PISTONS OFF-SEASON
Report: Denver rejects Anthony-to-Detroit deal
By KRISTA JAHNKE • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • June 21, 2008
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The Pistons are in ongoing trade discussions with the Denver Nuggets with two All-Stars as the potential centerpieces, a team source told the Free Press on Saturday.
The Nuggets want to bring point guard Chauncey Billups back to his hometown. And the Pistons want to make good on their botched 2003 draft and bring high-scoring forward Carmelo Anthony to Detroit, the person confirmed.
But while talks are ongoing, at this point, the Nuggets are reluctant to include Anthony in any proposal. The team source said the sides are “not even close” right now. It’s unclear what it might take to pry him away.
ESPN.com reported, without citing a source, that the Pistons recently offered Billups and Tayshaun Prince for Anthony, but the Nuggets weren’t interested. Denver countered with an offer of Allen Iverson or a package with Marcus Camby, but the Pistons are only interested in Anthony.
President Joe Dumars said at his season-ending news conference that he wanted to bust up his core this summer and that he was open to moving any player besides point guard Rodney Stuckey.
“There are no sacred cows here,” Dumars said. “You lose that sacred-cow status when you lose three straight years.”
Dumars also reportedly said he is not interested in other teams’ second- or third-best players, a category Iverson and Camby would fall into.
ESPN.com reported that Anthony is meeting with the Nuggets’ front office Monday to ensure that the team is not looking to trade him. He has said he wants to stay in Denver, where he has become a legitimate superstar.
The Pistons turned down the chance to draft Anthony in 2003, opting for big man Darko Milicic, who struggled and was traded.
Anthony, a two-time All-Star, averaged 25.7 points — fourth highest in the NBA — this past season. He has three more guaranteed years remaining on his contract, worth $47.3 million. He also has a player’s option for $18.5 million for the 2011-12 season.
Billups signed a $60.5-million, four-year deal with a team-option fifth year last summer. He is a Denver native and played two years at the University of Colorado. He is still heavily involved in the Denver community through charitable programs.
Dumars said in early June that he did not expect a trade before draft night Thursday.