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• Your Rankings: Who were the best 1996 draft picks across the NBA, the NFL and MLB?

It was a simpler time in 1996. The Yankees were winning the World Series. Bruce Springsteen was touring the country. And the Florida Gators were marching toward a national championship behind a Heisman-winning quarterback. All right, so maybe we're not quite talking Dickensian London in terms of difference.

But 1996 was a long time ago in the sports world, as Allen Iverson can attest. If reports are true of interest from the Knicks, Iverson's NBA career might not be over; however, getting released by the Grizzlies after a disastrous three-game tenure is a long way from being the No. 1 overall pick out of Georgetown.

The 76ers got pretty good return on that selection, but as it turns out, 1996 was a good year for finding franchise talent. Granted, some picks didn't quite work out (Lorenzen Wright probably just had bad luck), but the year produced the likes of Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash in the NBA, Marvin Harrison and Ray Lewis in the NFL, and Jimmy Rollins in MLB. So as Iverson looks for work, where does he rank among products of 1996?

• Vote: Is Iverson better than anyone currently in Mike D'Antoni's backcourt?
• Tuesday Chat: NBA Insider Chad Ford on Iverson's future and more, 1 p.m. ET

It's forlorn former star day here in SportsNation. First, we had the suggestion Michael Vick might be wishing he was lucky enough to be Trent Edwards. Then it was Charlie Weis wishing we were a landlocked country. Now we turn to Allen Iverson, who it sure seems like is wishing he never signed with the Grizzlies. Iverson has been granted a leave of absence from the team, a perk what few season-ticket holders there are in Memphis would assuredly love to pursue. The owner says he'd know if Iverson was contemplating retirement, but will the guard's career in Memphis make Jerry Tarkanian's run with the Spurs look like FDR's time in the Oval Office?

• Vote: Has your opinion of Iverson changed over the years?
• Your Power Rankings: We know the Grizzlies aren't No. 1, but are they No. 30?
• SportsNation thought T.O. and the Bills was a worse match than A.I. and the Grizzlies.

Michelle Beadle and Colin Cowherd are listed as probable on the "SportsNation" TV injured list. Go ahead and start them on your fantasy team this week.

Argue the hot topics of the day and vote on the biggest stories from the world of sports. The show airs on ESPNEWS at 4 p.m. and ESPN2 at midnight ET.

Note: Broadcast voting results as of this afternoon (ET).

Who has the better fist pump?
Does Rafael Nadal, king of clay and thorn in Roger Federer's side, or Tiger Woods, rival of Ernie Els, have the better celebratory gesture?

How many games will the Cowboys win this season?
More than nine? Fewer than nine? Nine exactly? Emmitt Smith pegs the team at seven wins if the coach and QB don't improve.

Is Memphis a good fit for Allen Iverson?
A.I., using that newfangled Twitter service, said Wednesday that he's going to play for the Grizzlies. One fan predicted a team that averages zero assists.

Will Brett Favre start 16 regular-season games?
The Vikings were quick to toss their other QBs under the bus for him, and he's only one game from a tie for the NFL's longest games played streak.

Which team will win the Titans-Steelers game?
LenDale White is unapologetic for stomping on the Terrible Towel last season, which has Steelers fans frothing at the mouth.

What is "SportsNation" TV, and how do you make your voice heard? Read about the new ESPN show that features fan opinions with calls, tweets, polls, rankers and more.

• Is the NBA's future in Europe?

Let's get one thing straight: Linas Kleiza isn't exactly a household name. He's a good complementary piece, perhaps even a starter for a non-contender; one of those guys who are nice to have but aren't going to take over a game on a regular basis.

What he is, however, is one in an increasingly long line of trailblazers. Having established himself in the NBA, Kleiza is leaving for Greek team Olympiakos. He's not the first, of course. Europe is fast becoming a destination for midlevel NBA and college talents. Josh Childress is perhaps the most notable example, signing with the Greek powerhouse for big bucks. Brandon Jennings spent time in an Italian league in lieu of college, and Nick Calathes has chosen Greek team Panathinaikos instead of submitting to the vagaries of the draft. (Though Calathes was drafted in the second round and traded anyway. Go figure.)

