"We DO/DON'T Want Allen Iverson" Thread (merged)

[Eric_Suede]

Keep in mind guys we're not talking Long term, multi-million dollar contracts. So all this "he's a cancer" stuff is really irrelavent. Memphis is fine. despite having to deal with the AI fiasco they aren't permanently scarred for life. What i'm saying is at his best his talents can not be ignored. ESPECIALLY for a no-hope team. like sacramento or cleveland. Explain how let's say AI came in but pouted and it didn't work out. How would that "Devestate" a franchise. We took a shot with marbury. Are the Celtics doomed?
 Bottomline, At this point I think AI has learned his lesson and he sees the picture now. From an owners standpoint. I'd stay clear from him if I had a championship contender or a playoff team but if I have a crappy , no hope team that we already know from jump is going to suck and is in need of ticket sales.... Again I know i've made this point in the past but I can't agree with you guys who say giving AI a chance would be the most horrific thing ever. Philly is fine, Memphis is fine.

[Eric_Suede]

Again you guys just hate AI on a personal level. Sacramento is having money issues, about to be sold. IF anything AI's presence would sell tickets and whether it be positive or negative publicity folk will actually care about the kings. Again we're talking LEAGUE MINIMUM. What is there to lose? If it doesn't work out. FINE cut him & keep it moving. But what if it does work? What if he does bounce back like Latrell sprewell did when the knicks picked him up. After the choking incident he was labled a cancer and every other name you guys throw at him. (And he had cornrows) yet he was instrumental in bringing them to the 99 finals. Just saying for minimum money i'd take the risk. Still can't understand why you guys hate him so dearly. You guys don't know him personally.

[Finkelskyhook]

Again you guys just hate AI on a personal level. Sacramento is having money issues, about to be sold. IF anything AI's presence would sell tickets and whether it be positive or negative publicity folk will actually care about the kings. Again we're talking LEAGUE MINIMUM. What is there to lose? If it doesn't work out. FINE cut him & keep it moving. But what if it does work? What if he does bounce back like Latrell sprewell did when the knicks picked him up. After the choking incident he was labled a cancer and every other name you guys throw at him. (And he had cornrows) yet he was instrumental in bringing them to the 99 finals. Just saying for minimum money i'd take the risk. Still can't understand why you guys hate him so dearly. You guys don't know him personally.

What a brilliant idea it would be to team a washed up thugster with DeMarcus Cousins. 

You might take the risk, Eric....But no NBA GM will.  There's a reason for that.

[Neurotic Guy]

I don't know Allen Iverson.  My impressions of him as a younger man basketball-wise is that he was a supreme talent -- able to do things very few could do in the history of the game.  He was an 'Energizer Bunny' on the court, endless energy for more than 40 minutes every game.  His 'practice' diatribe notwithstanding, I never believed that this was a guy didn't practice.  Of course he practiced.  And he carried a team on his shoulders to the NBA Finals.

I have no idea how much of a shell of his former self he is today in terms of basketball skill.  But, if he can be AI of old for short stretches, or nearly AI of old offensively, then I'd be curious, if not interested.   AI (to my knowledge), never played on a team with KG, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, who I imagine are not shrinking violets in the locker room or on the practice floor.  Rondo too, is a strong-headed and now veteran leader on this team -- who won't be intimidated in the least by Iverson.  Also, Doc Rivers probably is the perfect person to handle and inspire a 38 year old Iverson. 

I am not saying I want him on this team because I don't know his skill level, but I wouldn't rule him out based on impressions of his former self.  Leopard's spots actually do change with age.

[Onslaught]

No. Never.

I put up with Sheed.
I didn't say much about Shaq.

But I'd not watch the Celtics if they had AI. He is one of the problems I've had with the NBA over the last few years. I "sports hate" that punk.

[greenpride32]

Realistically, players like AI are the only shot the C's have at getting some talent.  All these young studs people are dreaming of will never end up here because of our cap situation.  Josh Smith, JR Smith, etc; they're all in the prime of their careers and will get $35-40m contracts that annually will average over the MLE (numbers based on current CBA market value).

I'd rather have players that although past their prime, know how to play the game.  Look at how well Shaq fit in when he was healthy.  To me these guys are more effective and a better fit for the current C's team than younger players who are the basically the bottom dwellers of NBA talent (which is all we can afford due to cap).
 

[Jon]

No. Never.

I put up with Sheed.
I didn't say much about Shaq.

But I'd not watch the Celtics if they had AI. He is one of the problems I've had with the NBA over the last few years. I "sports hate" that punk.

What does that even mean?  Sheed played well in the playoffs two years ago and Shaq was brilliant when he was healthy.  If they're the shoes that AI fills, we'd be quite lucky.  

