Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 9:00 am  |  135 responses

Report: Miami Enters the Iverson Derby

by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni

It’s really amazing if you think about it. Here’s a guy who has now left two consecutive teams on horrible terms (the last one being an out-and-out disaster), and yet when he becomes an unrestricted free agent later on today, there will be no shortage of suitors

For what it’s worth, Larry Brown is putting in a good word for The Answer around the League. Actually, it might be worth something, as the Knicks aren’t the only ones reportedly “hot” after Allen Iverson.

It seems that Pat Riley and the Miami Heat are also interested.

From the NY Daily News:

Donnie Walsh said Wednesday night that the Knicks have yet to make a final decision on whether to sign Allen Iverson but the Knicks president hinted that the club is leaning strongly in that direction.

Iverson, a former MVP, is expected to clear waivers at 6 p.m. today and will become an unrestricted free agent. The Knicks could have competition from Miami, who according to a person close to Iverson said the team is “hot” after him.

If one were to guess — which is really all that can be done at this point — New York would appear to be the favorite to acquire A.I.’s services. He’d be the undisputed alpha dog on that team, an obvious impossibility in Miami, where Iverson would also have to battle for minutes at both guard spots.

Whatever the case, we’ll be finding out very soon what the next chapter of Allen Iverson’s life and career looks like.

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  • tmw554

    one hundred and 1st!

  • http://myspace.com/brandnew Bryan

    It was still stupid to bring him off the bench he seriously was at worst the second best player on the roster and that’s a huge stretch. Just like if he goes to the knicks he’s the best player we have had in 10 years right away.

  • tavoris

    Bryan, I get the impression that D’Antoni doesn’t want him.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    Tavoris
    Ain’t no “impression” it’s obvious. D’Antoni doesn’t like Iverson. And he doesn’t want to coach him.
    Larry Brown actually said that was the problem. He said Donnie Walsh was cool, but D’Antoni didn’t really want Iverson.
    So, they should just keep it moving.

  • http://myspace.com/brandnew Bryan

    Well then he’s more stupid than I thought he was.

  • iw

    my question for all these so called know it alls, when did anyone actually see AI lose a step? funny all the critics said he and Melo couldnt co-exist. we all saw how that worked out. so let me see, he doesnt have to carry the load and his numbers go down because of that, i guess that constitutes to having lost a step. funny, as i saw it, the guy was already steps faster than the rest of the league, so losing a step still makes him above average in this league. next thing is, why is everyone so content with making this guy a bench player when u hav so many players inthe league doing exactly what he used to do and they are starting? i would love to have someone on my team to make my life easier. watch the guy in the all star games. he got 2 mvp awards for that. when he plays with talent he plays even better. he has not had the luxury of having good players around him except in Denver and those guys were hurt and missing a lot of games while he was there. so get off AI’s sack already. let him go out there and and play because i havent seen any sign of him slowing down

  • Teddy-the-Bear

    D’Antoni should NOT be able to judge who makes the roster. He was probably the main influence on Walsh’s decision to draft Jordan Hill over Brandon Jennings. And Danilo Galinari over Eric Gordon? Child please.
    If D’Antoni impedes this Iverson signing, he is officially worse than Isiah Thomas.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    IW
    I think Iverson has lost a step. I noticed it even more in his last game with the Grizzlies against Golden State.
    That said, he’s still effective.
    Y’all don’t remember Iverson when he first got into the League. Those first five years he was a blur man. Just unbelievably quick.

  • http://showmeyourwits.blogspot.com Showmeyourwits

    Not to sound like an old head, but I feel like most of the Iverson hate comes from those who only know him from his last days in philly up until now. This dude grew up having to basically hold it down for his whole family from a young age. His 1st tattoo, “only the strong survive”, isn’t some posturing b.s. He had to live with that mentality and so psychologically he feels like it falls on him to elevate whoever is with him out of a bad situation. It’s natural for him to want to be the guy for memphis and even in detroit when no one else is getting it done. If you look at his play in Denver and in all-star games he is more than willing to allow others to do their thing. Bottom line is that AI is all heart, always has been and always will be, and you can’t be surprised when he wants to leave it all on the court, not riding the pine.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Myles Brown

    Russ really didnt do anything to deserve this.

  • Brian

    I don’t understand all this AI is all heart and a warrior stuff because when I watch him play I see him run away from contact when he is supposed to playing D.

  • http://www.sixers.com 360vue

    I havent read any comments but im presuming every one is saying it wont work, although if Wade wants it, then may it can?! Dont know if he does though… anyway, it needs to be said that if I could have this backcourt on nba 2k10 i would reap havoc and destruction upon any opposition

  • reidz

    I´ve been following Iversons career since he came into the league. I remember him in the Finals against LA. He was slippery as an eel and quick as a blur. No one could really contain and control him when he started moving (except for Tyronn Lue of all people to a very small extent).

