A couple of days ago, the Memphis Commercial Appeal’s Scott Cacciola wrote:
Nothing clicked with the Pistons. With Iverson on the court, their offense often degenerated into 1-on-5 sets, and Curry could never figure out how to incorporate him. In 54 games, Iverson averaged a career-low 17.4 points on 41.6 percent shooting, 4.9 assists and 3.1 rebounds.
“He went there, and he couldn’t really trust what people had told him,” said Gary Moore, Iverson’s business manager and grade-school football coach. “People in Detroit weren’t very truthful with him.”
According to Moore, Iverson had been told that he would be the leader of the team when he arrived, and that was not what played out. The players were upset that the front office had traded away Chauncey Billups, Moore said. Iverson was persona non grata before he even showed up.
“Allen couldn’t do anything about that,” Moore said. “When you lie to him, that affects him.”
Matt Watson, who covers the Detroit Pistons and the NBA at large for FanHouse, refutes Moore’s claim:
Can a 13-year vet really be so oblivious that respect is earned, not promised? That leadership is recognized, not assumed?
Even so, Iverson can hardly fault the front office for not having his back — Dumars shocked everybody by presenting Iverson with the No. 1 jersey the day he was introduced, a decision that a lot of people — not only fans, but also Palace employees — considered needlessly disrespectful to the six years Chauncey Billups gave the organization.
Besides taking Billups’ jersey number, Iverson also took his spot in the locker room, prime real estate in the corner of the room that afforded Iverson three stalls — two more than anyone else on the team — to sprawl out.
And while most players awkwardly answer post-game questions in various stages of undress in front of their locker, Iverson was the only player on the team to address the media down the hall at the same podium as Michael Curry. If he didn’t feel like he was a part of the team, it’s because he physically maintained the distance.
