In defense of the trade(salary dump) of the season

A quick side note in the interest of full disclosure.  I am writing this without investing significant time in watching the first round series between the Pistons and the Cavs, I've caught a few minutes of the games here and there, but not a whole game.  Fortunately, I don't have have to watch the action firsthand to understand that this series rings out across the NBA as the first step of LeBron James towards his place at the top of the NBA.  We will doubtlessly see him win his first MVP trophy next round, and smart money has him collecting a couple more important trophies before the playoffs are over.

This isn't about LeBron dismantling this version of the Pistons.

This is about LeBron doing the same for the next 10 years, and how to stop it.

Grumblings abound across Detroit these days as Chauncey Billups leads the Nuggets toward the second round while Allen Iverson has been hidden away like nuclear waste after what many called a failed experiment.  Iverson was supposed to shake things up, give us the crunch time scorer that we always missed in the playoffs--the guy who can put the team on his back when it is necessary.  Now that back is hurt and 'stones fans everywhere long for Chauncey.

My defense of the decision of this controversial trade lies not in its affect on this season, but on the need to do something for the future of this team.  I dont claim to have a wholly new viewpoint on the matter, the salary dump angle has been worn out like an old shoe.  Yet this series tells us all we needed to know about why the trade makes the Pistons better in the long run.

Chauncey or not, the Pistons were never going to beat the Cavs in the playoffs this year, or next year, or the year after that with this roster.  LeBron is about to enter his prime years, and will be in the front of the pack every year until he hangs up his sneakers.  This means that the Pistons will be fighting for a conference title against a player who could redefine greatness in the NBA, the most complete package of physical prowess, competitive instinct, and basketball sense that we have seen since Jordan retired (in '98, not quite Jordan circa the Wizards).

Chauncey this year doesn't solve that, nor for that matter does Iverson, but the outlook for the next ten years is better. The Pistons have a good mix of young talent and role players who could develop into a championship caliber supporting cast.  What they need now is someone to lead the show.  The fact that Iverson's contract comes off the books this summer makes this an easier task.

Like I said before, this isn't a big revelation.  However, in light of what we know about the future of LeBron's NBA tenure, rebuilding the Pistons to compete for the next few years is much more important than saving face this year and perhaps losing another conference final.  If Detroit wants the same level of basketball success that it has enjoyed over the past 7 years it will have to deal with some hard times.

Coaches and GM's are often derided for the moves that they make, but the alternative--not making any moves--can be even more damaging.  Trading Chauncey, and essentially the season, for Iverson and financial flexibility may be a bitter pill to swallow now, but its going to take a lot of preparation to build a team that can compete with the LeBron juggernaut for the next few years.  Things may not work out in the long run, but at least the Pistons know that something needs to be done, and aren't afraid to do what is necessary.