Nuggets/Pistons Blockbuster Trade: Who Wins?

Only a week into the season a major trade has gone down mixing up two potential playoff teams. Shooting guard Allen Iverson will head to Detroit in return for point guard Chauncey Billups and big men Antonio McDyess (although he is expected to have his contract bought out and return to Detroit) and Cheick Samb. As a resident of metro Detroit and diehard Pistons fan, I can tell you first hand that this trade left many stunned. The Pistons had not made a major move in years and this one came right out of the blue. Fortunately (although to the dismay of "Mr. Big Shot" fans here in Michigan), I think it was a fantastic move for both teams.

What Helps Denver: This trade will make the Denver Nuggets better right away. By replacing Iverson with Billups, Denver now has an All-Star point guard to run a very talented team. This instantly makes scorers J.R. Smith and Carmelo Anthony stronger threats, as Billups will be able to get them open. This also gives Denver more size on the defensive end to compete with bigger Western Conference point guards (Deron Williams, Jason Kidd, etc.). Expect the Nuggets to start playing a half court offense with a much slower pace, as this is what Billups is used to running. Overall I believe the addition of Billups is a great move for the Nuggets that makes them a legitimate contender right now in the West. As an added bonus, Denver will receive Samb, a 7-1 center who has been making leaps and bounds in the Pistons organization and has the talent to become a feared shot-blocker.

What Hurts Denver: One concern that George Karl should have is the speed and stamina that this team loses. Will Billups be able to keep up with roadrunner offenses such as the Phoenix Suns? And will he be able to play more than the 32 minutes per game he averaged last season (compared to Iverson's 42 minutes per game) without getting injured? These questions will be answered soon enough.

What Helps Detroit: I think this was an absolutely genius move by Pistons president Joe Dumars that gives them many options in the future. When Allen Iverson steps on the floor for the first time in a Pistons jersey, he becomes the team's superstar, something they have been lacking since they traded away Jerry Stackhouse years ago. Iverson gives Detroit the speed needed to help utilize the fast break potential the team has. With the many perimeter threats the Pistons have, Iverson's penetrating ability becomes huge, as he should get them many open looks a game. Also by trading Chauncey, point guard Rodney Stuckey (who Dumars expects to be an All-Star soon) will get valuable experience when either Iverson or shooting guard Richard Hamilton sits on the bench. Now Dumars most likely made this trade with the future in mind, and there are many paths this team could take. If the team does well this year, and performs well in the playoffs, Dumars has the option to re-sign Iverson and power forward Rasheed Wallace to bring back the same team. If Detroit performs under expectations, Dumars can let Iverson and Wallace go and have roughly 36 million dollars of cap space left to spend. With superstars such as LeBron James and Kobe Bryant finishing up their contracts in the next two seasons, don't be surprised if one of them wind up in Detroit.

What Hurts Detroit: By losing Chauncey Billups, the Pistons have lost the face of the organization that has made six straight conference championships. It was a risk to trade him away, but with their core aging, it was time they made a move. Iverson has been known to have a less than desirable attitude and this along with Rasheed Wallace may have the Pistons walking into a death trap. Fortunately, as stated earlier, this basically puts only this season at risk, as the two biggest contracts on the team will be expiring. With a great staff and a nucleus of talented young players, Detroit should continue their winning ways in the long run.