It seems like a matter of time before a European team springs for an A-level NBA talent, if for no other reason than the money can be surprisingly lucrative. Kleiza is getting paid more than triple his previous yearly salary, while Childress is pulling down a cool $10 million per year in Greece. Chris Webber briefly flirted with the idea of playing for Olympiakos, and rumors had Greek teams looking at Allen Iverson, but so far, no dice.

• Back in 2006, SN wasn't surprised when a Greek team defeated Team USA.
• Most of SN would play in Greece for twice the money, were they a diminutive guard.
• A slight majority of SN thought Brandon Jennings was right to play in Europe.

It seems safe to say Allen Iverson will someday find his way to Springfield and the Basketball Hall of Fame. He's already No. 16 all time in points in the NBA, and he's about one good season away from passing Patrick Ewing, Jerry West, Reggie Miller and Amazing Grace Smith. Heck, it was just a year ago that SportsNation ranked him on the cusp of its own Redeem Team (Joe Dumars begs to differ).

Now if only we could figure out what city will come before the not-so-gem of Massachusetts on his career itinerary.

Iverson is hardly alone in NBA circles in his current quest for employment, but with each Andre Miller and Lamar Odom signing, he's starting to stand out more and more. It's one thing for Jamaal Tinsley to need work; it's another for a Hall of Famer who is younger than Steve Nash.

A month ago, SportsNation thought the Heat would be the best fit of the teams rumored to be in the mix. Now the Knicks are in play and rumors have extended all the way to Greece (hey, at least SportsNation thinks he'd be as good an ambassador for basketball as David Beckham has been for soccer in the United States). Surely some team will give Iverson the mid-level exception and 18 shots a game, right?

• 62 percent of SportsNation believes Iverson can still contribute for a contender.
• Beyond the Nation: Bill Simmons makes a case (No. 50) for an Iverson comeback.
• Beyond the Nation: Iverson talks about his image and the nature of celebrity.

"SportsNation" TV's performance today won't determine home field for any playoff series, but Michelle Beadle and Colin Cowherd will run out every grounder and play as hard as they can, anyway.

Share your thoughts, vote on the biggest stories of the day and chat during the show on ESPN2 at 4 p.m. ET.

Whom did Jessica Simpson distract more?
Cowboys QB Tony Romo reportedly split with Simpson, with whom he vacationed in Mexico, during the bye week before the playoffs in January 2008.

Was Blake Griffin's Vegas performance a big deal?
The top draft pick, and latest Clippers chosen one, scored 27 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in his summer league debut Monday.

Would you throw a strike on a ceremonial first pitch?
President Obama, like Presidents Bush and Nixon before him, will toss out the first pitch at the All-Star Game in St. Louis.

Would Allen Iverson help or hurt the Clippers?
A.I. could be playing in Los Angeles next season, but first the team wants to know whether he'd be willing to come off the bench.

Would you watch more than one Home Run Derby event per year?
Prince Fielder won this year's Derby, but a one-night contest hardly settles who is the best home run hitter in baseball.

And our final question ...
Alex Rodriguez, slowed this season by a hip injury and various off-field scandals, is hitting only .256 with 17 home runs at the All-Star break.

What is "SportsNation" TV and how do you make your voice heard on the broadcast? Read about the new ESPN show that features fan opinions with calls, tweets, polls, rankers and more.

• From the defending champs to the defending lottery winner, rank all 30 teams.

NBA Insider David Thorpe breaks down the NBA's summer leagues in the video above, including a very un-Olowokandi debut for No. 1 pick Blake Griffin. (Did you know Griffin has a low waist? Neither did we.) But as much or as little as we gain from summer league numbers -- Roy Hibbert has looked downright adequate, for crying out loud -- the real summer league comes with general managers and agents dueling over draft picks, luxury tax implications and free-agent offers.

