Grizzlies Begin Defense of Iverson Signing

Despite all indications to the contrary, the brass in Memphis wants you to believe that this won’t be a total disaster: “Heisley called signing the 10-time All Star a no-brainer for a team that has struggled miserably at the box office and in the standings over the past three seasons. ‘People said if you’ve got a chance to get good players, would you? Well, we’ve got Zach Randolph and Allen Iverson,’ [team owner Michael Heisley] said. ‘I didn’t give up one rookie. My guys will play. But Allen is the perfect guy to help these young guys know what it means to win. He’s a fantastic player. He’s going to be a big addition. He’s going to help us be a team to be reckoned with. It’s going to bring real excitement to Memphis. I can’t think of one negative.”‘