Allen Iverson on his way out of Detroit?

February 5, 2009

Detroit Pistons GM Joe Dumars is contemplating about that exactly.

Seems it was so long ago when the Detroit Pistons had their fast start to the 2008-09 NBA basketball season, leading the Eastern Conference and looked like another trip to the conference finals imminent.

Then BANG, Detroit Pistons general manager Joe Dumars decided to fix something that ain’t broke in the first place, sending Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess to Denver in exchange for Allen Iverson, the guy Dumars was hoping to finally be able to get the Pistons past the conference finals and back in the championship series.

42 games later, the Detroit Pistons are still nowhere near that goal. Hell, they are 21-21 with Allen Iverson and with the rate they are going, they might not even get to the conference finals, thus breaking their streak of six straight years of playing for the Eastern Conference title.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to determine that trading for Allen Iverson was a big mistake. For what it’s worth, the Pistons organization can still correct their own blunder but with the trading deadline drawing near, they better move A.I. now before it’s too late.

Dumars admits that he’s open to moving Allen Iverson. Dumars initially saw Iverson as someone who could take his team to the next level, perhaps keeping them relevant in an Eastern Conference that has slowly passed the Pistons by. Boy, was he so wrong. The culture change created by the departure of Chauncey Billups and the arrival of A.I. was almost immediate. Iverson brings more than just a lot of scoring, he also brings attitude, an entourage, and a Texas-sized chip on his shoulder.

Where Billups sought to make his teammates better while also carrying the team when needed, Iverson looks to be the center of the universe at all times. See evidence no.1.

‘’I would love to be a focal part on the offensive end,’’ Allen Iverson said in one of their losses. ‘’That’s where I’ve been all my career. And that’s why I play the game. That’s the type of competitor I am. In crucial situations, I want the ball in my hands.’’

Problem is, those hands no longer can win games. Dumars is reportedly interested in moving Iverson now, even before his ending deal can yield the Pistons a considerable amount of cap space. That’s because things are going South in a hurry for Detroit, currently sitting in fifth place in the East, but quickly losing ground to Miami and even Philadelphia. If the Pistons slip down to the seventh or eighth seed it would mean a first round match-up with Cleveland, Boston, or Orlando.

Dumars wants ending contracts, and the two teams with the closest ending contracts potentially available for Iverson are also extremely unlikely to take him anyway. One of these teams is the Portland Trail Blazers. They have Raef LaFrentz’s ending deal on the market, but GM Kevin Pritchard would never take the chance of introducing Iverson to his young team’s locker room. The other team that could potentially offer up an ending deal is Utah, with Carlos Boozer, but it’s pretty hard to imagine Iverson and Jerry Sloan getting along, even if the Jazz could add some garbage to the deal for Detroit to take on.

New York? Yes, sending Stephon Marbury to Detroit and let them buy him out is a possibility. The Pistons’ end game in acquiring Marbury was only cap space anyway, so this wouldn’t affect that at all. Can you imagine Iverson in Mike D’Antoni’s system? He’d average 25 points per game and fans in NY would go ape over having Iverson, even temporarily.

What about Philadelphia? 76ers fans still love Iverson, and Iverson’s contract would potentially give the Sixers a way to get out from under Elton Brand’s deal. Philly includes Andre Miller, who has an ending deal. Miller can add a veteran voice for the evolving Rodney Stuckey and possibly get the All-Star player they would be seeking in free agency anyway with Brand.

Either way, Iverson has to go and Joe better come up with something out of his ass, fast.

Who will win the 2009 NBA Finals? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

Boston Celtics 4.00

Los Angeles Lakers 4.50

Detroit Pistons 9.00

San Antonio Spurs 9.00

Want more odds? Visit Bodog for more basketball betting odds. Want to watch the NBA live? Get NBA tickets online now.

Allen Iverson Detroit Pistons

Posted by Jeff under NBA, News & Updates.