Allen Iverson Is Sent to Detroit

It is official. The Denver Nuggets traded Allen Iverson for Detroit’s Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess.

Allen Iverson to the Detroit Pistons? Chauncey Billups to the Denver Nuggets! Man, you know I have to touch on this!

First of all, from the Denver point of view, this is a great trade. They weren’t going to win anything with Allen Iverson in the backcourt and Carmelo Anthony on the same court. They gave it a try 2 consecutive post seasons in a row and they didn’t get out of the first round trying to do that nonsense. But with Chauncey Billups running the point, they have a real chance for some success. First of all, Chauncey brings some defense to the backcourt, something that was extremely lacking while A.I. was there. Second of all, he is an unselfish player. You’re talking about a guy that helped make Richard Hamilton’s career. He also doesn’t use up as many shots as Iverson, he doesn’t turn the ball over as much, and he doesn’t hold the ball in place of moving it around. So expect a big change in Denver’s style of play, and I do think that Denver is a better team for it.

As for Iverson going to Detroit, what can I say except for:

What the hell was Joe Dumars thinking?

This trade does not help them! Detroit is not a better team for this. Even if they do get Antonio McDyess back in this deal, I still don’t like it. Don’t get me wrong, I think that PG Rodney Stuckey is going to be a player in this league, but he is not Billups—not yet anyway, and he won’t be anytime this season. So I don’t see how bringing in a guy that demands the basketball, and who is often careless with it, can help a team that is driven by protecting the rock, efficient scoring, and sound defense.

I know, there are rumors that this is just a ploy to get LeBron James in 2010, and that it might be. But the Pistons are not a better team for this, and I think Dumars may have made a very bad move. But I’ll let it pass. It’s his first bad move since being the General Manager of the team, so he gets at least one mulligan. Lord knows that there are many a GM out there who have had their fair share of mistakes.

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