When asked how his leg felt after logging 18 minutes, Iverson responded with a favorable medical assessment before opening up about his role.
“I had no problems (with the hamstring). I had a problem with my butt sitting on that bench for so long,” Iverson said.
When a reporter suggested that the Grizzlies’ youthful and offensively challenged bench desperately needs Iverson’s scoring punch, the 34-year-old shook his head in disagreement.
“No. I’m not a bench player. I’m not a sixth man,” Iverson said. “Look at my resume and that’ll show I’m not a sixth man. I don’t think it has anything to do with me being selfish. It’s just who I am. I don’t want to change what gave me all the success that I’ve had since I’ve been in this league. I’m not a sixth man. And that’s that.”
Iverson missed the entire preseason and the Grizzlies’ first three regular-season games.
He also sat out the final five minutes of the fourth quarter against the Kings, and played only 57 seconds of the five-minute overtime.
Hollins said he’ll integrate Iverson at a pace best suited for the team but pointed out that his rotation isn’t set in stone.
“As the season develops, roles develop,” Hollins said. “Sometimes roles get defined that you have to be willing to accept. We didn’t expect A..I. to miss eight preseason games and three regular-season games, either. So we’ll play it by ear and see what happens. Allen can score and his instincts will take over. Right now, he’ll be great with the second unit.”
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“If we’re winning games with me in that (reserve) role, I would be a (jerk) for fighting that,” Iverson said soon after pointing out: “I came off the bench and we still lost.
Source: http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/20 ... -overtime/
I guess Im going to have to give Walsh and D'Antoni credit for not signing this guy.
He is going to get waived for sure.
