Steven A Smith just reported it on sportscenter as breaking news. No link yet but he said the deal is just about done. The deal he said was Billups and Antonio McDyess for Iverson
Was just about to post this: Per rotoworld Antonio McDyess is reportedly headed to Denver as part of the Pistons trade for Allen Iverson, though for the moment the deal is still tentative. Stephen A. Smith is reporting on ESPN that the deal could go through any minute. McDyess would give Denver some much-needed frontline support. With the Nuggets frontcourt very injury-prone (Kenyon Martin is dealing with a strained hamstring), he would be one injury away from serious value. Related: Kenyon Martin Chauncey Billups-G-Pistons Nov. 3 - 11:26 am et The Pistons have reportedly agreed to trade Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess to the Nuggets in exchange for Allen Iverson. This could have huge fantasy fallout. Assuming the deal goes through, Detroit could start Rodney Stuckey and Iverson in the backcourt, moving Rip Hamilton to either small forward or a sixth-man role. Iverson could also take over at PG, keeping Stuckey on the bench. The departure of McDyess clears more minutes for Amir Johnson and Jason Maxiell, improving their up-and-down value. Stay tuned. Source: Detroit News Related: Antonio McDyess Allen Iverson-G-Nuggets Nov. 3 - 11:13 am et The Pistons have reached a tentative agreement with the Nuggets to trade Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess in exchange for Allen Iverson. That would solve the Nuggets' point guard problems and Iverson is clearly not happy in Detroit. Neither player attended today's shootaround, and ESPN's Stephen A. Smith says the deal could be completed any minute. The big question is whether Iverson plays point guard or shooting guard in Detroit. If he plays the 2, Rip Hamilton's status becomes a question mark and Rodney Stuckey might be the big winner. And if he plays point, Stuckey will continue to come off the bench. Iverson has been walking through the motions in Denver, so this news is not all that surprising. Source: Boston Globe
I actually like this trade. Denver gets a leader, It has plenty of scoring with JR Smith, Kleiza, Melo. They need a leader and Billups gives them that, plus McDyess gives them much needed Frontcourt help after losing Camby. For Detriot im iffy on it. They don't really need McDyess with all the bodies they have in Rasheed, Amir Johnson, Maxiel, Kwame. AI gives them a great scorer, but idk where he fits in. If he plays PG and Hamilton stays at the SG id expect, but they could also play stuckey at PG, AI at SG and bring hamilton off the bench
I suspect Detroit will probably go based on matchups. Vs smaller quicker teams my guess is we will see more of Rip at the Sf spot and Prince at the PF spot. Vs teams where they need to play big Rip moves back to Sg and Prince to SF. I also like the move because Im pretty sure AI's contract is up after this year so it leaves detroit a lot of flexibility with how they want to move going forward. I think this may be the first of multiple moves by Dumars though.
I am surprised by this, but I probably shouldn't be. This isn't the first time the Pistons have tried to trade for Iverson. Joe D tried to get him back in 2000 or 2001 (I forget which), in a super-complex 4 team, 12 or 13 player deal that was called "the King Kong trade" by those in the know. Iverson was one of several star players who would have been changing teams (I forget the rest of it). It didn't get done because Philly center Matt Geiger, who was part of the deal, refused to waive a contract clause that said his salary would be increased 15% if he were traded. That screwed up the delicately balanced cap implications, and the deal fell apart. Does Iverson make Detroit the favorite in the East? I don't know, but I love that they're swinging for the fences. On the court, Iverson addresses many of Detroit's holes. The Pistons, for too long, have been a very jump-shot heavy team. If they're making them, they win. If the shots aren't falling, they lose. Iverson changes that. He creates easy buckets on a level that few others do. Billups was never a slashing type player; he didn't get to the hole and create opportunities, though his size allowed him to back smaller opposing points into the post. Iverson, obviously, is all about slashing to the hoop and creating opportunities. With him and Rodney Stuckey, the Pistons now have two players who can absolutely kill defenses off the dribble. The other thing that Iverson addresses is Detroit's lack of star power. While jersey and sneaker sales don't win in the playoffs, depth becomes less important and having a player who can put the team on his back becomes more important. Three straight years, Detroit's team-first approach has been trumped by an Alpha Dog in the playoffs (06-Wade, 07-LBJ, 08-Garnett/Pierce). Iverson can go toe-to-toe with someone like Wade or James in the playoffs in a shootout. And Iverson brings intensity to this team that has often been lacking. I love Billups, but he's more of a lead-by-example sort of player. The Pistons