Iverson traded to Pistons

(UPI) -- High-scoring Denver guard Allen Iverson will go to the Detroit Pistons in a trade for three players, the two teams announced Monday.

In exchange for Iverson, Denver gets Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess and Cheikh Samb.

The 33-year-old Iverson is in his 13th season in the NBA. He has averaged 27.7 points and 6.3 assists per game in his career.

Iverson played 10 1/2 years for Philadelphia and has since been with the Nuggets.

"He's a fierce competitor, he's going to bring tremendous energy to our basketball team and he's a proven all-aStar in this league," Pistons Vice President Scott Perry said in a report on the team's Web site. "He'll add excitement not only to our basketball team, but to the community at large."

Iverson traded to Pistons....

Citing family reasons, Billups pulls out of consideration for Beijing

By Ric Bucher
ESPN The Magazine

Detroit Pistons point guard Chauncey Billups will not play for Team USA in this summer's Beijing Olympics because of personal family issues.

Billups contacted Team USA director Jerry Colangelo on Tuesday and notified him of his decision.

"It's a matter of what you want to do and what you need to do," said Billups, who declined to be more specific about the family matter prompting his withdrawal from the team. "Winning a gold medal is the one thing that I haven't accomplished, and I was looking forward to standing up on that big stage. That's what I really wanted. But I was taught family comes first, above anything else."

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