Halftime Hype

In hindsight, most of my recent posts have been centered around some sort of speculation or another. This time, I decided to wait a bit, let my subject mature, then write a less premature post.

It's no secret that "the Answer" is synonymous for Allen Iverson. Although, it seems like the nickname is wearing out on him - and not just because it's been used in too many headlines, including the title of this post. In his last three destinations, he wasn't able to meet expectations, much less, help out his squads. As the era winds down on players like Kobe, KG, Tim Duncan, and Nash, it's time for A.I. to realize he is no longer the answer. If anything, as of late he's proven to be a cancer.

At some point, you have start wondering if this guy has received too many chances. In Denver, he was supposed to take a team with Carmelo, Camby, and J.R. Smith to the next level. That didn't happen. In Detroit, he was destined to be the go-to guy, the individual besides the three-headed beast that was Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, and Rasheed Wallace. Clearly, something got in the way of fate. Most recently, with Memphis he tweeted optimistically about a new season only to quit after 3 games. Historic profit for A.I.: his $3 mil contract made each game worth a million dollars. Historic loss for the Grizzlies.

Let's face it, the only thing that seperates those destinations from being with the 76ers is that going back to Philly means homecoming. True, Philadelphia may be home to Iverson's largest fan base and has been his unofficial home during his NBA career. Nevertheless, history has proven that homecoming doesn't always amount to success. Notably, A.I.'s former coach when he was in a Sixers uniform, Larry Brown, had a much-hyped press conference when the Knicks hired him. I think we all know how that ended up.



Now, there's so much excitement about the ever-so-predictable "return of Allen Iverson." It's time for Allen to either prove us wrong or decide it's time to lace up on the NBA hardwood for the last time. In the end, it comes down to "will he be able to help the 76ers?" Then, there's the question of expectations. Personally, if I were a 76ers fan I'd be yearning to move past the first round of the playoffs, or at least get there. At this point, I'm not sure if the one-and-only Allen Iverson will be able to accomplish that.

Presently on an eleven game skid, Philly's record can be deceiving. Despite only winning 5 out of 23 games, the Sixers are a talented team - at least on paper. Samuel Dalembert is a lean big man who can rebound and block with ease. Thaddeus Young is a promising, young forward who can add his fair share of 3-pointers. Elton Brand, all but forgotten after leaving the Clippers, is capable of having double figures. Marreese Speights is a good scoring option and can block, too. Jason Kapono has won the three-point contest and continues to be a threat on the perimeter. Andre Iguadola is a muscular guy who can put up 20 points at will and has, for the most part, been carrying the Sixers in this post-Iverson era. Louis Williams has also been a major part of the team, putting up great stats offensively and defensively.

I was talking to a friend about the whole ordeal today, and we both agree that it seems like the only way the Sixers can benefit from A.I. is at the box office. Tickets will start to sell and the arena will start to fill. Other than that, I honestly can't see him having a dominant presence. If anything, this may resemble Marbury with the Celtics last season. Barely a side show statistically, A.I. may not have a big effect at all. And what is his niche be? At least in Detroit, Denver, and Memphis his job description was clear. Right now, Allen should hold on to his pride, play however minutes he may receive, guide the 76ers as much as he can and most importantly, not complain.

Allen Iverson has undoubtedly been one of the best guards, heck, best players, the league has ever seen. For years he entertained us with his crossovers, rant about practice, and his overall persona. There's no doubt the #1 pick will be inducted into the Hall-of-Fame. It's just that, I think I speak on behalf of all NBA fans when I say, we'd like him to go out with a bang, not by ending his career in a deeper hole. Regardless, Allen Iverson resides in Philly and I wish him the best of luck, for many will soon realize he is no longer the best answer.

Just when fans and the media had believed that the offseason had died down, rumors about Allen Iverson's future destination resurfaced. D-Wade has expressed interest in playing alongside A.I., a "be careful what you wish to" remark that was heavily criticized by Around the Horn panelists, otherwise respected as ESPN's elite. However, the legitimate news has come out of a very illegitimate franchise: the Los Angeles Clippers. Apparently, serious talks have been going down between Iverson and the C's. But, figuratively speaking, the Answer hasn't answered very many questions lately. Where does he want to play? Must he start? How much money does he demand? Will he even have an impact?

Last year in Detroit he made it pretty clear that coming off the bench was below him. For Miami and the Clips, that's not a problem. Although, there are different circumstances for each team. For one, the Heat and the Clippers are in different conferences, which means different requirements for playoff contention. In the last two years, Western playoff spots have not been very accepting of 50 win teams and if they did make it, they just barely squeezed. In the East, 50 wins guarantees you a playoff spot and you could probably slide if you're around .500. Now, it's just a matter of how much or how little will your record change by adding Allen Iverson.

For the Heat, they're in a bit of a sticky situation. They made a dramatic improvement last season in contrast to their disastrous 07-08 team and are among the NBA teams enticing young players. If Allen Iverson were to land in South Beach, a few problems might arise. Does Miami's front office really want to decrease the playing time of a steadily improving Mario Chalmers? Do they want somebody taking over the minutes of a confident Michael Beasley? No, because they want to keep their youthful movement going. Allen Iverson would only destroy the progress they've made. I'm sure that once minutes, shots, and attention are stolen from the rest of the Heat squad, confrontations will occur and pandemonium will arise.

As far as the Clips are concerned, they'll also have to coordinate their backcourt to make this transaction work. I don't know how fruitful a Baron Davis-A.I. tandem would potentially be, despite how dangerous the pairing looks on paper. Some expected the Anthony-Iverson experiment to help out the Nuggets, but it soon became apparent that the project wouldn't fair as well as Rockies' fans had hoped. The Clippers also have their own pool of young talents, including Eric Gordon, Al Thornton, and Blake Griffin - which means they should have the same fears as Miami. Will Blake Griffin allow Iverson to steal his interviews and take the focus off of his rookie season? Will Al Thornton fly off the radar? Will anyone remember Eric Gordon?

Ultimately, though, things get a bit more interesting if Iverson moves to L.A. For one, he will reunite with former teammate Marcus Camby. Camby is said to be on board with the decision to bring Allen to Cali and who knows, maybe Iverson will start throwing lobs to Camby. I remember very vividly during Lakers games, during the immediate post-Shaq era, when the Nuggets not only defeated Los Angeles, but did so just because Andre Miller could throw the ball in the air and Marcus Camby could finish things off with a posterizing jam. Things weren't as great for the Cambyman when the Answer rolled into town, but if Iverson can dish the ball to Griffin and find Camby in the post, the Clips might make the playoffs.

As I was writing this post, I decided to take a peak at the NBA section of Yahoo! Sports, and was awakened by an explanation of why Iverson is being recruited by the C's. Adrian Wojnarowski essentially argues that this move is motivated by the pursuit of capitalism, not success. I'm not sure I can agree. Even though he may be the worst owner in pro sports, Donald T. Sterling sleeps on money and you can bet that selling tickets, or on the contrary, not selling them, doesn't keep him awake at night. Sure, the Clips were down about 30% in ticket sales. But the money spent on acquiring The Answer may undermine any potential profits. Not such a convincing post, Woj.

Whether or not he goes to Miami or Los Angeles, the success of the team he chooses will hinge on Allen's mindset. If he comes in with a selfish attitude, wanting to finish his career off on a bang and demanding a starting role, then trouble could be ahead. On the other hand, if he eases his way into retirement, as he should, and comes in trying to make his teammates better, I'm sure the team that signs him will improve. In retrospect, however, A.I. has never been one to pass first.