Denver/Detroit: A full team swap?...

by Andrew Feinstein on Jun 10, 2008 2:04 PM MDT

When we discussed the possibility of a Denver/Detroit trade the other day, I was under the assumption it would be Chauncey Billups/Rasheed Wallace for Allen Iverson/Marcus Camby. But when news broke that the Pistons are "interested" in Carmelo Anthony, many in the basketball punditry world suggested that the ideal move would be to trade Anthony/Camby for Billups/Wallace.

The Denver Post's Woody Paige takes the proposition of a Detroit trade even further today, and essentially suggests the two teams just relocate to each other's cities.

I have two thoughts. 1) I'm still very intrigued by the prospect of bringing Billups back to Denver, but not at the expense of Anthony. Even if that's the only way to jettison Kenyon Martin's god awful contract. 2) Just because a "source" claims that Detroit is "interested" in Anthony, this means absolutely nothing. I'm sure every team is "interested" in Anthony...well, except for teams that actually win like the Lakers, Celtics, Spurs, Jazz, Hornets...

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I like the idea of a Billups/Wallace for Camby/Iverson deal. The Nuggets starting lineup would be:

Billups - PG
JR - SG
Anthony - SF
Wallace - PF
Nene - C

The bench would still have Kleiza, Najera (hopefully resigned), Atkins, K-Mart (I'm sure he'll love coming off the bench - hopefully $92 million will help him stop complaining), and Unnamed Draft Pick #20.

Billups and Wallace would help solve the Nuggets offense problems by spreading the floor for Carmelo (wait until you see how he plays without triple teams). Billups improves the perimeter defense as does the insertion of JR in the starting lineup over Iverson (the Nuggets had a better defensive efficiency when he was in the lineup last year). Rasheed improves our interior defense because, unlike Camby, he can defend his own man. If Nene is healthy (and at playing weight), he can provide some defensive assistance with his quickness.

That is the kind of starting lineup that could win the Nuggets a championship.

However, Detroit would never do it because Camby will probably kill their defense (they depend on a lot of one-on-one defending and Camby is at his best off the ball) and he will definitely kill their offense. You would have to convince them that they are getting two guys who give it everything they have every night, which is something the Pistons lak right now.

If they want Carmelo for Billups they better be willing to throw in Jason Maxiell and a future #1 (like in 2010 when everyone on their team except Carmelo will be old)

by Matthew on Jun 10, 2008 4:07 PM MDT reply actions

You don't trade franchise players, I don't care if they are flawed or not. Carmelo is at least as good as Pierce was at the same age (I'd say better) and now Pierce is in the finals. So I say we keep Carmelo and build around him.

If Detroit wants him, one of the best run franchises in the league, he must not be so bad.

by Mateo on Jun 10, 2008 6:53 PM MDT reply actions

Fire George Karl, send Anthony Carter back to the NBADL, trade Marcus Camby, and Demand Marshmello to play defense.

by SamIam on Jun 10, 2008 8:52 PM MDT reply actions

Fire George Karl, send Anthony Carter back to the NBADL, trade Marcus Camby, and Demand Marshmello to play defense

LOL Back to square 1.

by Anonymous on Jun 10, 2008 9:56 PM MDT reply actions

This is stupid. I don't think that trading with the Pistons is a great idea. Let alone trading away Carmelo Anthony. The guy makes one mistake and everybody turns on him. Wow, where have we heard this before?

Look, I know that as a fan when a season, or a game, or a championship, or whatever goes wrong, fingers are always pointed. We, as fans, want to point out players and other parts that are flawed in a system.

However, I can say that Anthony is NOT the problem. Neither is Allen Iverson, or Marcus Camby. It's the coaching. And, until I see that a coaching change is made, I will continue to blame the COACHING to be the Nuggets biggest problem.

by nataly on Jun 10, 2008 10:06 PM MDT reply actions

the only change that this team needs to make (besides firing George Karl of course) would be the following:

Trade Marcus Camby and Linas Kleiza (he wont develop with Melo and JR on the same roster) somewhere else for quality big men (preferably with a post game) to backup Nene and K-Mart.

Either train up Taurean or drop him and pick up a decent PG with Pick #20

Build the team around Melo, AI, JR (off the bench works), Nene.

But the main thing to do is fire the freaking coach! The team doesn't play defense, but that's because they're not taught or motivated enough to play it!

by andrew fisher on Jun 11, 2008 4:59 AM MDT reply actions

If detroit trades billups whos gonna run the point for them?????????

by Anonymous on Jun 11, 2008 6:02 AM MDT reply actions

rodney stuckey... the rookie. well sophomore next season

hes got talent. potential. probably will average 18 and 7 next season and a steal or two. if he starts that is. coming behind chauncey he wont get much mins maybe 10 and 4

by andrew fisher on Jun 11, 2008 8:30 AM MDT reply actions

If I were Melo I'd want to go to the east, lot easier to win there and get to the finals. Why do you think KG and Ray Allen bolted to the east?

by Anonymous on Jun 11, 2008 9:17 AM MDT reply actions

The more I look at it, JR Smith has the ability to become a Rip Hamilton type SG, but better. Seeing Matthew line up that prospective lineup made me realize that. I just don't like the idea of Nene as the starting C.

