Together they have scored more than 70,000 points, been a participant in 33 NBA All Star Games, won 8 scoring titles, and won 2 league MVP Awards, but apparently the now 30+ year old Shaquille O’Neal, Allen Iverson, and Tracy McGrady are having a difficult time finding their way onto an NBA roster this Summer. Even though all three players may eventually wind up in Springfield, Massachusetts, enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, these one time All NBA 1st Team performers may have to accept below the league minimum salary to latch onto a contending team or face the dreaded “R” word……………………..retirement.
It’s sad to see it come to this, but one or all three of the trio consisting of Shaq, The Answer, and T-Mac could find themselves out of basketball after a disappointing Summer which hasn’t yielded many contract offers. We’ve heard rumors that Shaq would consider going back home to NJ or play alongside Dirk in Dallas, or that McGrady is contemplating accepting a minimum offer to play for the Clippers, or that AI is waiting for a single offer from any club, but there is nothing concrete out there halfway through the free agency signing period this off-season.
Shaq probably has the most value out of any of the trio since he put up a respectable 12 points and nearly 7 rebounds with Cleveland last season. But at age 38 and in rapid decline, he probably doesn’t warrant a starting spot on any club at this point. The once lightning quick first step that made his 300+ lb frame unstoppable on both sides of the ball is all but gone, as he now at times lumbers up and down the 94 feet of hardwood. Without the explosion and unstoppable spin moves we are used to, Shaq now relies on the more conventional jump hooks to score, and we all know about his adventures at the free throw line and consequently is a liability in the 4th quarter. Could he be a viable back-up to a developing young superstar? Possibly, if Shaq takes the demotion in stride as well as coming down from his demands of nearly $6+ million per season. O’Neal, who has been quoted as wanting to play another 3 seasons, would have already found a roster spot somewhere if he would accept an offer to play for around the league minimum of $2 million per year. Although an iconic figure and arguably the best player in the league for an 8-10 year spread from ’96-’05, O’Neal must graciously face the fact that the glory years are over, and must accept less of a payday to remain a relevant NBA player.
Allen Iverson was surprisingly good last season in his 2nd go-around in Philadelphia. Even though he came back to Philly mid-season and stole the starting PG duties from the emerging Lou Williams(who then had it stolen by Jrue Holiday), Iverson still put up decent all round numbers of 13.9 ppg, 4.1 assists, and 3 rebounds per contest. But Iverson, once the fastest player in the league, now has to rely on fundamentals rather than blazing quickness and amazing athleticism to be an effective offensive player. Similar to O’Neal, Iverson now lacks the ability to dominate a game and has almost completely lost the explosion which carried him to 4 scoring titles and an MVP Award in 2001. In addition to the decline in skills, controversy and baggage is always a concern when dealing with Iverson. After only 25 games with the Sixers, Iverson left his squad to deal with “personal problems.” It was later learned that Iverson is in severe debt because of gambling problems amidst rumors of alcoholism, and is going through a divorce and an ugly child custody suit. Any team that takes a flyer on AI also had better be prepared to use him as a starter or face an unhappy camper, who regularly quits on the team like he has done previously in Detroit and most recently at the start of last season in Memphis. With that being said, Iverson always will have a heart of a lion and will give you all that his 165 lb body still has to offer, if you give him what he wants. He still has the skills to be a respectable NBA player, but he has to scare GM’s to death over the baggage that comes with those skills.
T-Mac made a remarkable recover from some pretty devastating injuries last season after playing in only 65 games combined the previous 2 seasons. After constantly quarreling with Rockets GM Daryl Morey over when he should comfortably return to active player duties, Houston made the tough decision to trade the fan favorite , and the NBA’s biggest contract, to the NY Knicks to begin his career anew. Although his performances in his first few contests in NY made us all remember just how good McGrady once was, those memories quickly disintegrated as he struggled to average only 9.4 points, 3.9 assists, 3.7 rebounds, while shooting only .389% from the field. He especially tailed off the last month of the season with horrific averages of 4 ppg and committing more turnovers than assists. He vowed to again rehab this off-season and return to his All Star form, but undoubtedly the numerous injuries that have plagued the former 2 time scoring champ have permanently taken their toll one of the game’s most exciting players during the past decade. He has had a workout with the LA Clippers, with little other interest from other teams, and reportedly has yet to be offered even a league minimum contract. Known to be a diva in his own right throughout his career, McGrady must also chose to be humble if he is to continue to play in the league. As the youngest(age 31) of the trio, McGrady may still have the stamina for another few seasons but must face the fact that he is no longer an All Star caliber performer. T-Mac may surprise all of us if he gets in game shape and re-dedicates himself to the game since he has shown to once in a while give us a glimpse of his old self, as evidence of his 36 point first game with NY last year.
While it is sometimes painfully hard to watch great players in decline, the end eventually comes for each and every player. When they reach that crossroads in their career, they must either re-invent themselves like Grant Hill in Phoenix, or face the hard fact that it could be time to retire. NBA GM’s, please give our fallen superstars a shot at ending on a high note.
Allen Moll has been a lifelong NBA and NCAA College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously, and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen also provides content to Bleacherreport.com, Upperdeckblog.com, in addition to being a tenured NBA and NCAA columnist for TheHoopDoctors.com.
