Stephen A Smith says Iverson to Detroit

[Kai]

How is it a weak eastern conference?

[Black]

yeah, however, he can't play a lick of defense. Not even steals. I'm not trying to dog Nash, because he is a good play, but I'm a gritty basketball fan. I DISPISE the finesse style. I don't think it will ever win anything.

Edit: and great, now we got Rocket fans talking ish. When have you s ever won anything? seriously? Is this really how it is on this forum?

I fail to see what you guys don't understand.

We get a super star for an over-rated PG, who was not doing anything.

If it works, we may have a fantasy season. If it doesn't, we have so much flexibility next season.

This was a DEAL. End of story.

PS: Sheed is not a role player, get out of here with that BS. He would start on any team in the league.

[dirk4mvp]

yeah, however, he can't play a lick of defense. Not even steals. I'm not trying to dog Nash, because he is a good play, but I'm a gritty basketball fan. I DISPISE the finesse style. I don't think it will ever win anything.

How does that equate into Nash being a pussy?


And going by this, AI is a pussy as well. He's pretty much all finesse and his D isn't that great.

[IronMexican]

This was definitely in the Pistons favor. They got the better player, and they got the better contract.

[Allanon]

Sheed is a role player at this stage. Iverson has ok help around him but this doesnt make them that ing good. So Rip is the #2 scorer? ooooooo Their top scorers outside of Iverson are containable. They have a nice team and probably a tad better with Iverson but comon. They arent beating the Celtics in a 7 game series. Celts D will shut everyone else down and force Iverson to beat them by himself.

I think AI pushes the Piston's further than Billups. One of the problems the Piston's have had with their 4 star lineup is the lack of the #1 guy. It used to be Mr. Big Shot but that didn't happen last year. AI would be the go to guy that can help them win games.

I don't think the Celtics are nearly as good this year as they were last year. I'd say the East is up for grabs.

[Black]

That's not true. A.I is not a finesse player, he's a gritty take it to the hoop, fall down get back up type player. Not sure what A.I you've been watching.

I should stop now with Nash, because I already said I disliked him, and my replies will be biased.

[DPG21920]

This was definitely in the Pistons favor. They got the better player, and they got the better contract.

[Black]

I can't believe you guys would call Sheed a role player. Good god.

[angelbelow]

this is a great trade for the pistons. they get rid of billups contract and they get a massive expiring. they arent going to win anything this year and theyre in a semi youth movement, AI with his expiring will help a lot.

[Black]

I wouldn't count them out that fast. They were already a good enough team to atleast make it to the finals these last couple of seasons. They were just poorly coached. We have a coach who demands respect, and we just traded for a superstar. I think you need to relax.

[Kai]

yeah, however, he can't play a lick of defense. Not even steals. I'm not trying to dog Nash, because he is a good play, but I'm a gritty basketball fan. I DISPISE the finesse style. I don't think it will ever win anything.

Edit: and great, now we got Rocket fans talking ish. When have you s ever won anything? seriously? Is this really how it is on this forum?

I fail to see what you guys don't understand.

We get a super star for an over-rated PG, who was not doing anything.

If it works, we may have a fantasy season. If it doesn't, we have so much flexibility next season.

This was a DEAL. End of story.

PS: Sheed is not a role player, get out of here with that BS. He would start on any team in the league.

It was a good trade for Detroit. Nothing against the Pistons or Celtics, but besides them, that conference was a complete joke last year. And to answer your other question, 1994 & 1995.

[Allanon]

Edit: and great, now we got Rocket fans talking ish. When have you s ever won anything? seriously? Is this really how it is on this forum?

Yes, that's how it is on this forum. You'll get plenty of fans from other teams talking ish, and that's why it's so great.

If you can't handle ish, then this isn't the board for you. But if you can take it, you'll find some great arguments and plenty of stupid ones too. Spurstalk is equal opportunity trash talking as long as you do it in the right part of the forums.

