Houston. Another example of A.I.'s ineffectiveness was his time in the Rockies. You'd expect a backcourt of Carmelo and Iverson to be dominant, let alone a squad who also had Camby and K-Mart in the frontcourt. Though, things never quite materialized in Denver, as the team didn't win significantly more games after Iverson's arrival. In short, there's no guarentee that Allen Iverson will be able to boost any team.

That said, Memphis can't get any worse. We're talking about a team that was victorious in only twenty-four games. A.I. will surely be the answer to their low attendance problems, as he will attract many fans. But this move goes beyond marketing. As I mentioned above, this team needed a leader. With Allen Iverson they get a former MVP, All-Star, and a player who has made it all the way to the promised land (a.k.a. the NBA Finals). Believe it or not, he knows what it takes to win. Additionally, the Grizzlies now have a player they can count on in the clutch. Instead of trusting a newbie like Mayo to close out a game or drawing up an elaborate play that ends up unsuccessful, Head Coach Lionel Hollins can rely on the Answer to lead the way.