AI to Detroit for Billups

[TheSizzle36]

A bit of a headscratching move for Detroit. You have to think that this makes Denver quite a bit better, and all it really does for Detroit is clear cap space once AI's deal expires.

[Mormon Red Death]

Originally Posted by TheSizzle36

A bit of a headscratching move for Detroit. You have to think that this makes Denver quite a bit better, and all it really does for Detroit is clear cap space once AI's deal expires.

38 million at the end of the year is a lot of cap space. I think its great for Detroit. You get a hall of famer in a contract year (his last one). You have Stuckey, hamilton and AI as your 3 guard rotation. You know have Sheed, Tayshaun and Maxiel (better than you think) as your starters with Kwame brown coming off the bench. Your division is basically Cleveland so you get 4th seed in the playoffs and hope you get hot. They were about the same with Billups

[cougjunkie]

Originally Posted by Mormon Red Death

38 million at the end of the year is a lot of cap space. I think its great for Detroit. You get a hall of famer in a contract year (his last one). You have Stuckey, hamilton and AI as your 3 guard rotation. You know have Sheed, Tayshaun and Maxiel (better than you think) as your starters with Kwame brown coming off the bench. Your division is basically Cleveland so you get 4th seed in the playoffs and hope you get hot. They were about the same with Billups

Also Detroit like San Antonio has historically gone through stretches where they could not score and with AI that wont happen as much. You are a bit worse defensively but it basically gives Detroit the chance to make a final run at a title and if they dont get it, they have a good young nucleus and tons of cap space.

This also makes Denver better as well in my opinion.

[TheSizzle36]

Originally Posted by Mormon Red Death

38 million at the end of the year is a lot of cap space. I think its great for Detroit. You get a hall of famer in a contract year (his last one). You have Stuckey, hamilton and AI as your 3 guard rotation. You know have Sheed, Tayshaun and Maxiel (better than you think) as your starters with Kwame brown coming off the bench. Your division is basically Cleveland so you get 4th seed in the playoffs and hope you get hot. They were about the same with Billups

I get the cap space move, but realistically what free agents are out there that you will be able to bring in that are better than Chauncey? I know the Pistons are high on Stuckey, but can he really run a team full time?

Maybe I'm blinded because I hate the move as a Jazz fan because I think it makes Denver much better, but I don't think it's a 'great' move for Detroit. I do agree though that it depends on who they can sign next year.

[TripletDaddy]

Originally Posted by cougjunkie

Also Detroit like San Antonio has historically gone through stretches where they could not score and with AI that wont happen as much. You are a bit worse defensively but it basically gives Detroit the chance to make a final run at a title and if they dont get it, they have a good young nucleus and tons of cap space.

This also makes Denver better as well in my opinion.

Has AI shown that he can be a pass-first guy over the course of an entire season? He was at his best when he was taking most of the shots and scoring 25-30 a night.

Look at what has happened in Denver now that he has to share.

Chunky Pollups was an ideal point guard for Detroit. I think this move winds up hurting them, not helping them.

[Mormon Red Death]

Originally Posted by TheSizzle36

I get the cap space move, but realistically what free agents are out there that you will be able to bring in that are better than Chauncey? I know the Pistons are high on Stuckey, but can he really run a team full time?

Maybe I'm blinded because I hate the move as a Jazz fan because I think it makes Denver much better, but I don't think it's a 'great' move for Detroit. I do agree though that it depends on who they can sign next year.

maybe they make a run at kobe... or wait another year and make a run at wade, lebron, or bosh

[Mormon Red Death]

top free agents in 2009

1) Kobe Bryant – Los Angeles Lakers
Early Termination Option: owed $47.8 million thru 2011

2) Carlos Boozer – Utah Jazz
Player Option: owed $12.6 million for 2009-2010 season


3) Shawn Marion – Miami HEAT
Unrestricted


4) Steve Nash – Phoenix Suns
Team Option: owed $13.1 million for the 2009-2010 season

