I don't think so. I actually this makes them digress. While statistically, Iverson is a better player than Billups, I don't think he's actually a better player. Billups was very unselfish, had a knack for making the big shot, was a great chemistry guy, and scored well. He was basically exactly what the Pistons needed at PG. With Iverson, they get a guy who's going to score well, sure, but he's going to do it in volume, and that's not what you want. He's also going to turn the ball over more (Chauncey only averages 2.0 TOPG for his career), which again, isn't ideal for a Piston team that's relies more on defense than anything. The other thing is he could cause chemistry problems on the team. Billups was the perfect guy because he was ok with deferring to Rip or Sheed or anyone else, he was unselfish. Iverson is not that guy. In order for him to be effective, he has to have the ball in his hands and shooting it. Chauncey was able to contribute in ways that expanded beyond shooting. Now, don't get me wrong, this certainly wasn't a bad trade, especially if you consider he's coming off the books after this year, but I don't know if it was necessary. I think this move was made because Dumars felt like he had to make a deal since he said he would, not because he wanted to. This, at best, is just a lateral move for the Pistons, not hurting, but not helping. I still don't see this putting them over the top, the Celtics are still too good.
Fuck no. They'll still get the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th seed, but they are nowhere near the playoff threat they would have been. Kinda reminds me of the Shaq trade last year, Phoenix thought their team was getting stale and decided they needed a major shakeup. Well, that didn't work out (or has yet to, at least). Neither will this. Contract wise, its a decent move for Detroit. On the court, no help at all.
Iverson's motif operandi is to score and run. Detroit is a mostly half-court team and they focus on defense. That's a recipe for disaster when your PG has a different agenda than what the team wants. Chauncey was a better fit for the team because he defended, distributed, and played within the system. Iverson takes bad shots, gambles on defense, and I just can't see him operating well under a half court offense. I think through this trade, Detroit took a step backwards for the immediate future, but later on they have more flexibility to sign players. If they are still planning to contend, then the only way they can make this trade a "good trade" is if they can sign a big name to take them one step further or good role players that can significantly upgrade what they already have.
This was a low-risk high-reward trade for the Pistons. Face it. They weren't going to win a championship this year anyways, dealing for Iverson gives them a "star" player who can go off for 50 a night. Their current core wasn't going to win anything anyways, so why stick with it? I think Dumars made the right move by going a different direction. Personally, I think it was a good deal for both sides. I'm not gonna count the Pistons out yet, because I'm actually a pretty big Iverson fan. I think this Pistons squad sort of resembles the 2001 Sixers, the same team he took to the Finals. I wouldn't be surprised if the Pistons came out and made some noise, but on the other hand, I wouldn't really be surprised if the trade doesn't work out too well from their standpoint. Either way though, Iverson is a huge expiring contract this summer, so if things don't work out, at least they're going to clear up some cap space.
I think everyone is forgetting how Iverson played on a defense first team under larry brown with the sixers in 01. They can run both AI AND RIP off screens in the half court. That in itself will get Tey, Sheed, and Rip more open looks. If they aren't feeling like going half court, then they can put stuckey at pg, AI at sg, rip at sf, Tey at pf, and sheed at center, and have an even better run and gun team than they had in Denver. And everyone is right Billups would defer to sheed and rip a lot. but thats not what they needed in the playoffs. they need a guy who wants to shoot, and is going to make big shots, thats Iverson. Stuckey is ready to step up and play, and i think this pistons team is going to surprise a lot of people. Also, this trade was not made for this year, the pistons want to make some noise in the free agent market, and they will be able to with Iverson's and Sheed's expiring contracts.
Billups didn't make big shots or want the ball in crunch time? That's news to me. Stuckey is the only real PG on that roster now (and even that's debatable). Detroit will be starting two shooting guards. There is no Carmelo Anthony on that roster.
I think the more important question is does the Iverson trade make the Pistons the best team in the east starting from 2010 on... The Pistons will have $50 mil in cap space (should they let it play out that way) in 2010, which means throwing around 2 max contracts.
Its not like they won't have competition though, in the form of Chicago, New York (Brooklyn included), and possibly the Clippers, all mega-markets for those players to go to, on top of the teams that will battling to keep those players. Basically I can think of at least 6 teams that Detroit will have to outdo for the rights to one of the FA big three that year (Bosh, Wade, LeBron).
The Pistons should be a good team, possibly a contender, but I thought they were going to be very good even without the trade.
