Pistons and Nuggets Complete Blockbuster

Today the Denver Nuggets sent (former?) superstar guard Allen Iverson to the Detroit Pistons for former NBA Finals MVP Chauncey Billups, forward/centre Antonio McDyess, and backup centre Cheikh Samb. Billups and McDyess were teammates in Denver from 1998 to 2000, with Billups going to Minnesota and McDyess staying with the Nuggets for two more seasons.

This deal makes very little sense to me. Detroit's success - playoff runs the last five years - was based entirely on their rock-solid team play. NBADraft.net's Robert McChesney's Gold Medal Superstar Theory lists the Pistons an incredible anomaly when they won the NBA Finals in 2004. However, this theory overlooks the fact that despite their lack of a defined "superstar" the Pistons were one of the most balanced teams ever assembled, and every player who received significant minutes was able to take over a game, if necessary, in his own way. Why is this relevant? The trade completed today brings a player, albeit a very talented one, who may or may not know the meaning of the word "team." He famously (and comically) defended his right to skip practice while with the Philadelphia 76ers. His 27.7 career scoring average is very deceiving, as he averages almost 23 field goal attempts per game, shooting below 43% on those attempts. He also averages 3.7 turnovers a game, which somewhat tarnishes his 6.3 assists.

All that being said, the Pistons aren't getting any younger, aren't getting any more talented, and their championship window is slamming shut. While I don't think this trade will work out at all, as I think Iverson will hog the ball as he has his entire career, it was certainly necessary to shake this roster up for one last run at the title. Unfortunately for the Pistons, that title won't come until they rebuild.

Grade for Pistons: C

On the Nuggets side, they definitely came out on top. Iverson and Carmelo Anthony was an experiment gone awry, with no legitimate point guard to control the distribution of wealth. Billups adds a proven point guard with the added ability to take scoring pressure off Anthony. It gives the Nuggets a solid three-man rotation down low with McDyess, Kenyon Martin (at least until he gets injured) and Nene. Cheikh Samb can also replace the nigh-useless Steven Hunter as a safety net.

While this trade makes a lot of sense, I don't think it will actually pay off more than a first round exit that takes a game or two longer. The Western powers are too even, with four legitimate contenders to make it through to the Finals: the Lakers, the Hornets, the Jazz and the ageless Spurs, and five if you're sold on Houston. This gives the Nuggets good odds to make the sixth seed, and one of those teams gets unlucky with injuries, a fifth place finish isn't out of the question. Unfortunately, the only team Denver has a chance to beat in a seven-game series is Houston - they'll lose in five or six to anyone else - and they won't be that lucky. The bottom line, however, is the Nuggets' front-office is showing their fan base they're committed to winning, even if that means 50 regular-season W's and a first-round exit. And they'll sell a Billups jersey or two.

Grade for Nuggets: A