[David S.]

Just heard about this trade that should be finalized by the end of the day. Allen Iverson to the Pistons for Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess.

I like it, I think they probably have gone as far as they could go with the current team. Joe Dumars showed his savvy again by freeing up cap space for next year since AI's contract is up at the end of the year and giving this team a better chance to win a championship this year instead of just going to the Eastern Conference Finals again.

What does everybody else think?

[AffiliateHound]

I think it would be a major mistake for Detroit. Iverson's "me first, shoot first" mentality would destroy the Piston's team play concept that has worked so well for so long (even with R Wallace). Billups would bring that mindset to Denver and I can see him fitting in really well with C Anthony and the rest of that team to bring real improvement there.

[bs0101]

As a Nugets fan, I LOVE IT.

[Brent E.]

WOW! What a move. I can't believe they traded Billups. That guy is a warrior. I'd rather have him running my offense than AI.

[AffiliateHound]

Originally Posted by Brent E.

Billups. That guy is a warrior. I'd rather have him running my offense than AI.

Absolutely.

ESPN radio is now reporting it as a done deal.

[bs0101]

They are also saying that Cheikh Samb goes to Denver from the Lakers as well.

[David S.]

From what I heard AI said he was interested in coming here, and he is still hungry for a championship. I think he's a much more mature player now, and he showed that he can play with another star like Carmelo. Plus the Pistons are a first class organization and showed they can handle players who have been problems elsewhere like Sheed. AI is very misunderstood in my opinion, but bottomline he wants to win first and wants to play with Detroit so I think it will work, but who knows.

As far as Chauncey in Denver, I think he will be a better fit for their team as well, plus after losing Camby, McDyess might be able to offer them some additional help upfront. Both of those guys are aging though, and Chauncey just signed a big deal last year. He is no longer the "Mr. Big Shot" that he used to be and he is a step slower than he used to be. I think he will have serious issues guarding the great group of young point guards in the West, but he will always have a special place in my heart for the way he played in 2004.

[AffiliateHound]

Originally Posted by bs0101

They are also saying that Cheikh Samb goes to Denver from the Lakers as well.

From Detroit - Lakers are not involved in this.

[bs0101]

Originally Posted by AffiliateHound

From Detroit - Lakers are not involved in this.

gotcha. read that wrong, i guess the lakers picked him up FOR detroit. 7-1 245, thats lean for his height.

[elbowcreek]

I just hope the move screws up Detroit, I hate that team ever since they initiated that fight with the Pacers. That one night ruined the Pacers for a decade, it's had a lasting effect, and Detroit effectively got rid of their primary competitor.

I'm a Pacers fan, but right now, I can't even name 4 of the guys on the team anymore.

[David S.]

gotcha. read that wrong, i guess the lakers picked him up FOR detroit. 7-1 245, thats lean for his height.

Yes, but as us young people like to say, "dude's got hops". He didn't get a chance to play that much but from what I saw he is very active defensively. In a game against the Lakers last year he blocked numerous shots and had his best game. He's definitely raw but has a lot of talent and desire to play defense so he could more than just a throw in here.

[Trust]

Think this will be good for Detroit. They haven't been getting it done with the current roster for awhile now. Last year, I remember they had somebody young that was playing when Chauncey was hurt and he was playing pretty decent, showed some potential. So I'm thinking they have enough confidence in them to get it done. It was Rodney Stuckey http://www.nba.com/playerfile/rodney_stuckey/index.html?nav=page

This might have been the game I remember -

During the 2008 NBA Playoffs Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce said of Stuckey's performance in game 2

"I thought Stuckey really gave us problems, I think he was the X factor in the game."

"That night Stuckey came off the bench to score 13 points in 17 minutes helping the Pistons win game 2 in Boston."


I think they see him kind of like a Chauncy Billups type G. He's going to be a good one.

[Ronald Marva - SEOP]

Change is actually due for the Pistons after consecutive years of competing in Eastern Conference Finals and ending up empty handed. But I would not expect them to go for Iverson. I think they could have bargain for more or sourced from other team.

The Nuggets had the better of the deal getting Billups who is a solid and championship caliber player. McDyess is a solid and reliable role player as well.

Too bad I had earlier rooted for Pistons for the Eastern crown this year. This changes everything.

[David S.]

I think they see him kind of like a Chauncy Billups type G. He's going to be a good one.

Absolutely, Stuckey's play in last year's playoffs is what made Chauncy expendable. Although AI will probably start at the point, Stuckey will play there a lot as well giving them a nice three guard rotation with RIP.

