By Sports Network
<!-- begin /production/story/credit_line_format.comp -->The Sports Network
<!-- end /production/story/credit_line_format.comp -->Memphis Grizzlies guard Allen Iverson, said to be unhappy with his role coming off the bench, is reportedly considering retirement.
Iverson left the Grizzlies on Saturday for personal reasons and the Memphis Commercial Appeal on Monday cited a source as saying that the former NBA MVP is mulling over the possibility of calling it a career.
The Grizzlies gave Iverson permission to fly from Los Angeles to his home in Atlanta to deal with a personal problem. There was no timetable for his return and Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley told the Commercial Appeal he does not know of Iverson's plans.
"I just think if he was going to retire, he'd tell me first," Heisley was quoted by the paper. "I expect him to come back. If he does retire, I'll be tremendously disappointed. I feel bad because I don't think that's the way he should go out."
Iverson, in his first year with the Grizzlies, missed the first three games of the season with a hamstring injury before returning. He has come off the bench in each of his three appearances this season and is averaging 12.3 points with 3.7 assists while playing just over 22 minutes a game.
The 34-year-old veteran started last season with Denver but was traded to Detroit on November 3 after just three games and played 54 games with the Pistons. His season was curtailed by a back problem and he averaged 17.5 points, 5.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds in a combined 57 games, including 53 starts.
Denver acquired Iverson from Philadelphia in December 2006 and he spent the remainder of that season and one full year with the Nuggets before last November's deal.
The former Georgetown star played his first 10 full seasons with Philadelphia, leading the 76ers to the NBA Finals in the spring of 2001. He was the league MVP for the 2000-01 season
<!-- begin /production/story/credit_line_format.comp -->The Sports Network
<!-- end /production/story/credit_line_format.comp -->Memphis Grizzlies guard Allen Iverson, said to be unhappy with his role coming off the bench, is reportedly considering retirement.
Iverson left the Grizzlies on Saturday for personal reasons and the Memphis Commercial Appeal on Monday cited a source as saying that the former NBA MVP is mulling over the possibility of calling it a career.
The Grizzlies gave Iverson permission to fly from Los Angeles to his home in Atlanta to deal with a personal problem. There was no timetable for his return and Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley told the Commercial Appeal he does not know of Iverson's plans.
"I just think if he was going to retire, he'd tell me first," Heisley was quoted by the paper. "I expect him to come back. If he does retire, I'll be tremendously disappointed. I feel bad because I don't think that's the way he should go out."
Iverson, in his first year with the Grizzlies, missed the first three games of the season with a hamstring injury before returning. He has come off the bench in each of his three appearances this season and is averaging 12.3 points with 3.7 assists while playing just over 22 minutes a game.
The 34-year-old veteran started last season with Denver but was traded to Detroit on November 3 after just three games and played 54 games with the Pistons. His season was curtailed by a back problem and he averaged 17.5 points, 5.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds in a combined 57 games, including 53 starts.
Denver acquired Iverson from Philadelphia in December 2006 and he spent the remainder of that season and one full year with the Nuggets before last November's deal.
The former Georgetown star played his first 10 full seasons with Philadelphia, leading the 76ers to the NBA Finals in the spring of 2001. He was the league MVP for the 2000-01 season