Iverson will score points, but he will not add to an improved overall defensive effort by Detroit. He’ll be what he was in Denver, a potent offensive oddity with little else to offer. And not that it matters, but he might actually be insufferable. In Denver, there was a great deal of publicity about how he and Carmelo Anthony would coexist. As it turned out, because of the scrutiny, they found common ground; the Nuggets’ problem was not tension between scorers but rather a lack of defense.

In Detroit, though, Iverson might see teammates such as Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and Rasheed Wallace as lesser figures in the scoring column, and he may interpret that as a green light to assume top-dog offensive chores. Also, Iverson knows that next summer he will be shopping for a new deal somewhere, and he’ll want to notify the rest of the league that he can still do what he does best, even at his age.

Although the Pistons probably will not go deep into the playoffs in this new form, there will be some intriguing subplots. How will Iverson get along with a coach such as Curry, who was so highly regarded by the organization that it denied the Chicago Bulls permission to speak with him while he was a Pistons’ assistant because they wanted to groom him to replace Flip Saunders? How will Iverson handle Rasheed’s angry outbursts and rash of technicals? Will Rasheed demand the ball and want to pad his offensive totals also, since his contract is also up after this season?

It’s always a little exciting in a city when a superstar comes to town to set up shop. The good people of Michigan have been reeling recently with ugly economic news coming out of the three big automakers. And then there are the Lions, a product that seems to lose value by the day. At the University of Michigan, Rich Rodriguez’s Wolverines were just assured of their first losing season since 1967.

So Iverson will provide a circus-like distraction. But it’s just temporary. The real attraction is scheduled to be on display after he departs.

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