Change is actually due for the Pistons after consecutive years of competing in Eastern Conference Finals and ending up empty handed. But I would not expect them to go for Iverson. I think they could have bargain for more or sourced from other team.

True, change was probably needed and they could have gone for Jason Kidd or there was even talk about Carmelo this off-season but here is an interesting article I just came across:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slu...yhoo&type=lgns

Here is a one line from it:

"This is a low-risk, short-term, high-reward, long-term play for Dumars."

Make no mistake about it, this was a trade for the future. After this year AI's contract will be up along with Rasheed's freeing up 33 million in cap room. They'll have a core of Stuckey, RIP, Prince, Maxiell, and Amir Johnson with a lot of cap room. Few other teams can offer that kind of a core to high-ticket free agents like the article mentions, although I don't think they'll end up getting Lebron. I liked the trade before, but now I love it.

[Ronald Marva - SEOP]

I did hear a buzz about LeBron being eyed by Detroit. This could be a move to free their salary cap. With LeBron raring to get his championship ring, joining Piston's core group of high caliber players would be his solid ticket to book for a ticket to NBA Crown.

We'll see how things fall into pieces...

[AffiliateHound]

Originally Posted by Ronald Marva

I did hear a buzz about LeBron being eyed by Detroit. This could be a move to free their salary cap. With LeBron raring to get his championship ring, joining Piston's core group of high caliber players would be his solid ticket to book for a ticket to NBA Crown.

We'll see how things fall into pieces...

I don't see LeBron going anywhere but LA or NY - his future is show biz; my money is on the soon-to-be Brooklyn Nets.

[Brent E.]

Originally Posted by AffiliateHound

I don't see LeBron going anywhere but LA or NY - his future is show biz; my money is on the soon-to-be Brooklyn Nets.

I've read that Lebron is good buds with rapper Jay Z. Jay Z happens to be a partial owner of the NJ Nets. I could see Lebron helping out his buddy and signing there. It should be interesting. Don't forget those international teams that don't have to worry about a salary cap, and can offer these guys 50 million a year to play over seas. Both Kobe and Lebron are candidates for a contract of this nature.

[AffiliateHound]

Originally Posted by Brent E.

Don't forget those international teams that don't have to worry about a salary cap, and can offer these guys 50 million a year to play over seas. Both Kobe and Lebron are candidates for a contract of this nature.

I think that once one name, in his prime, player jumps to an international team, many, many more will follow. That will lead, I believe, to the NBA if not directly adding international teams, at least playing league games against some of them. The alternative is to out bid those teams, and the NBA, as it is composed today, would go broke trying to do that.

[Brent E.]

Originally Posted by AffiliateHound

I think that once one name, in his prime, player jumps to an international team, many, many more will follow. That will lead, I believe, to the NBA if not directly adding international teams, at least playing league games against some of them. The alternative is to out bid those teams, and the NBA, as it is composed today, would go broke trying to do that.

Or the NBA could institute one capless player per team. This would ensure that european clubs couldn't cherry pick from our top talent, and that we could match the European club offers. That would be the only affordable option. There has to be a general cap in basketball.

[AffiliateHound]

Originally Posted by Brent E.

Or the NBA could institute one capless player per team. This would ensure that european clubs couldn't cherry pick from our top talent, and that we could match the European club offers. That would be the only affordable option. There has to be a general cap in basketball.

I don't see more than a small handful of owners agreeing to something like that. The majority of owners love the idea of the cap, and would not agree to unlimited spending for even a single player per team. They would also see it as an unfair advantage to the owners who would/could spent $50 M/season for a single player.

Not sure what you mean by a "general cap" and how that would relate to "capless players".

The NBA's 2008-09 salary cap is $58 M, and a team bidding on a top star against a European team could get close to that in an offer for one player.

[Brent E.]

Originally Posted by AffiliateHound

Not sure what you mean by a "general cap" and how that would relate to "capless players".

Have one player not count against your cap, and have a cap for the rest of your team. There can not be a cap in the NBA if they want to combat the European teams from paying these guys 50 million a year. The NBA will suffer mightily if they can't figure out a way to pay the marquis players in the league more money.

One issue that arises with one capless player on a team, is the Celtics current set-up. The green have KG and Pierce making maximum contracts. Under a one capless player design, that would not be possible.

The owners might like the cap, but you better believe the players don't. This will lead to an inevitable strike or players taking their services to the European leagues. Let's hope that it doesn't come to that.