Wow. Before I give the link, let me first tell you that this rumor is being reported by Stephen A. Smith, so keep that in mind.
The rumor is
Iverson to the Pistons for Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess. The deal is not finalized yet. A quick look at the salary numbers reveals
it works according to the CBA.
Iverson: $21,937,500
for
Billups: $11,050,000
McDyess: $6,813,050
Total: $17,863,050
The Pistons can take back $22,428,812.50 in salary ($17,863,050 x 1.25 + $100,000).
The dollars work, but does the trade? I'm not so sure. Iverson is a transcendant talent. I love watching the guy play, and no one cares about winning more than him, but he's never been able to play the point. On the Pistons, he would have to step in for one of the best pure points in the league and run a team that's dependent on ball movement and spreading the touches around. Not to mention the fact, the Pistons now have zero legitimate point guards on their roster. Joe Dumars didn't give up any of his young pieces, and this is a short-term gamble. Iverson will be a free agent after the season and the Pistons should have some money to spend in free agency. If it happens, I don't think this trade makes the Pistons better this season, in fact, I think it will cost them. But I'm not sure you can blast Dumars, it was pretty obvious the Pistons weren't going to win another championship as currently constructed. He's taking a big gamble this season, but setting the stage for a bigger rebuild next summer.
As for the Nuggets, well, I like their chances better with a guy like Billups at the helm, the Melo/Iverson duo was not working. A guy like Billups will give Melo a better chance to evolve into a legitimate star, rather than a gunner with a bad attitude. Billups will also give them the backcourt defense they've been sorely lacking. McDyess is over the hill, as far as I'm concerned.
The Nuggets still aren't a playoff team, but they're headed in the right direction. They also just picked up another trade exception, meaning they have somewhere near $15M in trade exceptions to use ($10M+ from the Camby trade). Those things can be like gold when you're rebuilding a roster.
Strange trade that kind of makes sense for both teams, kind of doesn't, depending on how you look at it.
UPDATE: It looks like Pistons
will also send Cheikh Samb and his $797,581 salary to Denver.
Wow. Before I give the link, let me first tell you that this rumor is being reported by Stephen A. Smith, so keep that in mind.
I'd liken it to the Josh Hamilton/Edison Volquez trade. I think each team had a reason to move the player and a reason to not.
Seemed like another "you take my good player that isn't taking us anywhere and you give me yours". I don't see it as a loss for either but doesn't seem like a gain, we'll have to see how the teams' chemistry is affected.
Quick... what are the excuses for Iverson's failure in Detroit? Trading away the veteran leadership of McDyess? That is my guess.
Detroit just made themselves a complete and utter non threat. Move Toronto up to the 4 seed and Detroit can have fun trying to win on the road in the playoffs.
Detroit would be lucky to win 50 games after this debacle.
Whose shots completely disappear w/ Iverson running the offense? My guess is Prince.
By no means do I feel 100% positive about the trade, but if you think by any stretch of the imagination believe that the Raptors will finish ahead of Detroit after acquiring Jermaine O'Neal aka "Glass JO", then I would ask you to continue to pass that blunt around.
I also think it's funny how most of you actually believe that he will continue to be the 41.8 minuter per night ball hog that he was in Philly and Denver.
Face it...
None of the Philly teams AI was on is as balanced 1-13 as this year's Detroit team is. Denver had a 1-2 punch and nothing else.
I'll take a guy who the defense has to focus on, and possibly double team over a guy who when a team traps with stellar defenders named Daniel Gibson and Sasha Pavlovic he falls completely out of rhythm.
AI will play 31-34 minutes a night, Stuckey is as legit as any guard in the 6ers lineup whether starting OR coming off the bench... forget what you think you heard.
Stuckey is a combo guard with no jumper. Actually, sounds a lot like a guy the Sixers would've drafted.
Your young players are overhyped and you lost your best player. 5 seed it is.
BTW, I'd love to see Curry trying to explain to Iverson that he's only going to be playing 30 minutes/game. That should end well.
Brian u forgot that Det has Stuckey as emerging PG and I think they are high on him, he showed some talent
expect him to have his minutes extended at the point (good for my fantasy team also...)
also, with Iverson and Sheed BOTH off the books in 2009, they have like 35 mill in expiring contracts !!!!
to me the move makes sense more for Det than for Den. But I'm talking more about the financial aspects than the technical ones
Stuckey isn't a true point, he's a gunner who's forced to backup at the point. They don't have a legit point on their roster right now, not a good thing.
This absolutely negates Detroit's primary weapon...balance. With Iverson on the team, the balance is out the window. Chauncey Billups might not be a superstar, but he is a top 5 PG in the NBA...in my opinion.
Agreed.
MAN wtf Ai is the most legit point in the game he shud return ophillie after this year and Play with brand and Ai 2
AI is an unbelievable player, but by no means a point.
AI is a great player....for a one on one league.
I love/hate him....
He doesnt make the team better as a whole BUT...he does give the pistons a go to guy at the end of games. Something they had in Billups already but Billups may be on the decline...who knows. We will find out soon enough. Short term deal I think for the pistons....they werent good enough to win now so why not roll the dice. If they dont win a title Iversons contract comes off the books next year. Nothing lost here..
I love how everyone has come to realize that Iverson isn't even as good of a player as Chauncey Billups, at least not if you measure how good a player is by how much he helps you win games. It should be interesting to see if Iverson can play alongside another scoring guard.
Do you believe that this trade was all about Detroit positioning themselves to acquire LeBron James when he becomes a free agent?
And when A.I.'s contract expires, is there any chance the Sixers would bring him back home?