Allen Iverson Plans Comeback

Allen Iverson, the former 2000-2001 League MVP, is planning on making a return to the NBA this upcoming season.

Iverson won the Rookie of the Year Award for the 1996-1997 season after being originally drafted with the number one overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1996. He was later traded to the Denver Nuggets in 2006 who then traded him to the Detroit Pistons in 2008. Following an unsuccessful stint in Detroit, Iverson signed with the Memphis Grizzlies last summer, but he got into arguments over playing time and was released. He then re-signed with the Philadelphia 76ers before leaving to attend to his ill daughter partway through this past season.

Allen Iverson's personal trainer has stated his enthusiasm about the upcoming season, and he believes that Iverson can still compete for a title and help a team achieve its championship goals. However, Iverson has had issues with playing time in the past. Arguments emerged in both Detroit and Memphis where Iverson came off the bench and primarily played the shooting guard position. He could still be an effective force for the right team by offering a veteran presence but could have to accept a smaller role on whatever team he plays for next year.

So what teams could be interested in pursuing Allen Iverson in the summer? I believe that he could be a good fit for three teams.

The New York Knicks could use Iverson purely to attract big name free agents. Iverson obviously still has something left in the tank, and if he has an opportunity to play in an offense where he isn't the main option on offense or expected to be the leader on a team, he could thrive.

The Sacramento Kings could also be a good fit for Iverson this upcoming year. The Kings already have an established young point guard in Tyreke Evans, and Iverson could possibly offer some veteran insight to the team. However, this would not be an instant contender which Iverson is probably looking for. So what team could be championship caliber that Iverson could play a key role for next year?

The New Jersey Nets will either pick up Evan Turner or Derrick Favors in next week's draft. This means the roster for next year could potentially look like this: Devin Harris, Evan Turner/Allen Iverson, LeBron James, Derrick Favors/Yi Jianlian, Brook Lopez. LeBron isn't the only option through free agency either. Evan Turner, at 6'6" could potentially play the small forward position moving Iverson into the starting lineup at shooting guard. Not a bad starting lineup if you ask me. The Nets are instantly playoff contenders depending on the play and attitude of Iverson.

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Mock Draft: Picks 1-5

The NBA Draft is a week away, and there is a lot of speculation about who will be going where. I will break down the first five picks of the draft, and in turn I will explain why each player is the best fit for that team.

1. John Wall, Washington Wizards

Wall is easily the most talented player in this year's draft. The Wizards are sure to draft him with the first overall pick, but questions have risen about whether or not he can play alongside Gilbert Arenas. Both players need the ball in their hands in order to perform on the court. However, I could see the Wizards either trading Arenas after his handgun incident last year, or possibly moving him to shooting guard. Let's face it, Arenas is on his way out in Washington. I wouldn't sacrifice a sure-fire superstar like John Wall in order to keep Gilbert Arenas happy. Wall will be a key piece in the rebuilding project for Washington.

2. Derrick Favors, Philadelphia 76ers

Philadelphia has a very difficult decision to make with the second pick in this year's draft. However, Favors will be a better fit for the Sixers than the alternative, Evan Turner, would be. Elton Brand was a failed experiment in Philadelphia, and Favors gives the Sixers an excellent alternative to the aging Brand. He will be an excellent addition to the Sixers, who are also in somewhat of a rebuilding process. Favors brings a strong, athletic frame to the post which the Sixers are in desperate need of for next year. With Favors on the team, he should also command some attention away from Andre Iguodola and Jrue Holiday so that they can make plays as well. Unlike Turner, Favors doesn't need an offense to run through him which will also be a positive aspect for Iguodola, the obvious leader of the Sixers.

3. Evan Turner, New Jersey Nets

The New Jersey Nets were originally crushed after not only losing the top pick in the draft, but also falling to the third pick. They will be extremely lucky if Turner can fall into their lap here. Evan Turner will bring instant offense to a Nets team who notoriously struggled throughout the season last year. He will most likely play shooting guard, which will force Courtney Lee to come off of the bench. Turner, along with Devin Harris and Brook Lopez, will make for a pretty decent three player attack for New Jersey next season. The other added bonus of Turner being drafted by the Nets is the attraction of a previously dismal team to one of potential. If Turner is drafted by the Nets, he could attract some max-free agents to join him.

4. Wesley Johnson, Minnesota Timberwolves

The fourth pick is another spot with a lot of speculation swirling around it. However, I think that Wesley Johnson is the best fit for the Wolves. DeMarcus Cousins is the other option, but he hasn't worked out for Minnesota yet. He also would not fit in with the Wolves because of the fact that Al Jefferson and Kevin Love are already an established front court duo. The best part about Johnson is the fact that he WANTS to play in Minnesota! Johnson played for Syracuse where close friend Jonny Flynn also played. Johnson will bring a scorer to the small forward position, and should help Minnesota improve on their fifteen win season last year.

5. DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings

Not much to say here. Cousins is easily the most talented center in this year's draft. He will bring an inside presence that is greatly needed to Sacramento. The Kings could also put together a pretty good core of young, talented players by drafting Cousins. Tyreke Evans, Omri Casspi, and Cousins could become the three main players for Sacramento's future. Just think of the possibilities if the Kings still had Kevin Martin! That would certainly be a formidable team. The Kings are also experiencing some buzz around the league with free agents, and Cousins would do nothing but help bring a big name to Sacramento.

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NBA Draft Preview and Rumors

The NBA Draft is less than 10 days away, and there are multiple rumors involving this year's lottery picks and also the teams who could pick them. Here are the latest updates:

The Indiana Pacers are looking for a point guard. Although they passed up on four quality point guards last year when they chose Tyler Hansbrough, the team could be potentially looking to trade the tenth pick in the draft this year to either the Denver Nuggets for Ty Lawson or the New Orleans Hornets for Darren Collison. Both the Nuggets and Hornets are very fond of their young point guards, but the tenth pick could be enough to persuade the teams to part with their respective players. The Hornets are especially fond of Collison, and rumors have been circulating about whether or not Chris Paul is available for a trade because of Collison's success last season. If the Pacers keep the tenth pick, Eric Bledsoe from Kentucky will likely be the best point guard still available.

Georgia Tech power forward Derrick Favors is gaining momentum, and he is now projected as the second overall pick which belongs to the Philadelphia 76ers. This could be the Sixers organization's way of admitting the failure of Elton Brand while in Philadelphia. Favors will bring explosiveness to a young Philadelphia lineup. This also means that Ohio State point guard Evan Turner will likely fall to the New Jersey Nets with the third pick. He will likely be moved to shooting guard and will be a huge draw for free agents.

Lastly, DeMarcus Cousins' draft position has been fluctuating as of late. He has been projected anywhere from the fourth pick to the seventh. If he did fall to the seventh, he could be a huge boost to the Detroit Pistons who are in need of a center to replace an aging Ben Wallace.

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