Allen Iverson's second stint with the Philadelphia 76ers ended on Tuesday when the team announced he would not return for the rest of the NBA season.

Iverson has mostly been absent from the team for a month, returning to Atlanta to be with his family as it deals with the undisclosed illness of his 4-year-old daughter, Messiah.

Iverson, who returned as a free-agent to the 76ers in December, has not played since Feb 20.

"After discussing the situation with Allen, we have come to the conclusion that he will not return to the Sixers for the remainder of the season, as he no longer wishes to be a distraction to the organization and teammates that he loves very deeply," team president Ed Stefanski said.

"It has been very difficult for Allen and the team to maintain any consistency as he tries to balance his career with his personal life."

The former NBA MVP and four-time scoring champion averaged 13.8 points in 28 games this season. He started the season with the Memphis Grizzlies but played only three games before he announced a short-lived retirement.