NBA: Iverson To Motown

The NBA season is less than a week old and we're hit with a blockbuster deal. AI is moving to Motown and Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess and Cheikh Samb are Rocky Mountain High. By acquiring Allen Iverson, Detroit Pistons general manager Joe Dumars ostensibly will be renting Iverson for only this year. The expiring contracts of Allen Iverson and Rasheed Wallace will allow the Pistons to be major players when the 2010 class of free agents hits the open market. What do the Nuggets receive in return? The Nuggets will save some loot losing Iverson's $20 million dollar contract. The thirty-two-year old Billups has three years left on a four-year deal worth $46 million, with a team option for a fifth year at $14 million. Don't expect to see forward/center Antonio McDyess play for the Nuggets, and don't be surprised if he's back in Detroit this season. Rookie Cheikh Samb will provide Denver with a body in the front court, which they desperately need after their off-season trade of Marcus Camby to the Los Angeles Clippers for a second-round pick.