Once Joe Dumars said that no one was safe during the offseason, you knew something was bound to happen. But when nothing did happen in the offseason I wasn't really surprised and I thought Joe would give the core group of guys one more run at an NBA title.  When I heard the news today that the Pistons had acquired Allen Iverson for Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess, and Cheick Samb I felt the same way I do now, unsure. I've heard both sides of the deal. Iverson comes off the books next year and that creates a lot of finacial flexibility for the future. Iverson also gives the Pistons a proven scorer in the playoffs and a person who can create his own shots. Billups is a great pick-up for the Nuggets because he provides great leadership at the PG position and gives them stability at the most important position on the court. Antonio McDyess WILL be back in a Pistons uniform in 30 days. McDyess does not want to play for any other team and I guarantee he will be back with the Pistons in a month. I really feel like this deal does not make the Pistons better overall. Coming into this season I had them as the #2 team in the Eastern Conference, behind the defending champion Boston Celtics and ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Last year the Pistons made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, does this deal make anyone think they have a better chance of going further this year? I don't know.

I am only 20 years old, so I wasn't really able to see the 'Bad Boys' in their prime and I'm not really sure how that team was disassembled, but (and I'm not comparing either team on a talent level) it really feels like the Pistons that I watched bring basketball pride back to Detroit is gone. I know Rip, Tay, and 'Sheed are still here but it just sucks to see it coming to an end. 'Sheed will probably be gone after this year and then there's still Tayshaun and Rip, but it won't be the same. That's not to say I'm not excited about the possibilities of the future, because I am, but it really feels like an era of Detroit basketball is coming to a close. I knew it would come to an end, but I was really hoping they would be given anothe chance. The thing that is really keeping me from being ecstatic about this deal is the fact that Chauncey Billups is no longer a Piston. I will definitely miss 'Mr. Big Shot' and I am very thankful for everything he did for this franchise. Maybe my mind will change at the end of the season if the Pistons are holding the Larry O'Brien trophy, but then I'll still think that the Pistons could have done it with Chauncey. Again, I want to thank Chauncey Billups for his contributions over the past 6 years. Who knows, if the Pistons would have won one more championship between 2005 and now, this deal probably doesn't happen.