5) Mehmet Okur – Utah Jazz
Early Termination Option – owed $9 million for the 2009-2010 season


6) Allen Iverson – Denver Nuggets
Unrestricted


7) Ron Artest – Sacramento Kings
Unrestricted


8) Lamar Odom – Los Angeles Lakers
Unrestricted


9) Hedo Turkoglu – Orlando Magic


10) Andrew Bynum – Los Angeles Lakers
Restricted


****

Just Missed the Cut:

Rasheed Wallace (Unrestricted) – Y

Jason Kidd (Unrestricted) –

Andre Miller (Unrestricted) –

Richard "Rip" Hamilton (ETO - Early Termination Option) –

Mike Bibby (Unrestricted) –

[DrumNFeather]

[QUOTE=Mormon Red Death;288875]t

5) Mehmet Okur – Utah Jazz
Early Termination Option – owed $9 million for the 2009-2010 season
QUOTE]

Clearly a move to get memo back to Motown

[TheSizzle36]

Originally Posted by Mormon Red Death

top free agents in 2009

1) Kobe Bryant – Los Angeles Lakers
Early Termination Option: owed $47.8 million thru 2011

2) Carlos Boozer – Utah Jazz
Player Option: owed $12.6 million for 2009-2010 season


3) Shawn Marion – Miami HEAT
Unrestricted


4) Steve Nash – Phoenix Suns
Team Option: owed $13.1 million for the 2009-2010 season

5) Mehmet Okur – Utah Jazz
Early Termination Option – owed $9 million for the 2009-2010 season


6) Allen Iverson – Denver Nuggets
Unrestricted


7) Ron Artest – Sacramento Kings
Unrestricted


8) Lamar Odom – Los Angeles Lakers
Unrestricted


9) Hedo Turkoglu – Orlando Magic


10) Andrew Bynum – Los Angeles Lakers
Restricted


****

Just Missed the Cut:

Rasheed Wallace (Unrestricted) – Y

Jason Kidd (Unrestricted) –

Andre Miller (Unrestricted) –

Richard "Rip" Hamilton (ETO - Early Termination Option) –

Mike Bibby (Unrestricted) –

None of those guys really strike me as a huge upgrade to the team considering they are losing Chauncey, at least 'realistic' ones. And by that, I mean I don't see Kobe leaving LA for Detroit. Maybe Steve Nash, but that is a team option, and he certainly isn't a long-term solution, which IMO if you are clearing cap space, you are looking long term.

Maybe a Bosh/Wade/Lebron run is in the works. Which is too bad since they could have had either Bosh or Wade originally, but had to pick Darko instead.

[TheSizzle36]

Originally Posted by TheSizzle36

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/...kes-Again.html

Feast your eyes on this list of players who will be available. 2010 free agents include LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, Ray Allen, Tyson Chandler, Manu Ginobili, Richard Jefferson, Joe Johnson, Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming, Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki and Michael Redd.

The two that jump out to me are, of course, Chris Bosh and LeBron James. They played together nicely on Team USA, and now Dumars can at least entertain the notion of signing not one of those two, but both.

A team that suspects one of those players might leave via free agency in 2010 might be compelled to realize some value for the player by dealing with a team under the cap like the Pistons in the summer of 2009. (The NBA's rules about matching up salaries in trades only apply to teams that are over the salary cap. Once Iverson's big contract is off the books next summer, the Pistons will be able to deal freely.)

Today Joe Dumars has parlayed a 32-year-old point guard into a rental of Allen Iverson, and the bedrock players of the Pistons' long-term future.

While there is significant risk -- the Pistons with Billups were contenders this year, and they make take a step back -- this may well come to be seen as the greatest move yet from one of the NBA's sharpest general managers.

If Dumars is able to pull this off, then he is the man and I will take back any questioning of Dumars. Even if it is Bosh/Wade instead of Lebron/Bosh, you'd have to give him credit.