Updated Dec. 1
The 76ers are interested. The Grizzlies clearly are not.
While the NBA's other 28 clubs ponder where they stand, the question is: Which team would be the best fit for Allen Iverson's current skill level?
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| There is one place Allen Iverson definitely won't be happy: the bench. (Getty Images) |
And, no, the University of Virginia football team cannot be the answer, either. Yes, the former prep star quarterback in the Old Dominion State suited up for just two basketball seasons at Georgetown, making him eligible to return to play another NCAA sport, but time has elapsed on his six-year college clock.
Throwing out the 76ers because I'm not big on nostalgia, here are the five teams that seem like the most logical not-quite-retirement homes for Iverson to drop his massive baggage:
Washington Wizards: This homecoming is so obvious, it's hard to believe it hasn't happened yet. The Wizards were so desperate to find a sidekick for Gilbert Arenas, they stooped to Earl Boykins' level. He's done fine, but let's face it: He's no Iverson. Never has been. Never will be.
San Antonio Spurs: This is Iverson's best shot at winning a title. And here's the best part: no coming off the bench. Even when Manu Ginobili is healthy, Gregg Popovich loves to use him in an Energizer Bunny role, filling the starting spot with the likes of Keith Bogans. In other words, there's serious room for improvement.
New Orleans Hornets: Here's all you need to know: Devin Brown in the club's starting big guard on most nights. I say big guard because you flat-out cannot call this guy a shooting guard. He's shooting 36.9 percent this season.
Golden State Warriors: If this were baseball, Iverson would be a Warrior by now. You know ... bad team rolls the dice on a has-been, hoping he catches magic in a water bottle for two months, then deals him to a contender. The way the Warriors run up and down the court, Iverson could be a 20-point-a-game scorer alongside Monta Ellis, then become a Spur at about the same time Ginobili suffers his next injury.
| Iverson links |
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Berger: Answer should be 'no' |
Los Angeles Clippers: Don't look now, but L.A.'s other team is right in the thick of the watered-down Western playoff race. The Clippers went 8-6 in November. Four more mediocre months like that and they'll start printing playoff tickets on April 1 -- and that's no joke. Iverson and Baron Davis side-by-side. Now that would be fun.
Perhaps spurred by Iverson rumors (you heard them here first), the five aforementioned teams went a combined 10-5 last week, gaining an average of two spots in this week's CBSSports.com NBA Power Rankings. Imagine what'll happen after one lands Iverson.
| Power Rankings | ||||||||||
| Current | Team | Previous | ||||||||
 | 1 | Lakers · Trends | 1 | |||||||
| Knicks, Warriors, Nets -- it's been a while since Lakers faced a real team. ... Best passing big man in game? Pau Gasol averaging 4.2 assists. | ||||||||||
 | 2 | Magic · Trends | 2 | |||||||
| Battle of Florida, Round 1, ends in controversy; no Magic in referee's non-call. ... Last road loss: Nov. 8 at Oklahoma City. | ||||||||||
 | 3 | Suns · Trends | 5 | |||||||
| Tweet: NBA blows whistle on multitasking Amare Stoudemire, but he says he's innocent (and $7,500 poorer). ... Average score in four-game win streak: 119-98. | ||||||||||
 | 4 | Cavaliers · Trends | 3 | |||||||
| LeBron in the NFL? Might be great tight end, but why take paycut?. ... No consistency: Inexcusable losses at Toronto, Washington, Charlotte. | ||||||||||
 | 5 | Celtics · Trends | 7 | |||||||
| Truth has $30,000 price: Rasheed Wallace labels "Turkododo" a flopper. ... Time to get serious: Kevin Garnett ties season-high with 35 minutes in win at Miami. | ||||||||||
 | 6 | Hawks · Trends | 4 | |||||||
| First crack: Joe Johnson shoots 23 for 66, club loses three of four. ... Easy to figure out these guys: 9-1 when scoring 100 or more, 3-4 when held to double digits. | ||||||||||
 | 7 | Mavericks · Trends | 8 | |||||||
| Wrong side of history: Warriors play just six players, win at Dallas. ... Blowout loss to Cavs nothing new: That's four straight by average of 17.5 points. | ||||||||||
 | 8 | Nuggets · Trends | 6 | |||||||
| M-V-P? Fans shout it out as Carmelo Anthony scorches Knicks for 50. ... Shocking end to 17-game home streak; club had beaten Timberwolves 10 straight. | ||||||||||
 | 9 | Jazz · Trends | 11 | |||||||
