Allen Iverson, the former 2000-2001 League MVP, is planning on making a return to the NBA this upcoming season.
Iverson won the Rookie of the Year Award for the 1996-1997 season after being originally drafted with the number one overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1996. He was later traded to the Denver Nuggets in 2006 who then traded him to the Detroit Pistons in 2008. Following an unsuccessful stint in Detroit, Iverson signed with the Memphis Grizzlies last summer, but he got into arguments over playing time and was released. He then re-signed with the Philadelphia 76ers before leaving to attend to his ill daughter partway through this past season.
Allen Iverson's personal trainer has stated his enthusiasm about the upcoming season, and he believes that Iverson can still compete for a title and help a team achieve its championship goals. However, Iverson has had issues with playing time in the past. Arguments emerged in both Detroit and Memphis where Iverson came off the bench and primarily played the shooting guard position. He could still be an effective force for the right team by offering a veteran presence but could have to accept a smaller role on whatever team he plays for next year.
So what teams could be interested in pursuing Allen Iverson in the summer? I believe that he could be a good fit for three teams.
The New York Knicks could use Iverson purely to attract big name free agents. Iverson obviously still has something left in the tank, and if he has an opportunity to play in an offense where he isn't the main option on offense or expected to be the leader on a team, he could thrive.
The Sacramento Kings could also be a good fit for Iverson this upcoming year. The Kings already have an established young point guard in Tyreke Evans, and Iverson could possibly offer some veteran insight to the team. However, this would not be an instant contender which Iverson is probably looking for. So what team could be championship caliber that Iverson could play a key role for next year?
The New Jersey Nets will either pick up Evan Turner or Derrick Favors in next week's draft. This means the roster for next year could potentially look like this: Devin Harris, Evan Turner/Allen Iverson, LeBron James, Derrick Favors/Yi Jianlian, Brook Lopez. LeBron isn't the only option through free agency either. Evan Turner, at 6'6" could potentially play the small forward position moving Iverson into the starting lineup at shooting guard. Not a bad starting lineup if you ask me. The Nets are instantly playoff contenders depending on the play and attitude of Iverson.
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