If that team were to occur (regardless of the scenario actually), I DO like the idea of us grabbing DJ White from Indiana with #20 though. Kinda reminds me of K-Mart (obviously without the contract and injury history) and Jason Maxiell for some reason.

...That's just my little draft "nugget" that I'm getting first dibs on here when we all start into the rampant draft speculation. I think he's my guy at #20 if he's there, unless we can find a true center like the lesser of the two Lopez twins or somethin.

by Eric on Jun 11, 2008 12:41 PM MDT reply actions

I checked out the link to Woody Paige's article, and for once he trumped you!

Do the deal!

by John Jay on Jun 11, 2008 12:45 PM MDT reply actions

Andy, how many times do i need to tell you to trade Melo for anything. Take Billups and Sheed.
Melo sucks and Detroit hasnt figured it out yet.
-matt

by Anonymous on Jun 11, 2008 5:13 PM MDT reply actions

Let's get Nathan Jawai as a backup big
:D

by Julian from Australia on Jun 11, 2008 9:57 PM MDT reply actions

well julian from australia. i'm andrew from australia. and believe me, nathan jawai would get owned in the nba. yeah he owned it in the nbl but the nbl is worse than the developmental league.

remember julius hodge? the NC prospect who sat on the end of the nugget's bench for 2 seasons and on the hospital bed with a shot leg for another year? yeah well he played in the nbl for about a week and people were talking bout him being mvp. that's someone who barely survived in the d-league.

jawai should go play college ball like pat mills is doing. nbl wont make him get any better.

by andrew fisher on Jun 12, 2008 4:17 AM MDT reply actions

The only way the Billups deal works is if AI isn't on the team one way or another next year. A backcourt with AI and Billups gives us the same defensive problems as last year. And for god sakes can we stop talking about firing george karl. IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, GIVE IT UP ALREADY. The nuggets brain trust likes him for some reason so we're stuck with him. And Mateo, marshMelo is not a franchise player, not even close.

by Zachm219 on Jun 12, 2008 12:16 PM MDT reply actions

Andrew wrote: "remember julius hodge? the NC prospect who sat on the end of the nugget's bench for 2 seasons and on the hospital bed with a shot leg for another year? yeah well he played in the nbl for about a week and people were talking bout him being mvp. that's someone who barely survived in the d-league."

Hodge wasn't too bad in D-League: 17.7ppg, 5.5rpg, 2.7apg and after his time in the NBL (and Europe), Hodge went for 23.7ppg, 8.3rpg, 6.0apg in D-League. Pretty good numbers. Clearly he has improved, so maybe he will make it back to the NBA.

On Jawai, I'm not expecting him to be good straight away, but with his size, speed and talent, eventually I think he will make it. And some scouts reckon he could go late first round. If he's left for our second round pick, I say get him. It would be cool to have an Australian on the Nugget's roster.

by Julian from Australia on Jun 12, 2008 6:33 PM MDT reply actions

yeah i do agree. i may have used some hyperbole effects in my last post haha. didnt need to pull the stats on my ass

it would be good to have an aussie on the nugs roster haha. would be good to have another aussie in the NBA ! heck the nba is so undermined in australia. pisses me off. people think basketball is boring here. all because the nbl sucks balls.

by andrew fisher on Jun 13, 2008 7:59 AM MDT reply actions

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STIFF LIST (as of 4/26 by Andrew Feinstein)

1. METTA WORLD PEACE

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2. CHARLOTTE BOBCATS

The 'Cats are on the verge of securing the worst winning percentage in NBA history. Given that the guy who runs the team - Michael Jordan - had previously drafted Kwame Brown and Adam Morrison, should this really be a shock?

3. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
The team that was supposedly built to overcome the lockout-shortened season managed to lose 7 of its last 14 games, ceding the Western Conference's 1-seed to the Spurs in the process. Their reward might be a first round matchup with defending champion Dallas.

4. BILLY HUNTER AND DEREK FISHER

With report after report coming out about NBPA union head Hunter's shady, nepotistic dealings and questions arising about Fisher's own role in dealing with NBA owners behind Hunter's back during the lockout, this off-the-court scandal could prove to be more exciting than the playoffs themselves!

5. STEVE NASH AND THE PHOENIX SUNS
The Suns are on this list for squandering the last few great seasons from Nash. Nash is on this list for his stupidly stubborn loyalty to a franchise as awful as the Suns.