    My point is that everyone on that team was pretty much hustlers who would let AI run wild whenever he saw the opportunity. I am not on the Iverson hate bandwagon, but I do believe he is the kind of player that has to have team adjusting to him rather than him adjusting to a team or a system. That´s why I also believe especially Lakers with its intricate triangle system would be a bad fit. The same goes for the Heat. It does not make any sense to make a top 5 player in the league making major adjustments or not to mention coming off the bench.

  • http://myspace.com/brandnew Bryan

    Allenp I remember those days and yeah he’s lost a step but he’s still steps faster than just about everyone else. That’s the great thing about iverson his quickness was so elite that he could afford to slow down some and still be top 5 fastest dudes in the league.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    Bryan
    I actually don’t even think he’s top 5 anymore. He’s still quick, but not elite quick. His left hand has deteoriated greatly.
    I’m not saying dude can’t still play and still get buckets, just saying that he has falled off quite a bit from his prime. Then again, this is his 13th or 14th year in the league. He came out one or two years after Jason Kidd and we can all see how he’s declined. .

  • http://myspace.com/brandnew Bryan

    You might be seeing something I don’t see but kidd has fallen off dramatically partially due to the microfracture. Iverson in my mind is behind guys like chris paul, derrick rose parker and rondo but ahead of just about every other starting guard. To be fair those four are off the top of my head and I’m not trying to think of anyone else so I could be wrong but I don’t think so. Aside from that his shot selection is poor which affects his % but his jumper is still wet and his vision is less than stellar by his own choosing but his passing is still on point. Do I think he can get 33 and 8 again? No but 27 and 7 is not out of his realm.

  • http://fjkld.com Jukai

    Bryan: Barbosa, Will Bynum, JJ Barea, Delonte West, Ellis, Aaron Brooks, Mike Taylor, Jennings, Flynn, Harris, Westbrooke, all faster… most of them not better, but faster.

  • http://myspace.com/brandnew Bryan

    Bynum,barbosa and taylor are sixth men I meant starters and like I said I didn’t research it but that’s still only like what 10 dudes? And I have to disagree on west. Really disagree.

  • http://fjkld.com Jukai

    Er, why are we suddenly only talking about starters?

  • http://myspace.com/brandnew Bryan

    I said “ahead of just about any other starting guard” that’s why?

  • Shem

    Mario Chalmers will start over Iverson….. does he not realize he can’t start for any team after detroit and memphis

  • http://www.youtube.com/user/pennyccw OG

    Look AI 96 = 2 & 1/2 steps faster, he has lost 1 & 1/2 steps, defined as; 1 step unrecoverable due to age. the other 1/2 step is rust/Layoff from not pro-balling in a long time & the recent hamstring injury.. that in my eyes are recoverable

    How come no one says Kobe, has lost a step, He can’t Jumps as high, & relies significantly on his post up game, to the point where he even Hired Hakeem to teach him the dream shake etc. Does anyone says Kobe is losing a step, no should he be a six man. No..They say Kobe is still hungry & are all astounded by his will to get better even now. NewsFlash !!! he is getting old losing speed & athleticism but smartly evolving his Game a natural progression

    Very much the Same way Mike Jordan, evolved & became the Fadeaway king & relinquished the Dunk King title to other young Dudes. Did anyone dare say MJ is washed up or has lost a step..Nope not 1, zip Nobody..
    You know why cuz the media didn’t mention it.

    Senario 3 if Lebron should go miami & play with the Flash & voluntarily shoots less to blend in with wade.
    Will anyone say he has lost a step or dare call him washed up No

    So then Why should Iverson who coming of 1 of his best Statistical year. who sacrificed his scoring averaging Just “26.5ppg” & “6.7 apg” to share with Melo be called washed up. He then goes to Detroit & this very Selfish Man. The so called Thug, who did what the coach told him, & FURTHER SACRIFICED his beloved shots (that’s all he cares about right) on 14 per to BLEND with 3 scorers Sheed,Rip,Tayshaun + Stuckey & as a result was called washed up, ” Oh he Lost it” “AI is having a career low 17ppg” (biased reporters) Where was the step Lost, DID HE LOST HIS STEP ON THE AIRPORT TO DETROIT.
    (gullible masses) for believing them.

