I actually think it is good trade for both teams.... A.I. gives Detroit a more dynamic playmaker and someone who can score. They're still the 2nd best team in East. I don't think he will get outplayed by Rondo and other pgs to often. But, he may take away from Detroit's chemistry. Denver has a better passing point guard who can play defense and hit clutch shots. Billups is almost perfect for Smith, Carter, Kleiza, Melo, Martin, and Nene. They've got the closest thing to an ideal point guard I think they finish in the same place they did last year, but I don't see them getting swept as easily. If they played the Lakers again in a series, I think they could push it to 6 with Billups (who is very unselfish player and is decent defender, better than Allen Iverson).
Maybe you should slow down and actually read directions before you attempt something complicated like posting on a message board. Did you write an angry letter to Playskool after completely botching the construction of your bed?
So... Does AI start at pg? Because Rip is at SG... I don't know about this trade for Detroit. Salary cap freedom is definitely a plus but this just doesn't seem like Detroit style of basketball with AI...
No kidding. It probably would have been better for Detroit if it was Hamilton leaving instead of Billups, but it's still a huge improvement. Now they can finally score. Iverson's defense won't be as big of an issue because the East does not have the PGs that the West does. Calderon is the best out there, unlike the West with Paul, Nash, Williams, Kidd, Davis, etc. I think it's a win-win for both teams.
maybe prince will see more time at pf? stuckey was the only piston named as being untouchable earlier this year. stuckey ai rip prince wallace
It never transferred to the playoffs because they never had that one guy who can take over a game. Or.. What AntiSonic said.
Not really, their better now but they still aren't title contenders and they have killed their future with Billups' contract. I think this trade just means Dumars is ready to admit that it is insane to try the same thing over again expecting different results. His guys were only getting older and he had to do something. As an expiring contract he may even be able to flip AI for a decent young player for the future.
Detroit got the better end of the deal. Denver will have better depth (if they keep Dyess; did someone mention he might get bought out?) in the short-term, and they might keep Melo happy-ish while he's there. But if Carmelo leaves in 2010, you have an aging Billups and....Nene? KMart? Ironically, Carmelo is one of the players Detroit can pursue 2 summers from now. They are gonna have all sorts of cap space. They're a good organization with a good fan base (I wouldn't want to live in Detroit, but I'm sure some people say that about Houston, so....) So, 2 years from now, you'd have your young talent ready to blow up. Add one of Melo/Bron/Stoudemire/Wade/Bosh and another medium-range free agent and you wind up with, maybe, one down year. Not bad.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3679931 Stephen A. Smith said McDyess is just going as a filler and won't be with the Nuggets...I hope the Rockets take a look at him to back up Yao
Omg, I can't belive this may happen nad probably will. It is unbelivable for me, as a basketball fan. Now we will see even worse version of Denver. They got Billups but they are not gonna even make the playoffs with him and Melo. There is no way. At least AI was able to go out there and score 25 by himself which gave them some wins. Detroit god better. They needed superstar but If I was Dumars I wouldn't like to have that superstar at PG. I'd keep Billups and look for a superstar at SF or SF. AI is gonna make some noise on that team and I am not sure if it would be good for them.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=FreeAgents-09-10/ These are all the likely players on the market after this season. So, if Detroit doesn't pan out this year, Dumars could easily blow this team (at least the main parts) up and retool with in years time.
The Pistons have gotten to at least the conference finals five years in a row. This is sort of remarkable to me. Meanwhile, Iverson hasn't gotten past the first round in any of those years.
