Nov. 20 (Bloomberg) -- Channeling my inner Phil Jackson, who fancies lessons learned from literature, I gave Mike D’Antoni a gift after he signed on for what surely would be a trying tenure as coach of the New York Knicks.

In the bowels of Madison Square Garden, prior to one of his first games, I presented D’Antoni with a paperback copy of “Dream Deferred,” a collection of works by the poet Langston Hughes. The central theme is how people cope with struggle.

Surely, D’Antoni would come to know trials, tribulations and probably even a few tantrums with a roster long on salary but short on talent.

The time has come for D’Antoni to pass the poems along to team President Donnie Walsh, who says he’s giving consideration to signing serial malcontent Allen Iverson. Just when the Knicks should be preaching poise and patience they’re pushing panic, instead.

“We wouldn’t be considering it if we thought we were functioning well -- and we’re not,” said Walsh, whose Knicks have two wins and nine losses this season. “But I want to make sure that if we do something like this, it’s the right thing to do.”

It isn’t. Unless, of course, the Knicks are no longer, first and foremost, about tomorrow, which everyone knows isn’t the case.

I said the same things when in 2006 executives with the Denver Nuggets were patting themselves on the back for acquiring Iverson, touting the dynamic duo they had created by pairing him with Carmelo Anthony.

Say Goodbye

Just two years later the dynamically disappointed Nuggets were the ones waving goodbye to Iverson, who is a great scorer, not a great player. There’s a difference.

The Nuggets shipped the nine-time All-Star to Detroit, where, surprise, surprise, Iverson, the substitute, did more pouting than playing.

Iverson during the offseason signed with the Memphis Grizzlies, whose championships aspirations are, to say the least, a few seasons away. Iverson joined the Grizzlies not because he wanted to, mind you, rather because he had to. No one else wanted him. His misbehavior in Detroit put the focus back on his temperament instead of whatever talent he might have left at the age of 34.

The Grizzlies, shame on them, wanted Iverson more for his name than game, hoping to put a few fannies in the seats of the FedExForum. The relationship soured so fast that Memphis released Iverson, who had been relegated to the bench, after just three games.

New York Taboo

Enter the Knicks, whose to-do list focused on four main areas when Walsh, at long last, took over for Isiah Thomas last year.

The Knicks wanted to 1) create salary flexibility 2) develop young players 3) add character players and 4) win.

Walsh upon his arrival even used the taboo word “rebuild,” unheard of in New York, where the ticket prices suggest a championship-caliber product. The fans understood that a quick fix wasn’t an option.

That the Knicks stunk last season, finishing 32-50, wasn’t a surprise. That the Knicks stink again shouldn’t surprise, either. Similar roster. Similar results.

New York’s plan all along was to make it to the summer of 2010, when they’d have enough cash to make a play for top free agents like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade or Chris Bosh. Maybe the Knicks are trying to curry favor with Iverson’s agent, Leon Rose, who also represents James.

Help Needed

What will make the Knicks attractive to free agents, particular those with championship aspirations, is a strong supporting cast. Even Michael Jordan needed help.

Walsh, meantime, says Iverson could play the role of mentor. “This would be a move to make it better for the young players to learn,” he said.

To which I counter, learn what?

Adding Iverson hurts the Knicks in two ways.

First, he would take minutes from younger players who might actually have a future with the team. There’s no better way for youngsters to learn than to actually play. Additionally, Iverson’s style -- monopolizing the ball -- isn’t conducive to development. Nor, by the way, as hall of famer Bob Cousy once said, does it make for winning basketball.

Iverson has averaged 22.1 shots a game throughout his career, about three more than Kobe Bryant. Adding Iverson means fewer shots for players like Danilo Gallinari, whose development requires that he do more, not less, on the court.

And don’t even get me started on Iverson’s practice habits. We all know how Iverson feels about practice.

Knicks fans are smart enough to know that this season is really about next season and the season after that.

In other words, a dream deferred.

(Scott Soshnick is a Bloomberg News columnist. The opinions expressed are his own.)

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To contact the writer of this column: Scott Soshnick in New York at ssoshnick@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: November 19, 2009 21:00 EST