Pistons Stand Behind Billups-Iverson Trade

Tonight's Pistons game against the 76ers marks the 100-game anniversary of what can described as the best bad trade in team history.

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The recent additions of Charlie Villanueva, Ben Gordon and Austin Daye are creations of the Election Day trade that shocked Detroit and split a locker room. That was the day team leader Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess went to the Nuggets for guard Allen Iverson. The Pistons haven't been the same since because the trade was a disaster.

But there could be a rainbow in the future -- if team president Joe Dumars can sign a big man to complement his talented guards and young forwards.

Detroit faces Iverson tonight in his second game back from retirement when it travels to Philadelphia. On Thursday, Detroit hosts Denver and Billups.

This trade marked disaster on the court but gave the Pistons financial flexibility to transition into the future by signing free agents Gordon and Villanueva and handing the point guard duties to Rodney Stuckey.

"We had gone on a seven- or eight-year run. That's an eternity in sports," Dumars said. "As much as we like to keep teams together for ten or 12 years that's not possible. You can start making those changes a little early or you can wait until it is too late. What I wasn't willing to do was wait until it was too late."

Is younger better?
Dumars compares the current Pistons to the 2001 team, when they were two years away from making the Eastern Conference finals and three years away from making the NBA Finals.

"You start building pieces," Dumars said. "You don't do it in one fell swoop. You do it piece by piece. What I'm doing is adding young pieces and evaluating to see who I want to be here to take the next step. Everybody you see here won't be here two years from now. That's how you executive this with any business. You do it piece by piece."

So far, the pieces have been brittle. Only Ben Wallace, Will Bynum and Stuckey have played all 20 games this season. The Pistons have used the injuries to peek into the future. Second-round pick Jonas Jerebko is a pleasant surprise and Daye also has contributed.

Gordon has been the Pistons' best player, averaging 18.7 points before an ankle injury slowed him. Villanueva is coming into his own, but he's been plagued by defensive issues and foul trouble.

Before the trade, the Pistons advanced to six straight Eastern Conference finals and two NBA Finals. Under the leadership of Billups they were 327-158 (.674), averaged 94.3 points, shot .446 and averaged 21.7 assists. Since then the Pistons are 44-55 (.444), average 94.1 points and are shooting .451.

The guy who has been affected most is Richard Hamilton, who grew accustomed to curling off screens and receiving perfect passes from Billups. With Billups as his quarterback, Hamilton averaged 18.9 and shot .463. Since the trade he has suffered several injuries and played in 36 games, averaging 17.3 points and shooting .447.

The numbers and product are bad now. But it's a move the Pistons had to make. They would've won more games with Billups, but their run as title contenders ended through complacency in the locker room and lack of energy on the court.

"(We) had to move on," Dumars said.

Only time will tell
Dumars believes brighter days will emerge for the Pistons no matter how many storm clouds hover overhead.

Even if the Pistons retained their old team and style of play, they still weren't strong enough to overcome the Cavaliers, Magic and Celtics. At best they were fourth in that pecking order, assuming they could hold off the upstart Hawks.

Dumars needed the Pistons to get worse to build a future. Last season, they earned the eighth seed in the playoffs and were swept by the Cavaliers.

By then Iverson was jetting back and forth from Washington to Detroit. He was in Washington to get his back examined and in Detroit to hang out in downtown casinos. He was rarely seen at The Palace.

Iverson said he didn't have a problem with Dumars. His issue was with Curry, who he said promised him a leadership and starting role.

All of Detroit's dirty laundry was revealed during a trip to New Orleans last season. Iverson came down with a bad back, Wallace erupted on the court and was ejected and Hamilton complained about being benched for Iverson.

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Hamilton called it the most difficult season of his career.

Now will he be a part of the future? The next step is getting a big man. That's the next step on a continuing domino of a trade that still reverberates through out The Palace.

A look back
Allen Iverson, 76ers

Iverson didn't last with the Pistons and was released at the end of the season. He signed a contract with the Grizzlies but fought with the team over playing time. He recently signed a non-guaranteed deal with his old team.

Chauncey Billups, Nuggets

He's the poster boy of what is right in basketball. Trained under Larry Brown he guided the Nuggets to the Western Conference finals last season and became the leader of a young and athletic team.

Billups is averaging 17.5 points, 6.1 assists and 3.1 rebounds this season.

Antonio McDyess, Spurs

He's one of the main guys off the bench for the Spurs and spells NBA all-star Tim Duncan. McDyess returned to the Pistons after the trade to the Nuggets, but signed with the Spurs in the offseason, hoping to win a championship. He's averaging six points and 5.6 rebounds.