Disaster Or Success? Whats The "Answer" to the Grizzlies' Season?

Think back to 2007-08 and look at Allen Iverson's stat line: 26.4 ppg, 7.1 apg, 2.2 spg and 46 percent field-goal percentage. He was an All-Star game starter and a leader to a team, which won 50 games. Still, one of the 25 greatest players in league history and his past career accomplishments are the things players dream of and guys like Dwyane Wade and LeBron James are trying to accomplish.

Then imagine someone walking up to you and telling you that next season Iverson will be coming off the bench for Rodney Stuckey and the year after it gets worse: He will be coming off the bench for Mike Conley on the Memphis Grizzlies. You would probably laugh and tell the person they do not know what basketball is and if Iverson was told that this would happened he and his whole Nuggets team would probably laugh at you.

Fast forward to 2009 and this is what is going to happened to Allen Iverson. He is coming off of a year where he is lied to by the Pistons and is forced to adjust his game and is being viewed as a guy who can be cancerous to a team. He just came off the bench for Rodney Stuckey and now had to settle for a $3.5 million, one-year deal to sign with the Memphis Grizzlies. It gets worse. He is probably coming off the bench for Michael Conley. 

Iverson had a rusty training camp. He shot the ball inconsistently and was not use to the basketball pace. But there is a very easy explanation for this. He has not played  NBA paced five-on-five basketball for over five months and the rust is explainable.

But trust me, the Memphis Grizzlies do not care if he has not played for five months. They sold their tickets and jerseys, and now they can focus on getting their young guys ready for a title run in 2015.

Iverson is there to keep attracting audiences and that is sad because this is the second time in a row he is lied to. The Memphis Grizzlies lied to Iverson and I am positive that AI will be starting the season coming off the bench for the Grizz. Allen Iverson may just have done his part for the Grizzlies: He sold tickets and jerseys and the Grizzlies made money already. 

Iverson thought his part was to get this team to the playoffs and prove everyone wrong and show them he has not lost a step. He may not get a fair chance. It is too early to make predictions like this, but it seems like this may happened because Iverson did not amaze in training camp even though Iverson was a vocal leader in training camp and worked very hard in every drill.

This season for Iverson, though, may just be his most important ever. It can go two ways: Aadisaster or a success. He could have to come off the bench and the Grizzlies can finish 12th in the West. 

For the haters, get ready to hear this. As crazy as it sounds for some basketball fans with knowledgem you can agree with me that Allen Iverson can average 22 PPG and 11 APG, and make a run at the MVP while his Grizzlies are top-three in the West.

I am not sure if Iverson can average 30 or not anymore, because last season was not a good season to judge how much Iverson has left in the tank, but I know he won't average 30 with the Grizzlies.

If he was the go to guy and everyone on the team knew this and he got 21 shots per game and shot the ball well and got 40 minutes a game than he can easily average over 30 because he has done that his whole career.

But coming off last year, nobody is going to say: "Hey Allen, why don't you go out and average 30 while the future of this young team stands around and watches?"

But if Iverson changes his game to a guy who tries to lead the league in assists, this season could be one to remember for Iverson. If a 31-year-old Nash can average 16 and 12 and win a MVP, I am pretty sure one of the quickest and deadliest scorers in NBA history can average around 20 and 12 or even 22 and 11 or maybe even more points!

If Iverson changes his mentality from "I-want-to-win" and be the leading scorer to "I-am-34-year-old-I-will-probably-get-tired-if-I-drop-30-every-night-so-I-should-go-out-and-make-a run-for-an-MVP," it could be a fun season.

But who am I kidding? He is Allen Iverson and that is Steve Nash. Iverson is so hated that he can average 30 and 12 and might not win an MVP, and Nash is so loved he can average 12 points and 9 assists and almost win an MVP.

But either way, Iverson can lead his team to wins this way and he will find the game much easier because it would be so fun racking up the assists and scoring a good amount of points.

This team also reminds me of that 2004-05 Suns team, except this team has better talent and it has guys who like to get after it on defense. All Lionel Hollins and Iverson need to know is how to use the talent and the sky is the limit.  Iverson can have an amazing season IF he changes his mentality a bit and once he gets off the bench for the Grizzlies he can shock the world and you never know people, AI and his Grizzlies may just be surprising the world this season.

If it goes wrong which is the way it could easily go this season could just be Iverson's final season.