[JoT]

1) you guys he's the same age as Ray not 38 he gonna be 36 no difference, but at least it's 2 years younger.
2)I still wouldn't want him in Boston, but if he miraculously changes his ways and can help then...
3)going to 2 he really wants to play again. I mean he did a magazine and went into detail about how he did wrong and how he has learned. He got emotional and said he misses the NBA and is desperate to play. He's even begging to practice at training camps.
Still wouldn't see him in Boston, but he's literally begging on his hands and knees to play again. If he changes his ways, he could be great for a team again still don't see him in Boston though, but wanted to say something nice about him.

[Jon]

1) you guys he's the same age as Ray not 38 he gonna be 36 no difference, but at least it's 2 years younger.
2)I still wouldn't want him in Boston, but if he miraculously changes his ways and can help then...
3)going to 2 he really wants to play again. I mean he did a magazine and went into detail about how he did wrong and how he has learned. He got emotional and said he misses the NBA and is desperate to play. He's even begging to practice at training camps.
Still wouldn't see him in Boston, but he's literally begging on his hands and knees to play again. If he changes his ways, he could be great for a team again still don't see him in Boston though, but wanted to say something nice about him.

This is all true.  I still wouldn't bet on it working out.  However, as others have pointed out, at this point, with Boston going into the twilight of their window (at best), we're hardly a destination anymore for free agents to take a discount.  And if by some miracle AI did accept a bench role, it could pay huge dividends and make up for, if not surpass, any loss we experience due to age and departures.  

Furthermore, in small doses, would AI's game really be a problem?  We already have threads deriding Jeff Green's passive nature off the bench.  With a bench unit, couldn't it be a positive letting AI play like it's 2001?  He certainly can't do that for 40 minutes per game anymore, but in 15-20 mpg off the bench, he could offer more than most bench players in this league. 

[Celtics18]

The vitriol is astonishing to me.  I think Iverson would be a great addition for the veteran minimum.  This is a team of head strong characters where I think that Iverson might actually fit in pretty well.

Hopefully, the last year has humbled him to the point where he wouldn't publicly be talking about how much playing time he needed, but just be happy to have another shot back in the league. 

I've always liked Iverson for his toughness.  Ideally, he could bring an interesting, change of pace, scoring punch off the bench. 

I don't see any real downside.  If he doesn't work out, I think the culture of the Celtics locker room is too strong to be able to be negatively affected by one person.  If he can't play, he sits on the end of the bench, and cheers for his teammates. 

[WeMadeIt17]

I think it would be a cool story and all but think Delonte would contribute more.. I love AI always have. Thought we should have gone after him when he signed with the grizz. But who knows if Delonte wants to go elsewhere and we need a backup PG bring him in for Training camp. But our main concern is getting a Center.

[Green Hell]

Might as well sign him. This team needs scoring no matter what the costs. I'd rather watch Iverson chuck up brick after brick in the fourth quarter than sit through another season of watching Pierce dribble it off his foot as the clock winds down. He could play that Eddie House role that we've been missing since 08.

[jdz101]

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.....*takes a breath* ooooooooooooooooo.

[CelticsFanNC]

Might as well sign him. This team needs scoring no matter what the costs. I'd rather watch Iverson chuck up brick after brick in the fourth quarter than sit through another season of watching Pierce dribble it off his foot as the clock winds down. He could play that Eddie House role that we've been missing since 08.

  Eddie House is a spot up shooter who doesn't need to dominate the basketball to be successful.  Eddie House doesn't seem to care if he plays a lot of minutes or none at all.  Eddie House is a great team guy.

  Now does that sound anything even remotely like Iverson?

  I'm old school and maybe that my issue with Iverson.  I believe that wearing the Celtics uniform isn't just playing for any other team in the NBA but that it is a way of playing basketball that has not only been more successful then any other franchise but is also the right way of playing basketball.  It's all about sharing the ball, great passing/ball movement aiming to get the best possible shot not the first shot that presents itself, 12 men working in unison to achieve one common goal and playing great defense.  That's the Celtic way.

 Iverson to me is the anti-Celtic.  Let Miami waste one of it's roster spots on Iverson.  He ought to fit right in down there with those ball dominating, ego-maniacs.  Then when the inevitable locker-room explosion happens it happens to them and not the Celtics.

[moiso]

Iverson's recent quotes lead me to believe that he is still delusional about his deteriorating game.  He said something like "Everyone in the world knows I'm a great basketball player.  Everyone in the world knows what I'm capable of on a basketball court."

That doesn't sound like a guy who has been humbled at all.