[外電] Hold off on declaring a trade winner just yet
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Friday, December 5, 2008
Hold off on declaring a trade winner just yet
Two nights after the Pistons went to San Antonio and won by 12 points, the
Spurs went to Denver and whipped the Nuggets by 17. Does that prove that the
Pistons got the better of the Chauncey Billups-Allen Iverson trade?
Nope. But neither does the fact Denver is 12-4 since Billups has suited up
with the Nuggets and the Pistons are 7-6 going into Friday night's game with
Philadelphia since Iverson first tugged on their No. 1.
The full effects of this trade can't be fairly judged for years, actually -
not until the ramifications of the salary-cap space Joe Dumars cleared for
the future are weighed. But even for its effects on this year's title
pursuit, the Billups-Iverson deal can't be judged with any degree of
certainty until the snow begins to melt, and not with any finality until the
postseason unfolds.
To be sure, they're thrilled in Denver with the deal. George Karl joked on
ESPN's "Pardon the Interruption" this week that his assistants are telling
him he has to stop gushing about Billups to the Denver media lest people
think they're having a romantic liaison. Chauncey remains the most celebrated
and best basketball player Denver has ever produced, and his civic-mindedness
is as visible and valued there as it was here. Of course they're thrilled to
have Chauncey Billups back home and helping the Nuggets win games. Why
wouldn't they be?
But Denver doesn't have to lose this deal for the Pistons to win it.
Remember what Joe Dumars said when he made the deal. It was done with the
postseason in mind. That meshes with everything Michael Curry has
implemented. When Curry talked about changing the offense in training camp -
even with Billups here, the idea was to do more collective playmaking and
decision-making rather than cling to the predictability that characterized
the Pistons these last few years - it was with becoming a more difficult team
to defend in the playoffs in mind.
Iverson gives the Pistons that element. When Pistons sideline reporter Eli
Zaret asked Joe D in San Antonio the other day if he thought he had traded
for the Iverson who's a career 27-point scorer or somebody else, Dumars
referenced the game Portland's Brandon Roy played at The Palace last Sunday -
getting everyone else involved for three quarters, taking over with the game
on the line. The Pistons have lacked that type of player even for all of
their success this decade.
Iverson emphatically says he's still that guy, but he's doing his best to
ease his way into the mix first. Despite the swings the Pistons have endured
in the month since the trade was made, their highs have been dramatic -
breaking the seven- and eight-game win streaks of the Lakers and Cavs and
overwhelming the Spurs on the road in the fourth quarter. Denver really has
one signature win since Billups arrived - beating Boston on the road.
Denver has been steady, steady, ever so steady since infusing their lineup
with Chauncey Billups. The transition from Iverson to Billups wasn't all that
tough for the Nuggets, though it helped greatly that the schedule has been
pretty forgiving for them this past month.
But that figured all along. The Nuggets were reverting to the conventional,
inserting a pure point guard into a lineup that had essentially been
operating without one - a quality one, at least - since trading Andre Miller
away to get Iverson.
The Pistons have Rodney Stuckey, whose responsibility will continue to
expand, to fill that role. But they also now have something they starkly
lacked previously, even for all the 50-win seasons and conference finals
appearances.
It's going to take a while for it to show in full effect. They might have a
few more traumatic lows to match their dramatic highs before the ship is
finally and fully righted. But hold off on emphatic pronouncements about this
trade's winner and loser at least until the season's most meaningful games
are played.
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