Allen Iverson's Options: Money or Playoffs

What a difference a year makes. A year ago Allen Iverson was playing for the Denver Nuggets, making $20 million, and was considered a top 10-15 player. Fast forward a year later after playing for the Detroit Pistons and Iverson is viewed as the black plague that the league should avoid. Now a free agent at the age of 34, Iverson can't even get a decent offer from a title-contending team looking for that last piece to put it over the hump.

There is no need to beat a dead horse because most of us already know (or just have an assumption) on what happened in Detroit. The best way to to come to an agreement without a long debate is that Iverson and Detroit was just a horrible fit that should have never taken place at all.

Now as a free agent, Iverson's market is extremely small and he has only received offers from three teams (Mia, LAC, Mem). Obviously out of those three teams one would assume that Iverson would sign with the Heat.

Miami provides a playoff team, a superstar in Dwyane Wade he can play with, South Beach, and a chance for Iverson to redeem himself. The problem is that Miami isn't willing to offer him the full MLE (worth $5.8 million) for one year that he wants and just want to sign him for the Vet's minimum (worth $2 million) for one year. 

The Grizzlies and Clippers have both offered Iverson the full MLE for one year but under the stipulation that he comes off the bench (Which Iverson threatened to retire if he had to do again). Why Iverson would even consider those two teams is beyond me. If Iverson is so against coming off the bench, I don't see why he would even consider it for these two jokes of teams.

If his only option is to come off the bench if he wants to continue in the NBA, then he should have had Leon Rose (his agent) on the phone with all the title contenders (LAL, Cle, Orl, Bos, SAS) back in the beginning of July and told them he would be willing to be their sixth man.

What makes it even worse in my opinion is that Iverson just finished playing for a team that didn't really want him and just used him (his expiring contract). However, it is widely known that the Clippers and Grizzlies have many people in their front office who don't want Iverson and it is strictly the team owners who want him just for his box office appeal.

Michael Heisley (Mem) and Donald Sterling (LAC) need to put butts in seats, they need to sell jerseys, and they need more games on national TV. Iverson provides all of that which is the ONLY reason they are pursuing him. Does Iverson really want to go through another season of just being on a team (a lottery team at that) that doesn't want him or use him correctly, and just want his box office appeal (while coming off the bench on top of that)?

If Iverson ends up signing with either the Clippers or the Grizzlies (Grizzlies are highly unlikely at this point), he takes the biggest loss of his career. Someone with such an outstanding resume like Iverson shouldn't tarnish it by playing for one of the two worst franchises not only in the NBA, but all professional sports. Iverson has made somewhere close to over $100 million (probably more but I don't know the exact numbers) over his 13 years in the NBA so money shouldn't be an issue for him.

He should take Miami's one-year/$2 million offer if it is still available and play there for one year. If they even make the playoffs and Iverson shows he can still play at an All-Star level and wont cause any issues, he can get that one last decent contract next summer for a title contending team. He has the hugest chip on his shoulder right now and he should know that if he doesn't make it work this season then his career could potentially be done.

It's my belief that Iverson has always played his best with his back against the wall and with something to prove, so I think whoever gets him will get the steal of the summer. However, if Iverson signs with the Clippers (or Grizzlies) just so he can earn that $5 million, he loses a lot of my respect and his legacy takes just another hit.

Personally, I think he should just agree to be a sixth man for legit title contender. However, Iverson doesn't and has never wanted to ring chase and ride someone's coat tails (which is good and bad in a way). Since that is the case, hopefully he makes the smart decision and chooses playoffs (Miami Heat) over money (Los Angeles Clippers).