The most recent news came Monday with the Magic matching the Mavericks' hefty offer to Marcin Gortat. Yes, we live in a world where Marcin Gortat's whereabouts for the next five years are a big deal. Get used to it. More than 90 percent of SportsNation feels like $34 million over five years might be a tad excessive for Gortat, but that's not really the question. When it comes to whether the Magic needed to pay it, voters are entirely divided.

So with many of the offseason's major addition and subtractions in the books, what do your NBA Power Rankings look like?

• Rumors of Iverson to the Clippers? Voters prefer Baron Davis and Eric Gordon.
• Keeping Grant Hill and adding Channing Frye doesn't make Suns a contender.
• The Warriors lost Jamal Crawford but Stephen Curry in the draft, and SportsNation blogger -- and pained Warriors fan -- connorcuc thinks it's time for a coach interested in defense and a new mentality for a franchise stuck in neutral.
• Although they aren't among Allen Iverson's rumored potential landing places, SportsNation blogger allikskat wonders why teams like the Timberwolves and Knicks haven't shown any interest in the veteran.
• Groups: Orlando Magic Hoops | Warrior Hoops Nation | Dirk's Posse | Phoenix Suns fans

Sometimes we all need a little extra space to vent. ESPN profiles give fans space to post their own blog entries and go toe-to-toe with commenters.

• pieman12347: Short and sweet. Tim Lincecum and Dan Haren will propel the National League to an All-Star Game win.
• allikskat: Stephon Marbury playing Europe? allikskat notes the separate paths Starbury and KG have travelled and suggests the New York native would do well to stay on this side of the Atlantic in Boston.
• dslake84: The drumbeat for a college football playoff among college football fans should form its own marching band. Only tradition stands in the way, according to dslake84.
• ADEVARTS: Brett Favre is wrong for Minnesota. Didn't the Vikings learn anything from the New York Jets' mistakes, asks ADEVARTS.
• SportsCenter: Allen Iverson is no longer the answer, blogs Cindy Brunson. Nike and LeBron need to lighten up, blogs Jay Harris.
• sirigina: And for a fast finish, sirigina explains why a budget cap would benefit Formula One.

At the end of the "SportsNation" TV show on Monday, Colin Cowherd told co-host Michelle Beadle the debut took so much energy he didn't know if he could do it again.

Guess who's back?

Check out the big stories of the day, cast your votes and watch on ESPN2 at 4 p.m. ET!.

If you had $900 million to spend, would you buy the Cubs?
The family of TD Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts reportedly has a deal to buy the team and Wrigley from the Tribune Co. for $900 million.

Where will LeBron James play after 2009-10?
LeBron told Trevor Ariza he'd be in Cleveland after next season. Or he didn't. NBA free agency is a game of intrigue and rumors.

Awesome or weird?
What do you think of Ron Artest reportedly going to find Kobe Bryant in the shower to tell him he could help the Lakers?

Should the 76ers try to sign Allen Iverson?
A.I. averaged more than 30 points a game in four of his 10 full seasons in Philadelphia. His average has dropped, but he can still score.

Would you partake in the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona?
Thousands of people risk goring and trampling each year in Spain. Are you interested in a road trip?

And our final question ....
Mark Teixeira and Kevin Youkilis carry a built-in rivalry to the lineup card that will be filled out by Joe Maddon, manager of the third AL East team of note.

What is "SportsNation" TV and how do you make your voice heard on the broadcast? Read about the new ESPN show that features fan opinions with calls, tweets, polls, rankers and more.

Last week, Chad Ford had to interrupt his SportsNation chat to break the news of the Spurs acquiring Richard Jefferson from the Bucks. This week he was in chat when he got word the Pistons had fired Michael Curry.

Clearly, we need to book Ford every day to get through the doldrums of July.