SportsDystopia

Big news broke in the NBA today, as the Denver Nuggets dealt Allen Iverson to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess, and seldom seen Cheikh Samb.  Pistons president Joe Dumars had vowed changes were in the works after last season’s playoff loss to the Celtics, and just a few games into the 08/09, he delivered on that promise.

It’ll be interesting to see how the deal plays out.  At first it looks like a major risk for the Pistons.  Billups has been essentially the motor that made Detroit run the last several seasons, running the offense and playing fierce defense on the perimiter.  If Iverson has another big season in the tank however, the deal could reignite a Detroit team that had grown stagnant in the seasons following their championship.

With Iverson’s contract set to expire this season though, it makes sense for the Pistons to take the gamble to see if he meshes with the team, especially with Rodney Stuckey waiting in the wings to take over the point long-term.  If Alley-I’s arrival excites ‘Sheed, the Pistons are as dangerous a team as the Celtics were last season, with 3 big threats including Rip Hamilton who at this point in his career is a more reliable scorer than Ray Allen.

Denver takes a larger real risk in acquiring the aging Billups, who’s played alot of long seasons at the age of 32, and has 4 years left on his contract worth over 50 million.  McDyess has another year left on his deal at around 7 million, but he’s put together a nice stretch of healthy seasons, and can be a reliable reserve for the Nuggets.

It’s another major deal for the NBA, which has seen it’s share of blockbusters over the last two seasons.  It also represents another shift of power back towards the East, as the Pistons and Celtics now represent 2 of the 4 favorites for the NBA Championship, including New Orleans and the Lakers.

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