    So then Why can’t AI get the chance to Age gracefully, & why is he selfish for being reluctant to enter a role
    that has been carved out for him by ppl, who doesn’t mean him well. Why is AI wash up if he can’t drive past the whole league. I think its because we’ve been so captivated by his speed that we think thats all that define him. (Ding) bright light. He’s a crafty & sneaking player, & use alot of tricks & veteran moves on ppl too, Last year I’ve seen that & oh Yes his Jumper is still very wet. He has the Most underrated mid range J in the game. go to Youtube, an see the countless times he dropped 40 on mostly j’s even in Denver. where he shot a career best 45.4% for the season. ppk that’s the washed up Denver AI. Y so high cuz he had melo wich meant less tuff shots
    In detroit he was forcing his Game cuz he had limited playing time & knew the media would crucify him if he avg less than 15ppg so he rushed his shots.
    In Memphis after working on his J all summer (practice) we saw where his average is 57% so he doesn’t need to say ‘beep beep” after each crossover to score

    Now thanks to the misdiagnosed syndrome”lost a step” “AI is in a Lose, Lose scenario if he Goes to Knicks, He’s selfish & only wanna score, that proves the CHARACTER HATERS right. Haters 1, AI 0. If He Goes to Miami & sacrifices again he loses. that prove the GAME OR SKILLS HATERS right he’s Washed up.. Haters 1, AI 0.

    IF I WAS AI, I’d go to Knicks motivate that team, win some Games, Pass the Ball alot, shock a few ppl. Drop 40 & 50 in memphis & detroit respectively. UTILIZE the Massive media in Ny to work for me, By applying the Gilbert Arenas principle & Talk less since they twist all he says anyway. SKILLS HATERS 0, AI 1

    Next year I’d sign with a contender @ the Midlevel exception or re-sign with the Knicks of they Land Lebron any other big name. & Shock ppl again, Voluntarily sacrifice my scoring to silence the CHARACTER HATERS. Character Haters 0, AI 2

    Se Ai is in the precarious position of having to prove 2 things that oppose each other to two different types of haters. While Most of His Haters have the combination of these 2 doubts rolled in 1, He can’t shut them up @ once.

    Oh & He’d have to tweet during the summer @Haters I am going to VOLUNTARILY score less next year, i’m not washed up, i just feel like it.

  • tavoris

    Shem…Mario Chalmer’s starting job is pretty safe, since he’s clearly one of the better on-ball defenders in the ENTIRE LEAGUE. He actually does a commendable job of playing alongside Wade.

  • tavoris

    damn OG…ain’t nobody reading all that…hahahahahahahahahahaha

  • J

    there’s nothing wrong in coming off the bench as long as you could flourish into the system, and you and the team can be successful together. Manu is absolutely better than Finley or any other SG but he’s on the bench. and look what they had.

  • J

    but i don’t think this would work in Miami, it would be like what they got in Denver.

  • rikson

    ANd now its Hollins…. Dont you get bored of the excuses too!

  • rikson

    I dont think its a matter of “hating”, if you dont like Iverson (anymore)! He had his chances…

  • tavoris

    rikson..if u don’t realize that there are about 11 or 12 head coaches in the NBA that are actually good @ coaching, then I don’t know what to say. Most are egomaniac windbags who can’t be trusted as far as they can be thrown. Why do you think coach’s have even less job security than the players?
    Lionel Hollins stonewalled Iverson. Iverson should have handled it better, but that’s still the case. Hollins made it VERY clear that the promise to Iverson (that he could compete for the starting spot) would never result in him winning the starting spot. The excuse of “giving Conley a chance” was revealed to be rubbish also, because as soon as AI was gone, he started benching Conley in key minutes.

  • rikson

    I dont even want to talk anymore, its getting boring. If you guys havent learned it by now, you probably never will! Ill give him another 10 days, if he stays longer, hell have something like 11 ppg on 38% and maybe 4 ass, period! Just for your info, I know the AI from the sixers times and LOVED him, im probably older than 2 thirds on here, but somewhere my love has to end, and AI has qualified himself more than once for that… Open your eyes people!

  • rikson

    Oh, and Iverson was REALLY weak in MEM – kind of sad to see him like this! He just looked old… This guy is done!

  • rikson

    “Waaahhh, Detroid is sooo evil, and now Memphis is after me, heeeelp mami….”

  • tavoris

    rikson, what player are you talking about in your 11:06am comment-cuz that seems to apply to neither AI or any current Memphis Grizzly.

  • http://www.gmail.com rushmelo15

    iverson to miami.
    NOT HAPPENING.
    the heat are already loaded with 1′s and 2′s…who are young and developing…where does iverson fit into this system?
    besides iverson wants to start,and i dont see that happening because chalmers has proven to be a great pick and a solid defender.

  • rikson

    @travoris: I was talking about AI… referring to the news back then, that AI would join the knicks!

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