Coach Larry Brown has been through this once before. One would think he had learned his lesson.

Allen Iverson is reportedly in “serious talks” with the Charlotte Bobcats, although there has been no offer as of yet. Brown coached Iverson in Philadelphia for 6 years and he even led them to the 2001 NBA Finals. A.I. has been a premier player in the NBA since he arrived. He is sixth all time in PPG with 27, while also averaging over six assists per game. Many feel as if Iverson is a great individual talent, but he can never fully commit to the concept of a team. “We talkin’ ‘bout practice,” was Iverson’s slogan for a few years after he was fined for missing a required practice session while playing under Brown. There was clear tension throughout the Superstar’s stay in Philly, and it seemed at times that he and Coach Brown did not see eye to eye. He has made two brief stops since his departure from the Sixers to join the Denver Nuggets, who have been far better since his departure, and the Detroit Pistons who failed to reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 6 seasons.

Iverson’s image took a major hit last season. His refusal to come off the bench has been a determining factor as to why there is very little interest in the star guard. Again, A.I is 34 years old and he isn’t getting any younger. The injuries were catching up to him this past season and as a result, he missed a good amount of time. He needs to start thinking more about winning a championship while he still can. If need be, he should be willing to take a backseat on a contender and remake his image as an important asset to a team. His ego precedes him, and therefore he is pursuing teams that are young and have low expectations so he can establish himself as an elite scorer in the league once again. The Bobcats have a young, talented team who made a serious push for the playoffs last season, but because of their inexperience at that level, they faltered. With Brown returning as head coach, one would assume they would only look to add a veteran, vocal leader, who would work within the offense without disrupting it. Also, one would believe that a good locker room presence would be great for the young, talented team.

Not one GM has been denying Iverson’s talent; although they all acknowledge the fact that he would be a negative influence upon championship caliber rosters. Iverson has not received any offers from the contending teams in either conference because of this. The only serious suitors for Iverson have been the Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Clippers, and Charlotte Bobcats. None of these teams has a very serious chance of competing for more than a first round exit in the playoffs. And while these teams are interested in his services, no team is willing to spend more than the veteran’s minimum to attain him. Now this is a problem because Iverson has been looking for an offer more in the $5 million range. Ego has come back into play.

Iverson’s role model should be Gary Payton. Payton was a nine-time NBA all-star who, later in his career, was willing to accept a backseat role on contending teams in order to win a championship. After an illustrious career with the Seattle Supersonics, Payton made stops in Milwaukee, Los Angeles and Miami. When he joined Los Angeles in pursuit of a title, he accepted a huge pay-cut and when he arrived in Miami, he took even less. Most importantly, in Miami, Payton accepted a reserve role, a back-up to Jason Williams in 2006. That year, the Heat won the championship and while The Glove didn’t start, opponents, coaches and the fans felt his presence.

Payton received the elusive ring that every superstar craves. Its time to man up A.I. and make it known you could attribute your scoring to a contender, because if you don’t, you’ll never win that ring.