Allen Iverson Coy On Future With Denver Nuggets, Could The Answer Fit On Contender Like Detroit Pistons or San Antonio Spurs?October 05 07 The Denver Post reports on whether Allen Iverson will finish his career in Denver: "I’d rather be here. But I mean, I’m going to do what’s right for me. And that’s just as far as being able to win a championship. That’s the most important thing to me. "So, after this contract is over, I would like to stay here. But, you know, I’m going to try to do what’s right for me and my family."
"I don’t think about contracts. When my time is up, I’ll weigh my options after the season after my contract is up. I don’t get into it like guys do when they’re coming into the last year of their contract, and then they start worrying about if they’re playing well and thinking about their money. The only thing I think about is basketball. I got enough money."
My Quick Take: The Answer didn’t have much of an answer when asked if he wanted to stay in Denver long-term. Iverson’s wait-and-see approach with the Nuggets is fair. It’s just surprising when you consider the team’s success last season. Of course, success is relative. Denver, after acquiring Iverson mid-season, changed their style of play. But they soon found their mark-posting an impressive end of season winning streak and giving San Antonio a decent run in the first round of the playoffs. With this in mind, I found it surprising that Iverson was a little guarded about his future.
Iverson is a great player. I don’t sweat his turnovers and shot attempts because I love his heart. But I can’t see the scenario he hints at unfolding, where he takes a reduced salary and joins say San Antonio or Detroit as a role player.
It didn’t work for mega-stars like Gary Payton and Karl Malone in L.A. It wouldn’t work for Iverson.
The Spurs and Pistons are balanced teams. San Antonio has their big three: Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker. The Pistons have four All-Stars: Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, and Rasheed Wallace. On offense, these teams swing the ball from side-to-side during each possession. They are a collectivist, ball-sharing bunch.
Iverson is not effective unless he’s handling the ball. I’m not judging. I’m stating fact. The tiny guard needs the rock to get his and create for others. Contending teams are more structured and won’t allow Iverson to freestyle on the perimeter.
Right now, at this stage of his career, Iverson’s game and personality is too big to mesh with an established contender. I don’t see much changing in two years, either. Could Iverson take a lesser role and play for a contender? Get at us in the comment box with your thoughts. Click here to read and subscribe to Oly Sandor’s NBA blog.
Posted by
chris
on 10.12.2007 | iverson, najera, and camby to spurs for brent barry, elson, and marcus williams and a draft pick.. get er done! . | Posted by
#3JJ#3
on 10.10.2007 | Any team would be lucky to have Iverson with them. Just by getting allen iverson your team becomes an automatic contender to win a championship especially if he goes to a team who alredy has a good chance to win it all. He may be the piece dallas or cleveland needs to take it that year. . | Posted by
hahah
on 10.9.2007 | Pain killer changed names... you can tell its him though cuz its in CAPS... why did this get crazy in the first place... only god knows a.i.’s future . | Posted by
THE GENERAL
on 10.9.2007 | ALAN IVERSON NEEDS TO STOP FRONTIN...I’M SICK OF FAKE MOVES AND FAKE DEFENDERS...MAKE HIM GO AGAINST SOME REAL COMPETITION...LIKE THE WASHINGTON GENERALSTHEY WILL SHAKE BAKE AND FAKE EM TIL HE IS ON THE FLOOR CRYING ABOUT HOW HE WANTS TO IN FACT BECOME A WASHINGTON GENERAL . | Posted by
PAINKILLER!
on 10.7.2007 | IF YOU AGREE WITH PAIN? THEN YOU MUST AGREE THAT IVERSON WILL SEEK TO LEAVE THE NO-GUTS ORGANIZATION WHEN HIS CONTRACT IS UP, IF THERE IS TALK NOW IT MEANS HE ID DEFINITELY LOOKING ELSEWHERE...AND IF CHAMPIONSHIPS DON’T MEAN ANYTHING THEN SEE IF IVERSON WILL STICK AROUND WHEN THE TIME COMES TO MOVE ON...REMEMBER AI IS NOT GETTING ANY YOUNGER EITHER...SUCKS DOESN’T IT? . | Posted by
mike
on 10.7.2007 | oh and iverson is the best veteran in the nba.. unlike jordan iverson aint playin against bums like rony seikaly and doc rivers.. mhemet okur is a all star, enough said! bums from jordans era with names like that never made all star teams (no racist).. the all stars now would punish the all stars from jordans era..so before yall go sayin iverson only cares about flash and cash look back at the players from jordans era then look at the players from this era.. if jordans era was the best era, the most talented era, etc.. how come only one other team won a championship?.. point proven!.. until iverson decides to leave i leave yall with this.. Mello and AI, AI and Mello . | Posted by
mike
on 10.7.2007 | iverson to miami for j williams , d-wade, antoine walker.. either that or boston has a fire sale and picks up ai like they were talkin about recently.. real talk! . | Posted by
mike
on 10.7.2007 | iverson to either boston or miami, remember i said that.. dwayne wade,anotine walker, and williams to denver, watch and see.. ’’Shaq Stays’’ . | Posted by
I agree pain killer is gay
on 10.6.2007 | Ok you want facts.. name one player from the spurs that has achieved anything iverson has achieved... NUTHIN. Sure championship rings, but name 1 team iverson has been with that could compete... on the nuggets, he has a chance, i say your spurs wont win s---anymore, they getting older.. they will be like the heat this year. They aint repeatn shit. . | Posted by
rzurzel
on 10.6.2007 | @ first I didn’t like Iverson @ all. He was great no question about it but he was a selfish motherfu@#$r. Few years later I loved his game & I still do because he doesn’t play himself only. Iverson is growing & I think that if he could become more of a team player then he’ll be able to play as a helping player too. He could do it cos motivation is strong yet I’d like to see him a ring holder as a Nuggets. . | Posted by
A.D.
