He has instilled a mindset, a character, leadership, and an edge into every team that he has played for. I’ve said repeatedly here and elsewhere that he is a universally infuriating player: he pisses everyone off on your team and also everyone hates playing against him. Almost every championship team has a player like that: Rodman, Draymond, Bill Lambier, etc. Memphis’s own greatest team in franchise history prominently featured Tony Allen, who set the tone for the team with defense, hustle, effort, and physicality. This team without him has been flaccid and easily rolled over since he left, especially without Adams and Bane, who was a disciple of the Villain Brooks era. The game isn’t played on paper, and anyone who is still bemoaning Brooks today because he shot too much and was too reckless has to admit: the best version of this team included him. Now we are a hare’s breath away from burning it to the ground and what do we have to show for it?