| Carlos Boozer averaging 23.7-11.1 double-double in club's six-of-seven march up standings. ... Jazz have 36 assists, Blazers 34 hoops in 16-point drubbing. | ||||||||||
 | 10 | Spurs · Trends | 14 | |||||||
| Room for improvement: Richard Jefferson has nine field goals last four games. ... Softies devoured, three heavyweights (Celtics, Nuggets, Jazz) await in five-day stretch. | ||||||||||
 | 11 | Trail Blazers · Trends | 9 | |||||||
| Last quality win (at home vs. Spurs) now almost month away. ... Zach Randolph (remember him?) enjoys homecoming at Blazers' expense. | ||||||||||
 | 12 | Heat · Trends | 13 | |||||||
| Too much stuffing? Heat among seven home losers (to Wizards) on day after Thanksgiving. ... Hope to avoid you in April: Club has lost nine of 10 to Celtics. | ||||||||||
 | 13 | Rockets · Trends | 10 | |||||||
| Honeymoon's over: Early surprise team hasn't won back-to-back in a month. ... Where's Tracy McGrady? Club shoots 71 of 175 in home losses to Mavericks, Spurs. | ||||||||||
 | 14 | Thunder · Trends | 15 | |||||||
| Giant-killing continues: Add Jazz to list that includes Magic, Spurs, Heat. ... He can pass, too: Kevin Durant has at least a handful of assists in five of last seven. | ||||||||||
 | 15 | Bobcats · Trends | 19 | |||||||
| Trade paying dividends: Stephen Jackson averaging 40 minutes for club that's won four straight. ... Gerald Wallace takes Michael Jordan's advice, outplays LeBron James in win over Cavaliers. | ||||||||||
 | 16 | Bucks · Trends | 12 | |||||||
| Four-game losing streak includes two-, three-point losses. ... What's problem? Brandon Jennings since 55-point explosion: 59 of 160 (369). | ||||||||||
 | 17 | Bulls · Trends | 17 | |||||||
| Time to move up: After 10 of first 15 on road, nine of next 11 at home. ... No laughing matter: Club now 10-61 last 10 "Circus Trips." | ||||||||||
 | 18 | Kings · Trends | 24 | |||||||
| Bring on New England: Club sweeps three against New York, New Jersey, New Orleans. ... Another surprise for surprising team: Sergio Rodriguez impresses at point guard. | ||||||||||
 | 19 | Hornets · Trends | 18 | |||||||
| Last four road games: 0-4, 15.0 average margin of defeat. Next visit: Lakers. ... Good time for Chris Paul to rest: Club follows two-game week with two-game week. | ||||||||||
 | 20 | Raptors · Trends | 16 | |||||||
| Blown-out club glad Canadian Steve Nash (20 points, 16 assists) comes north just once a year. ... Only Warriors (112.4 ppg) worse defensively than Raptors (109.3). | ||||||||||
 | 21 | Wizards · Trends | 21 | |||||||
| Antawn Jamison doubles up on double-doubles in two wins, goes double-single in loss to Bobcats. ... Time to make move: Celtics, Suns only elite foes in December. | ||||||||||
 | 22 | Clippers · Trends | 25 | |||||||
| Marcus Camby climbing rebound list: 62 in last four games. ... Is .500 in their future? The 8-10 club gets next five at home. | ||||||||||
 | 23 | Warriors · Trends | 26 | |||||||
| Short-handed travelers make total of seven substitutions in shocker at Dallas. ... Scorching Monta Ellis goes for 34, 37, 42, 45 in five-game stretch. | ||||||||||
 | 24 | Pistons · Trends | 22 | |||||||
| Bloody Charlie Villanueva helps in win over Hawks, then has surgery on broken nose. ... TV truck catches fire, Pistons don't in viewer-less home loss to Clippers. | ||||||||||
 | 25 | Pacers · Trends | 20 | |||||||
| League leader in free throws allowed puts Monta Ellis on line 16 times in loss to Warriors. ... Mike Dunleavy hits first 11 foul shots after nearly 10-month absence. | ||||||||||
 | 26 | 76ers · Trends | 23 | |||||||
| A.I. II: Ay yi yi. ... Knew it wouldn't be easy: Seven-game losing streak includes Cavaliers, Celtics, Hawks, Spurs, Mavericks. | ||||||||||
 | 27 | Grizzlies · Trends | 27 | |||||||
| Improvement noted: Club is 5-4 after 1-8 start. ... Jamaal Tinsley puts PT over W's, signs with Grizzlies. | ||||||||||
 | 28 | Knicks · Trends | 28 | |||||||
| Double your pleasure: Sunday duel with lowly Nets one of two this month. ... Anthony adds to infamy: Four of last 10 to score 50 have faced Knicks. | ||||||||||
 | 29 | Timberwolves · Trends | 29 | |||||||
| Don't want to make them mad: Club avenges home loss to Nuggets with stunner at Denver. ... Improving Ramon Sessions cutting into Jonny Flynn's playing time. | ||||||||||
 | 30 | Nets · Trends | 30 | |||||||
| Frank-ly speaking, change needed after noncompetitive Western swing. ... Good news for new coach Kiki Vandeweghe: Bobcats, Knicks, Bulls, Warriors, Pacers in eight-day stretch | ||||||||||
