It’s starting to look like Allen Iverson’s time in the league might be done. Or, if it’s not done, it might continue with AI being a bench player on the Grizzlies.

I don’t get it. The last time he played a full season on one team was ’07-08, when he was in Denver. He averaged 26.4 points and 2 steals per game, while shooting 46%. Those are excellent numbers, and that was only two years ago. Now there might be no spot in the league for him. It’s times like these when I feel like I could be an NBA GM, because I can’t do worse than some of the people who are currently serving as NBA GM’s.

The dude’s nickname is THE ANSWER, people. THE ANSWER. He was once featured in a Reebok commercial with Jadakiss, for his new sneaker, the A5. Jada rapped, “Check ‘em out, it’s the new A5, you gotta rock ‘em, THEY EVEN PUT A ZONE IN THE LEAGUE TO TRY TO STOP HIM.”
Got it? They LET TEAMS START PLAYING ZONE DEFENSE TO TRY TO STOP HIM.

Now you’re telling me that he’s a bench player on the Grizzlies? The Memphis Grizzlies? Is this some kind of joke?
Look, I understand why a real contender wouldn’t want him. He dominates the ball and takes about 20 shots per game when he’s doing his thing. If you’re already a contender, you don’t want to add a guy like that to the mix. And I also understand why a young team that’s years from contending wouldn’t want him. He’s not going to make a bad team a contender, so, if you’re a bad team with young players, you’re better off letting your young guys develop than you are having him dominating the ball. And I understand that some teams have salary cap issues.

Fine. But if you’re a borderline playoff team that could contend if you had some more firepower, why wouldn’t you do what you have to do to get this guy? He can score with the best of ‘em. And we’ve seen flashes from him, in the Olympics and in All-Star games, of an ability to play solid minutes at point guard when he’s surrounded by some offensive talent. His name is THE ANSWER. Remember?

Washington is 2-6. If they put THE ANSWER on the floor with Arenas, they would put a bunch of teams on their heels. Yes, it would be a relatively small backcourt. So what? How many backcourts in the league would get the best of those two guys?

New Orleans is 3-6. A backcourt of Chris Paul and THE ANSWER wouldn’t make some noise? Really? Chris Paul and Devin Brown makes more sense?

Miami starts Mario Chalmers. I like Chalmers but we’re talking about THE ANSWER. (Did I mention that already?) Dwyane Wade and Allen Iverson would be, um… what’s the word? Oh, yeah… F*!%NG LETHAL.

And, last but not least, the Sixers are 4-4. They average under 100 ppg. There’s a spot on their roster for some dude named Primoz Brezac. They don’t want THE ANSWER back? Really? Philadelphia wouldn’t welcome him back, to try to make a mediocre team a threat?

If this situation doesn’t strike you as absurd, do me a favor: Envision yourself as a sports reporter. You cover the New Orleans Hornets. You with me? Good. Now, imagine that you’re at the game they played last night against the Suns. They lost 124-104, to fall to 3-6 on the season. Imagine that you walk into the Hornets’ locker room minutes after the game, and talk to Devin Brown, who just put up 8 points on 3-12 shooting. You with me still? Good. Now, imagine that you say to Devin Brown “I hear that people around the league have started to call you THE ANSWER. Is that true?” (For those who are having trouble forming an image of Devin Brown, click here for a picture.)

Ok… you hear Devin Brown respond to your question by saying “I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. I never heard anyone call me THE ANSWER, and I don’t know why anyone would?” You see the look of confusion on his face when he hears your question? Keep that in mind.
Now, imagine that you walk across the locker room, to Chris Paul. Chris is so pissed off about being 3-6 that he has steam coming out of his ears, and could melt a block of ice just by glancing at it. You go up to Chris, and you say “Chris, I heard that people around the league started calling Devin Brown THE ANSWER.”

You see the glare Chris gives you?

I rest my case.