The Allen Iverson to the Grizzlies rumor that first surfaced last week popped up again this morning. I’d heard some scuttle throughout the day that the deal was still being discussed, but nothing solid enough to report.
Now it seems to be tumbling out. First, ESPN’s Chris Broussard, putting the potential deal in what I consider to be its proper context:
The Memphis Grizzlies appear to be the club with the most interest in Allen Iverson. I’m told the chances of Iverson going to Miami are miniscule. But for reasons that are as much about money as about basketball, the Grizzlies are contemplating adding Iverson to their club. That doesn’t mean it’s going to happen, but it could.
Neither party’s motives are the purest. Memphis, which often has as many empty seats as filled seats at its games, knows Iverson is a huge draw and that’s a big part of this. Iverson, on the other hand, is hoping to land with the Grizzlies solely because they’re the only team willing to consider paying him more than the midlevel exception.
Iverson has been humbled a bit. He realizes that interest in him is low and that he’s in for a severe pay cut. But he’s also motivated. His mentality right now is that he’ll take a one-year deal, play his butt off to re-establish himself as an elite player, and then cash in next summer.
