The Detroit Pistons acquired four-times NBA scoring champion Allen Iverson
from the Denver Nuggets Monday in a blockbuster deal that sent Chauncey Billups,
Antonio McDyess and Cheikh Samb to Colorado.
After watching Detroit knocked out in the Eastern conference finals for a
third consecutive year in May, president Joe Dumars had promised to shake things
up.
He delivered on his word just two games into the new season swapping Billups,
the most valuable player on the Pistons 2004 championship team, for Iverson, the
2001 league MVP.
"We are pleased to welcome Allen Iverson to the Pistons organisation," Dumars
said on the NBA website (www.nba.com). "Allen has proven he is one of the elite
players in the league and we like what he adds to our roster at the guard
position.
"We appreciate everything that Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess and Cheikh
Samb brought to the organisation during their time here in Detroit and we
certainly wish them all the best."
Taken with the number one pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1996 NBA
draft, Iverson has been one of the league's most consistent and dynamic scoring
threats averaging 27.7 points per game in 13 seasons.
A nine-times all-star, 33-year-old Iverson averaged 18.7 points and 6.7
assists in the Nuggets' opening three games this season.
"He (Iverson) is a fierce competitor, he's going to bring tremendous energy
to our basketball team and he's a proven all-star in this league," said Pistons
vice-president Scott Perry. "He'll add excitement not only to our basketball
team, but to the community at large."
The move to Denver will constitute a home-coming of sorts for Billups and
McDyess, who both had stints with the Nuggets earlier in their careers.
Billups, who was born in Denver and played his college ball in Colorado, was
a cornerstone of a Pistons team that made it to the Eastern conference finals
for six consecutive years.
The stylish 32-year-old point guard has averaged 14.8 points and 5.5 assists
in 12 NBA seasons, that has also included stops in Boston, Toronto and
Minnesota.
McDyess will be embarking on his third stint in the Mile High City having
played for the Nuggets from 1995-97 and again from 1998-2002.
He has averaged 13.4 points and 7.7 rebounds over his 13-year career.