have often looked, in the playoffs, like a team that needs a guy screaming at them. Iverson, who badly wants a ring, should be able to bring that. I also like that they offloaded McDyess, who I thought was not only ripe for decline (he's 34 with the knees of a 44 year old, and how he's played 77+ games each of the last 4 years is beyond me), but who was taking minutes away from both Jason Maxiell and Amir Johnson. Anything that gives Maxiell and Johnson more minutes is good. Finally, the cap implications are very positive. This creates some significant salary cap room after the season (it lops about $20M off their salary cap, if AI doesn't get an extension). While I don't expect the Pistons to land a big name free agent, they've got some options, and can take on salary in trade if need be. The downside to the deal? For one, Iverson is a player who I've long felt was on borrowed time. The combination of small size and ultra-reckless style of play is not one conducive to a long career. Throw in the fact that he hangs out with some of the sketchiest characters in any NBA posse (no mean feat), and it's a miracle he's been as good as he's been for THIS long. For another, this gives Detroit a backcourt that can be absolutely abused by any team with big, physical guards. Iverson and Hamilton aren't bad defenders (to his credit, AI has become a credible defender), but both are rail-skinny and can be posted up ad infinitum. Billups was able to cover this shortcoming of Hamilton's, whereas Iverson is in no position to do so. Also, I've long believed that you can get away with one coach-killing crazy on a team, but more than that, and you're pushing it. Rasheed Wallace is a handful on his own. Throwing in Iverson, who's a hard worker, but certainly marches to the beat of his own drummer, might be a bit much for a rookie coach. One hopes that Iverson's desire for a ring allows him to focus his intensity where it belongs. I love the deal, on balance. I think it was clear that Detroit wasn't going to win with the current cast, and a change needed to be made. If Iverson's not the right solution, they can let him go, use the cap room and move on. As it stands, it's a relatively low-risk solution, with a high reward.
Rip signed a 3year 34mil extension today. EDIT: just double checked one other thing...in addition to AI's contract being up after the year so is Rashweed's. Detroit could have about 35m in space cleared out if they choose to remold their team after the year is over. I really like this deal for them. Iverson is the type of dynamic player who can still carry a team on his back. The nice thing is that with a team like detroit that has gone with the team concept for so long its embedded in their players to the point where he probably wont have to do much in terms of carrying the team except when the scoring hits a dry spell. They lose some defense in the deal but with Iverson they can now play a variety of styles including moving Prince to the 4 if they choose to go small and really run up and down the court which im not sure they could have done before. I dont think it makes Detroit a favorite, i think Boston is the favorite until someone does something to knock out the champs but I think it puts them closer then they were before the deal. One thing I am looking forward to: An AI vs Lebron playoff matchup
At this point in his career, I think AI is more interested in getting a ring than being a nuisance. This move puts Detroit back at the top of the East, right there with the Celtics. Based on the way they play defense, they might even get into the Finals again. Though it's hard to see the Pistons beating the Lakers, Jazz, or Spurs. Let's see how this plays out. One thing's for sure, I can no longer call the Pistons a raging fraud. This saddens me.
Heard ESPN say as I was walking out the door earlier that the Pistons could be after LeBron James once he hits the market.
Think this is what Dumars has up his sleeve? Pistons get Iverson now, LeBron later? - NBA - Yahoo! Sports
Word is, Denver is gonna cut McDyess due to luxury tax and he'll make his way back to Detroit. He just had to be added to make the trade work. If this is true, not as bad as i thought for the Pistons.
Man the summer of '10 is shaping up to be something special....Lebron, bosh, wade, nash, and theres a few im leaving out.....
Most of whom will be re-signed by their teams before they even come close to sniffing free agency. Wade's already said he wants to play for the Heat his entire career, for example.
Lebron won't come to Detroit. Bank on it. Dumars knows this; he's targeting Boozer and/or Bosh, not LBJ. Put it this way: is The Global Icon seriously going to take less money so he can go from Cleveland to Detroit? Not bloody likely.
you know, I just love AI...he's a decent man despite what people say. was watching espn when the news broke...they asked him what he thought, etc. all he said was he cared about what the fans thought. he said he hoped people would still follow him to det because of his ball play, even if he would be second favorite. he's been one of my favs since I was about 10...
