(courtesy of ESPN.com)
The Philadelphia 76ers and Allen Iverson have agreed to terms on a 1-year non-guaranteed contract, meaning they are under no obligation to keep The Answer, but if they find he truly is the answer to their problems, they can guarantee his contract for the remainder of the season on January 10 for $650,000 - not just a chunk of change, but a fraction of what the four-time scoring champion once made.The past year or two have been rough for Iverson. After things got bumpy in Philly, AI went out west to the Nuggets, who just couldn't quite get it done. In an attempt to make a playoff run, the Nuggets traded Iverson to Detroit for Denver native Chauncey Billups. There, The Answer found himself coming off the bench - something that was both new and repulsive for him. At the end of last season, Iverson became a free agent and eventually signed with Memphis, where he again found himself coming off the bench. After only three games with the team, he took a leave of absence before finally retiring last week (a retirement that only beat out Brittney and K-Fed's marriage by a few days).
So, with Iverson now at 34 years old and the Sixers sitting at 5-13, there are many questions about The Answer. The one that's been on our minds: what will we see out of him?
Jonah: This is hard for me, as a long-time Iverson fan. During his prime, AI was a 10-time All-Star and led the Sixers to the finals in 2001, when he was the MVP. He has averaged 27 points per game over his career, which is 5th all-time and 3rd among active players. In 71 career playoff games, he has averaged 29.7 points per game - second all-time behind only Michael Jordan (33.4). Simply put, he was a great player. But he hasn't been a starter the last two places he's been. Is it because his play has truly diminished, or because franchises are looking to develop younger players and don't want to have them sit behind a 34 year old veteran? I want to believe he still has it, that he's still a great player and has the potential to help any team that lets him play. I've always maintained that he isn't the selfish ball-hog the media has made him out to be, but rather a great penetrator who has played on some really bad teams with nobody worth passing to (see all ten seasons with the Sixers! He had guys like Dikembe Motumbo and the terrible Eric Snow as his teammates). I have always felt his true colors shined when he played with other great players (see his performances in the 2001 and 2005 NBA All-Star games, where he was the MVP). But now that he's back with a team filled with, well, not exactly the Dream Team, I wonder if he will, in fact, be the ball-hog ESPN claims he is. There is some hope with the other AI (Andre Iguodala), but I'm not sure this is going to be the fairytale I would like to see for him. I think he would have been better served on a team with another great scorer and a big man, a place were he could score, but doesn't HAVE to score. Whatever the case may be, I hope it works out for the guy and I'd like to thank him letting me get just a little more use out of one of my AI jerseys.
(courtesy of ESPN.com)
Jerry: The answer is one of the greatest players of the past 15 years. He made it out of the slums, and became one of the most terrifying players on the court during the 90's and early 2000's. His crossover was legendary, and his quickness defined him as a player. He could get in the lane and dunk on people like Marcus Camby, or hit jumper after jumper for 60 points . He could score at will, and give the opposite team's point guard fits. He was a legend from the moment he entered college at Georgetown. He single handily brought the Sixers to the finals, and even put on a show against a way better Laker team. With that being said, he's had a couple down years, Denver wasn't the best fit, and we all know the story about Detroit. Iverson is not a bench player now, nor has he ever been. He is a scorer. He needs to heat up. How does he do that? I can tell you it's not coming off the bench. He is one of those guys that needs to feel the game, feel the defense, and by the time the second half rolls around (sometimes sooner) he's got it. Sure he has lost a step or two, but I tell you that the Sixers can only benefit from this. They aren't paying him anything (even if he does play the entire season) and they are bringing back one of the most decorated players to ever where a Phili uniform. If he doesn't score 20 a night (which I think he will) he will sell tickets. He will bring a veteran presence to this young team. He will finally have the opportunity to lead a team (all the while starting and scoring). Allen Iverson is a player and a scorer, and we all have to remember that. He has something left in the tank, and I would give him a change if I were an owner. I still think that somebody like Cleveland should have at least made a few calls about Iverson, but going home to Phili is just as good. Will he turn this team around? I don't know. Would I be shocked if he did? Not a chance. So the question is, what type of Answer are we going to get? A leader and a scorer, or a grudge holding little man that wants to prove the world wrong by himself? For the NBA and Phili, I hope its the latter.
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