on 10.6.2007 | If Ivo came ta Detroit (my home town) we’ll win 4 sure but we got rip and chauncy u cant jus bench them. I think Ivo and Melo got a chance at winnin that ship dough in denver and Ivos stil tha man . | Posted by
PAINKILLER!
on 10.6.2007 | TO THE MOCK "painkiller",IT MUST BE HARD THAT ALL YOU CAN DO IS BRING UP PARKER’S WIFE...WHAT’S WRONG? CAN’T YOU STICK TO THE GAME ITSELF? IT’S PRETTY LAME IF ALL THE TRASH TALKING YOU CAN BRING UP IS ABOUT A PLAYER’S WIFE...RESPOND WITH SOME FACTS ABOUT THE GAME NOT "ET" NEWS! . | Posted by
energy971
on 10.6.2007 | AI and melo are unbeatable thats why they won the title last year !! stop talkin s*** please . | Posted by
PAINKILLER RULES !!!!
on 10.5.2007 | Painkiller wow he uses caps... just cuz you hate on a guy you have to criticize the hell out of em. The only excitement you got from your spurs this year was tony’s parkers wife... finals had the worst viewing this year. Dont be mad that the only thing you got exciting is tony parkers wife.. look at the stats, this is about iverson’s future BLOG, not lets hat on ... . | Posted by
PAINKILLER!
on 10.5.2007 | IVERSON IS NOT A TEAM PLAYER, GRANTED HE HAS HEART BUT HIS GAME IS STREET-BALL AND THAT WON’T CUT IT FOR THE SILVER AND BLACK...PLUS HE WOULD BE A LIABILTY ON THE DEFENSIVE END. LET HIM GO ELSEWHERE UNLESS HE LEARNS TO PLAY TEAM BALL...HIM AND CRYMELLO CAN BALL HOG ALL THEY WANT FOR THE NOGUTS...I MEAN NUGGETS...MEANWHILE THE REST OF THE NBA KEEP DREAMIN, THE SILVER AND BLACK WILL HOLD ON TO THE TITLE FOR ANOTHER YEAR! . | Posted by
Iverson25otts
on 10.5.2007 | he aint going no where... he will retire as a nugget.. you think they will just let him go.. who will take his place... go ahead name someone.... Chucky Atkins... NAAA, If George Karl is there, allen will be there... Allen has already said once... he wont do like gary payton or any other veteran who jumps to diffent teams to win a championship.. he says he wants it worth while... . | Posted by
chris
on 10.5.2007 | i’m callin it right now, ai opts outta his contract at the end of this year and either plays for miami or san antonio.. you heard it from me first . | Posted by
chris
on 10.5.2007 | iverson needs to go to either san antonio or miami, theyre both known for pickin up veteran players(+ i think detroit is only a contender at best, they aint the same team like they were back in 04) pat riley is like a undercover yankees gm, with that being said a team like miami or spurs has the best shot at gettin iverson.. Nobody else! celtics= too many scorers, detroit= not the same detroit from back in 04 and too old now.. real talk! . | Posted by
b4hoops.blogspot.com
on 10.5.2007 | You’re absolutely right Oly, AI in either San Antonio or Detroit would be a disaster. Maybe he’d fit better on a team like Phoenix or Boston (if he takes the veterans minimum and completes the "big four" perhaps?), but in general I’m not a big fan of Iverson’s game. He’s got a heart bigger than the grand canyon and I admire him for it, but his unstructured game is not championship caliber. . | Posted by
Go Red WIngs!
on 10.5.2007 | A.I. BABY, come to the Detroit and win a ring wit us, I believe you can fit in. You want to win and have matured up. We’ll give you the mid-level exception. Come be our 6th man! . |
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