[JamStone]

I thought they did, I mean the Pistons could win the east. Arguably, the 4 best teams in the east are: Boston, Cleveland, Detroit, Orlando The Pistons could win the east if the injury bug hits one of the other 3 teams. I just think it's a little early to start giving up on your season- that's all I'm saying

Winning the East and winning the NBA le aren't the same thing. And, I simply disagree with you that they could have even win the East. I think most people didn't think they could win the East.

It's not giving up on the season unless you think the Pistons are that much worse than before.

Now, you can say they are different, that they'll struggle to find chemistry, but to outright say they are worse than before the trade, I just wouldn't agree.

A huge knock on the Pistons the last three years is they didn't have that superstar go-to guy that could take over and attack the basket for a score or to draw a foul and get to the line. That's what Iverson provides, even at his diminished level. He can still get to the basket. He can still be go-to guy. And, again, Billups' defense is way overrated. Better than Iverson's, but not enough to make it a bad trade.

If Dice returns to Detroit, which is not only a possibility but a likely scenario, that is no longer a knock on the trade.

I think you're lying if you say the Pistons still had a legit shot at the NBA le this season before the trade.

[Tradition]

I can't believe you guys would call Sheed a role player. Good god.

Well he isnt a superstar and is really not much of an all-star anymore either. He is in his mid 30's. A starter? yes he still is but he is nothing more than a productive starter at best given his age and recent decline.

[Tradition]

I think Dice considers going elsewhere for a little while. He was loyal to the Pistons so it wont be like he demanded to be dealt. They traded him and he was a class act while their. I'd love to see Dice consider coming to LA. Lakers can waive Mbenga and Dice can be our backup 4 with Powell being at the end of the bench.

[JamStone]

Dice said he would rather retire than play for another team than Detroit.

[Obstructed_View]

christina model

That's the girl on the left.

[Obstructed_View]

I can't believe you guys would call Sheed a role player. Good god.

Yeah, he barely deserves that. At this point, he's basically a tease, periodically reminding Pistons fans how ing good he could be if he brought it all the time.

[timtonymanu]

great. now all the AI fans will switch to Detroit. funny coz one of my brother's friends is an AI fan and he hates the Pistons.

[turiaf for president]

Dice said he would rather retire than play for another team than Detroit.

yea i doubt he will play for the nuggets. prolly get bought out or released and resign with the pistons like barry and thomas did last year.

but heres an interesting idea. lakers are carrying 14 players and have the vet minimum and midlevel that they have yet to use. i can see mcdyess helping out the lakers tremendously. he can hit the jumper in the triangle and hes a tough guy who will play solid D. make it happen mitch!

[sook]

both teams will be good

[duncan228]

Pistons get Iverson now, LeBron later?
By Adrian Wojnarowski

Joe Dumars had the chance to consider Dallas’ Jason Kidd and his expiring contract over the summer, a league executive said Monday, but the Detroit Pistons president had bigger, bolder ideas. Allen Iverson still gives the Pistons a puncher’s chance in the Eastern Conference this season, but this trade isn’t about him. It isn’t about Chauncey Billups.

Think bigger.

Think bolder.

Think LeBron James, 2010.

The Pistons president doesn’t just have the salary cap space for the Cleveland Cavaliers star. He also has the connections and the championship credibility. Make no mistake: Detroit and Dumars are officially in hot pursuit of James – maybe even the favorite now – and it promises to be a long, agonizing two years for the Cavaliers.

Detroit doesn’t deliver the bright lights and global metropolis destination that James wants when he opts out of his contract in 2010, but two more years of watching Kobe Bryant win les could transform his priorities. James wants badly to be considered the best player on the planet and that won’t happen until he’s a champion.

James wants a front office with a vision that honors his greatness, and make no mistake: This makes Detroit and Dumars so dangerous, makes them Cleveland’s worst nightmare. The city could justify losing its prodigal son to New York or Los Angeles, but nearby Detroit?

