Re: Poor Chauncey...

[j.hironaka@unesco.org]

Tim Lynch wrote:

> > Also an interesting story on
> >
> > http://InsideDenver.com/nuggets/0804nugs1.shtml
> >
> > in which Billups says:
> >
> > "I remember draft day we were so hyped up about how we were going to play
> for Pitino and Boston,"
> >                    Billups said. "And two months into the season we
> >                    were both saying, 'We got to get out of here."'
>
> To do what?  Continue your career as a scrub, Chauncey?  I mean you've just
> accomplished soooo much since you escaped...

I'd love to view this trade as a win-win for both teams, and now that Ron
Mercer is gone I wish him maximum success and All Star appearances. But
sometimes I think that I'm either stupid or Denver made a hugely objectionable
trade from the standpoint of their fans, particularly after Issel had decided
to re-sign Nick Van Exel as the point guard.

Chauncey Billups needs to realize it is in his best interests to be on a team
patient enough to force him to finally learn how to play point guard. He shot
.386 from the field last year and is now at .379 for his career. How can Dan
Issel possibly call this guy a NBA shooting guard? Send Issel some more oxygen.

Secondly, I think Issel is out of his mind to settle on a 210 pound player with
no great secondary tools (rebounding for example) as his starting small
forward. How many 37 mpg small forwards these days weigh 210 pounds? Zero? I
guess they see him as an Alex English type pure scorer.

Last year the Nuggets held their own on the boards. Next season I think they
could get kicked in the Nuggets. As I said earlier, I think Issel drew the
wrong conclusion in labeling Tony Battie as "El Busto" just because he was
getting his tail whupped in practice by a 6-6 player (Fortson). The reality is
that Fortson can actually play, and probably so can Battie. After summarily
dumping TB last year, now Issel is getting rid of a proven NBA stat machine
(Fortson) apparently because he still can't admit his prejudice against "short
people" or whatever. Give the man some oxygen.

Issel is a guy who gave Eric Williams (14 percent body fat and a 135 pound
benchpress when he came to Denver) a no-questions-asked 6-year, 30 million
dollar contract. The newspapers now report he will quickly sign Mercer to an
even more enormous amount.

Adding the lottery pick is what really made me wonder what's up with Issel's
head. Denver's under-sized starting backcourt (Van Exel and Billups) both shot
under 40% from the field. That's unheard of. And these guys LOVE to shoot. Then
you have the issue of depth in the front court. The AP story announcing the
Celts-Nuggets trade says Denver is projecting Popeye Jones to be the first or
second player off the bench, as both the backup center and backup power
forward. How many minutes has Popeye played in the past four years?

The only reason to believe Denver can compete next season is that, when all is
said and done, they still have the best player on either team in Antonio
McDyess. Still I believe the Celts will be very lucky if they can cash in
Denver's draft picks anytime soon, since they are protected through the first
three-to-five picks for the next few years.

If I were Billups or Mercer, I would beg coach D'Antoni to allow them to play
at the only positions where they have any hope of NBA survival (point guard and
shooting guard). Unfortunately McDyess insisted they re-sign Van Exel, and that
guy wouldn't have had many takers anyway if they shopped him around.

Joe

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