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Nuggets send AI to Pistons for Billups, McDyess

Posted by Davis21wylie

373 days ago

Less than one week into the NBA season, the Denver Nuggets have apparently traded Allen Iverson to the Detroit Pistons for Chauncey Billups, Cheick Samb, and Antonio McDyess. McDyess, who was mostly included to match salaries, doesn't want to move, though he did start his career in Denver. He will likely be bought out before all of this is over and return to Detroit.

We knew Detroit GM Joe Dumars wanted to shake things up (adding a master creator like Iverson certainly does that), but it's bizarre that they would make this move now because they're leading the NBA in offensive rating so far in this young season and they had the league's 6th-best offense last year, largely due to Billups' great efficiency. Rodney Stuckey has a lot of potential, but can he curb his shoot-first tendencies and accommodate Iverson?

For Denver it's also puzzling -- didn't they dump Camby for $$ reasons, and now they're adding a guy who's signed through 2012? -- but they needed a legit PG and this opens up a slot for J.R. Smith to start (no more Anthony Carters). Still, it makes you wonder why they would give Camby away only to make a move for a semi-pricey vet with a multi-year contract.