(video link culled from The Fanhouse’s Matt Watson)

Calling Allen Iverson “the second coming of Isiah Thomas”, the New York Post’s Peter Vecsey hails Detroit securing the point guard they tried to acquire in 2000-01 (“eight seasons later, Joe Dumars finally apprehended superfly”)>

Nuggets management mistakenly believed Iverson’s charisma would sell thousands of tickets. Now owner E. Stanley Kroenke is banking on homegrown Chauncey Billups filling the role of gate attraction. Advancing past the first round in the playoffs every once in a while might be a better solution.

Many are quick to question whether Iverson complements backcourt partner Rip Hamilton at either end of the floor. Seems to me one is renowned for playing without the ball. Furthermore, when Dumars’ assembly won its title under Larry Brown it was Lindsey Hunter and Mike James who applied the crucial perimeter squeeze, not Billups and Hamilton.

From what I’ve seen of Billups’ playoff contribution the last few seasons Dumars is a wise man to have cut the cord before he was strangled by the team’s long-term financial commitment to Billups.

On the flip side, Iverson’s contract is expiring. At the very least, his convulsive scoring and uncanny ability to pick off passes allows the Pistons to continue to excel. His celestial authority also keeps unfair stress from being placed on sophomore Rodney Stuckey.

On the other hand, where the Pistons’ cap flexibility is concerned, Basketbawful scoffs, “I’m sorry, but if the plan really is to make a big run at Bosh, Wade or James in 2010, it’s a flawed plan.”

I guarantee that Bosh and Wade are going to re-sign with their teams, and LeBron is either staying in Cleveland or bolting for New York. Anyway, here’s a fun comment from Basketbawful reader anacondahl: “Perhaps the Pistons trade is an indirect way of admitting to the fans ‘Yeah, we screwed up in 2003, sorry. We want to make it up to you in 2010.'” Oh, and geert had a suggestion for what to call it when the front office tries to redress a mistake they made years earlier: “What about make-up management? Like make-up calls, but by the front office of a team.” I like it.