You do know that Chauncey's nickname was Mr. Big Shot right? And he got that for a reason. Why, you may ask? Because he made big shots. He was clutch. No one forgot about AI's defense, either. He's never been a very good defender. Sure, he's always been good at getting steals and playing the pass lanes, but he's never been a good man defender, and going to a team that focuses on that isn't going to change that. As for Billups deferring...there's this thing called playing as a team....that's why Billups deferred, because the Pistons believe in playing as team. He's not selfish. His contributions are felt in more aspects that just his scoring. And considering the talent level around him, Billups never HAD to be a big time scorer. I just see no improvement in the Pistons with this. Like I said, at best, it's just a lateral movement that's going to help shed cap at the end of the year. Personally, I don't see this working out for them. It was a panic move. Dumars made it solely because he felt like had to. This wasn't very well thought at all and I think Dumars pulled a Steve Kerr with this one - making a trade that didn't need to be done.
moving to the pistons will be much better for iverson's personal defensive game. having multiple good post defenders that can block shots as opposed to just marcus camby behind him will allow him more freedom playing the passing lanes and being aggressive as will playing with good team defenders like prince and rip over guys like carmelo and jr smith. does that mean he improves the pistons as a team defensively? that's doubtful, but possible. his personal defensive play should improve though. i'm not seeing how this is a panic move. the timing of the move is questionable. if the teams would do the deal now after 2 or 3 games, you'd think they could have gotten together at least a couple of weeks ago so there was a little time to adjust before the season. but how is it a panic move? it's a move that is essentially a lateral move on the court but it does give them a guy that can take over and win games on his own that they didn't really have before. and if for whatever reason it becomes clear that this move was bad, they have to huge expirings to shop at the deadline or to let expire and play the free agent game.
You may be right, but you may be wrong too. Playing on a team with good defenders could also expose him as the weak point, causing him to get attacked more. Also...what's of this multiple good post defenders you speak of? Sheed is the only great one they have...Maxiell and Amir Johnson are still work's in progress, and I wouldn't consider them "great" by any means. Solid, yes...great, no. The reason I call it a panic move is because it was hugely unnecessary, much like the Shaq trade. There was nothing wrong with the Pistons, at all. They've been to seven straight ECF's and haven't really shown any sign of regression. This move was unnecessary and doesn't help the team at all...to say the least, it wasn't a well thought out trade.
i said good post defenders not great. maxiell is a good post defender. amir is a good shot blocker. the trio of them and sheed is better than the post defense in denver(even when they had camby). and playing with other good team defenders helps too. playing with better defenders does mean he'll be targeted more, but it also means he has more help. he'll be able to play his game, be aggressive defensively, and gamble in the passing lanes because he has guys like sheed and prince that can take care of his mistakes. there was something wrong with the pistons though. they weren't the class of the east anymore. boston clearly passed them, the cavs had beaten the pistons in their last playoff matchup, and last year in the playoffs the sixers pushed them in the playoffs. i guess we have different definitions of a panic move. a panic move would be one like the mavs or suns made last year. the mavs mortgaged their future to take a step back as a team and only have kidd's expiring contract to show for it. the suns took on an extra year of a huge contract to at best not improve their team. as for not being well thought out, the only thing not well thought out to me is the timing as i said. if the trade works out and pushes them to the top of the east, great for them. if not, they still have the option of trying to move iverson and sheed at the deadline, let them expire and walk, or bring them back if the team was close to winning and they want to give it another try. for a trade that you feel wasn't well thought out, they certainly have a lot of options if it doesn't work out.
While this trade doesn't necessarily make the Pistons better, it was a good trade for them because it allows them to rebuild while still remaining competitive. Detroit's run with the group they had was over, and this trade was clearly the first step in the rebuilding process.
I agree, but considering their rostert already for 2010 if Stuckey and Johnson continue to improve, they will likely have just as much if not more talent than any other of the teams and far less to rebuild in order to put a competitive team on the floor.
Even if they were still in the elite catagory in the East, in a few years the team is older and its time to rebuild. Iverson's huge expiring contract allows them a very shot rebuilding time (considering they can sign a big name in 2010 or even Boozer this summer). Most teams have to tear down their roster to rebuild, but the Piston have the opportunity thanks to good drafting and good cap management to be in a position to rebuild back into a title contender in 1 year.
AI will compliment this team very well. He's not a great defender, but Curry will implement his skills into the teams skills very well. AI wants a championship and is going to be the motivation this team needs. One thing i can say about AI and i can't say about Billups, is that he gives his all every night and plays every game like its his last. He's excited to be on a great team like Detroit, and hes going to buy what they're selling, and do great things there.
How does AI compliment this team very well? This team is the polar opposite of what would compliment AI well. The Pistons are based on team work and chemistry, something AI does not contribute to in any way, shape or form.