Cleveland would never recover.

So why Iverson over a possible package for Kidd? Several league executives know exactly why: The trade with Denver to make an unhappy Iverson happier just further imbeds the Detroit franchise deeper into James’ agent, Leon Rose, and advisor, William Wesley. Just as they represent James, they rep Iverson.

And as much as anyone, “World Wide” Wes is one of the most important voices in Lebron’s life. Wesley lives in Detroit, where one of Rose’s clients, Richard Hamilton, is a Pistons star. What’s more, Dumars is close to an agreement with Hamilton on a two-year extension that will keep him through 2012, sources say. This is a terrific show of faith for Hamilton, who is trying to recoup hundreds of thousands of dollars that a business manager allegedly stole from him.

Wesley comes and goes at the Palace of Auburn Hills as he pleases, and few have such a window into the winning culture of the Pistons.

As one rival GM said Monday, “Damn it, I am afraid Joe has this whole thing wired. He’s got everything in place to pull this off.”

The New Jersey Nets’ move to Brooklyn is falling apart, and so is owner Bruce Ratner’s chances of using limited partner, Jay-Z, to lure James. The Knicks will be a factor, but the bumbling of the Stephon Marbury mess has reflected horribly on the organization. The Knicks have an owner, GM and coach with differing agendas and they’ve made an initial poor impression. Detroit can’t compete with New York as the global city to market James, but winning could take care of everything.

With Donnie Walsh and Mike D’Antoni as GM and coach, the Knicks can still get their act together. Yet, no one will ever need to ask that of Dumars. No one else can sell James on a winning culture as compellingly as Dumars. He had gone as far as he could with Billups, who has three years and $36 million left on his contract. Billups gave the Pistons a slight edge over Iverson to make another run this season, but Dumars had already gotten a final run out of him a year ago. Detroit won a le, reached a Game 7 of the NBA Finals and six straight Eastern Conference finals with Billups.

Now, Billups is 32 years old. He’s declining. This is a low-risk, short-term, high-reward, long-term play for Dumars.

The Pistons president believes that the young guard Rodney Stuckey, a brilliant pick out of Eastern Washington, can take over the Pistons next year. Iverson and Rasheed Wallace could leave the payroll this summer, and the Pistons will be $22 million under the salary cap in 2009. They will have a core of Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Stuckey, Jason Maxiell and Amir Johnson in 2010. No one else among James’ serious suitors with cap space has two All-Stars (Hamilton and Prince) and a potential third (Stuckey) for him to join.

Most of all, James knows he’d have Dumars to give him the right coach, the right teammates, the right atmosphere to chase championships for a long, long time. What makes this plan so ingenious is that the bridge from Iverson to Stuckey, from Wallace to Maxiell, makes it possible for the Pistons to reconstruct themselves without bottoming out. They’ll still be a 50-win team. Dumars hates the idea of rebuilding through the lottery, and that won’t need to happen here. He won’t be offering James a heap of ashes in 2010, but a good team needing him to complete its greatness.

For the flawed franchises falling over themselves to get under the salary cap for 2010, the most ingenious plan promises to start out of the NBA’s brightest executive mind. Joe Dumars is thinking big. He’s thinking bold. This will be an agonizing two years in Cleveland.

[Allanon]

Money over Power or is it the other way around?

The writer does have a good point:

Out of all the destinations for LeBron, Detroit does seem the most likely throne from which he can challenge Kobe.

[Pistons < Spurs]

Yeah, he barely deserves that. At this point, he's basically a tease, periodically reminding Pistons fans how ing good he could be if he brought it all the time.

+1

[bostonguy]

Dice said he would rather retire than play for another team than Detroit.

You are going to enjoy the Celtics/Pistons games even more. Your favorite NBA player in AI against the player you flat out DESPISE far more than anyone else in the league in Paul Pierce.