The New York Knicks should sign Allen Iverson
Twitter has been going crazy the past couple of days with people saying that Allen Iverson has told them he is healing his injuries and will return next season in tip top shape. Here are some links to people saying these things: http://twitter.com/D_Danielz33/status/15137547133. Heres another one:http://twitter.com/Jamal_D_2_3/status/15137334208 and one more: http://twitter.com/S_J_S25/status/15138066362.
Again these are just rumors and the sources are people on Twitter who saw Allen in the mall. But again what reason does someone have to lie about these things. If these are true and Allen is returning then it should be to the New York Knicks because they are going to be a contender next season in need of a veteran leader who can also play and Allen would fit that role perfectly. Allen may chose to go back to Philadelphia but he should really think this one out, if he wants to prove people wrong he can heal his body and either do it by dropping 25 a night for a non playoff team or dropping 17-20 a night on a contender and still getting shine. The New York Knicks have everything they need to either get LeBron and Bosh or Dwyane Wade and Bosh or even LeBron and Wade on one team, but that isn't going to be enough to win it all.
The Knicks don't really have anyone on the team that these big name free agents would look at and say "Hey he will help us a lot". The starting point guard is a guy named Serigo Rodriguez? I mean that is really going to make LeBron want to play for the Knicks. Their backup point guard is Chris Duhon, no way is he going to lure the big name free agents in. The only player that could make the free agents want to come to the Knicks is Tracy McGrady but even he is injured and even though he is saying he will be back next season better then ever it isn't believable because he has been saying that for the last three seasons now. The Knicks have nobody that James/Wade/Bosh would want to play with, they wouldn't have success come playoff time with this roster. But the smartest decision for the Knicks may be the cheapest and maybe one of the best free agents this off season and his name is Allen Iverson.
When James/Bosh/Wade look at the Knicks roster no big names stick out or than a beat up Tracy McGrady. But add Allen Iverson to that roster and LeBron/Bosh or Wade are on the team a week into free agency. Why? because these guys know that Allen is one of the greatest players the league has seen, he knows what it takes to win, he can still play in the right situation and he is one of the most respected players in the league. Allen has accomplished more in the league than LeBron, Wade and Bosh have and forget Bosh and Wade, LeBron may not even accomplish as much as A.I. when its all said and done. But when you are searching for a championship team an you get a guy on the roster like that who is that respected and that accomplished but is willing to play a reduced role to you then it is a recipe for success. Now when you read that you may say Allen Iverson would never play a reduced role he already said he won't, but that is because he shouldn't have to because if a rusty version of him is better then half the guards in the league then imagine how good a healthy version of him is. The Detroit situation brainwashed the league into thinking Allen's a 6th man when really it is probably one of the worst coaching decisions ever. Allen would never want to play a reduced role to someone who he knows he is better then and he shouldn't. But on the Knicks he would be all in for a reduced role which is him being the third option behind LeBron/Bosh or Wade/Bosh. Allen knows he has accomplished more than those guys but he also knows that they know that and they respect that, another thing Allen knows is LeBron and Wade are better players then him at this stage of his career, he wouldn't cause any problems.
Just looking at the names on this line up should scare the league: C- David Lee, PF- Chris Bosh, SF- LeBron James, SG- Tracy McGrady or Dwyane Wade(if LeBron doesn't go to NY), PG- Allen Iverson. What's even scarier is those guys playing in Mike D'Antoni's up and down game. It would be an unbeatable team that would cruise to a title, they would be the most dominant force in the NBA and the most exciting. Allen Iverson would get 17-20 points a night and 6-8 assists a night in his sleep in this situation. All the teams Allen has been the defense was focused on him and he was forced to pass to the open man but this time all the defense would be focused on the other two stars and Allen would have wide open shots all night. Allen in a run and gun offense is a major problem for defenses and he would either score or make a highlight play for one his teammates. LeBron is going to do his thing and in this system he could easily do 35, 8 and 8. Wade or Bosh would also have no problem getting their stats and the New York Knicks could possibly be one of the highest scoring teams ever.
I can see it right now. Chris Bosh rips down his 12th rebound of the night throws an outlet pass to Allen Iverson who has LeBron on the wing, Allen throws a behind the back lob and James does his signature head over the rim dunk, Madison Square Garden erupts, the opposing team calls a timeout, Chris Bosh throws his hand in the air, LeBron dances to the bench knowing he is getting his usual 4th quarter rest and Iverson runs around MSG with his hand to his ear as the crowd goes crazy. It could possibly be the scenario every night, Bosh and LeBron getting 4th quarter rests because they are up 25 by the end of the third.
The Knicks had two chances to sign Allen Iverson this past season, in the 2009 off season free agency and in December when they were 3-11 and AI was retired. Both times the made a mistake by passing, they were sort of scared of Allen Iverson. They were afraid that Iverson the NBA's most hip-hop player ever, the icon coming in to the most hip-hop city ever, dropping 25 a night in Mike D'Antoni's fast paced game becoming the man of the city and leading this team to the playoffs as the go to guy on a team full of youngsters. A baggage would come with that and that is Allen drinking, gambling and partying in the New York clubs and casinos all night which leads to missed practice. Iverson's "thug" entourage would all be in the locker rooms scaring the old white folks away and controlling things, Iverson would abuse his leadership and sometimes go for his own 50 point explosions which would frustrate D'Antoni. The New York Knicks would be Allen Iverson's Knicks just like the Iverson 76ers were for 11 years and just like the Iverson Nuggets were. But at the end of the day they would be winning and thats what matter and if they had him then leading the Knicks to the playoffs then LeBron/Bosh or Wade would sign with the Knicks on the first day of free agency.
Take a look at what Kenny Smith and Eric Snow had to say about teams not signing Allen Iverson including the Knicks:
But they had their reasons to pass then but now there should be no reasons, Allen is probably going to be worth less then $5 million a season and he will be able to give the Knicks 20 and 8 a night through a team concept without causing any problems. LeBron and Bosh/Wade are too smart at this stage of their careers to be influenced by a 35 year old Allen Iverson, Iverson would finally in after about 3 years be in a winning situation and would be focused on a ring which would keep him away from the casinos and clubs and he wouldn't have the nerve to try ruining possibly the best team ever. He knows he almost lost his career because of his actions in the last couple of years. Iverson was on very good behavior with the Sixers this past season but he had no reason to stick around, they were losing he was hurting and his career averages were sinking game by game because of the system he was in. Now a healthy and grounded Iverson can come to the Knicks and be apart of the best team in the history of the league, he can close his career out the right way and a ring would probably get him in the top 17-20 greatest players to ever play(if he already isn't). Allen is a bonafide first ballot Hall Of Famer and if his career and if he announces his retirement this off season then he will be headed to the Hall Of Fame in 5 years(when you are eligible) but he would be on stage without a ring on his finger, it would be a little bittersweet.But with this team Allen can get that ring,
The "Answer" may just be the right answer for the New York Knicks. It would be one of the greatest things that ever happened in the history of sports. LeBron James, Chris Bosh and a healthy Allen Iverson, now that is one of the scariest teams ever.
