Billups likely to debut Friday with Nuggets

By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published November 4, 2008 at 6:55 p.m.

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Photo by Carlos Osorio © AP

Former Pistons guard Chauncey Billups most likely will not play in the Nuggets game Wednesday night, but will instead make his Nuggets debut Friday against Dallas.

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Chauncey Billups will wear No. 7 when he makes his debut Nov. 7.

That's the plan for the Denver native, acquired Monday from Detroit in the blockbuster deal in which the Nuggets gave up Allen Iverson, after Nuggets executive Rex Chapman said Tuesday it's unlikely Billups will play tonight at Golden State.

"He was in Charlotte, and he needed to go to Detroit," Chapman said. "He's got family and kids. There's a lot of other issues. He'll get here just as soon as he can."

The hope is Billups and center Cheikh Samb, also acquired in the deal, will make it to Denver to practice Thursday. Both are expected to be available against Dallas on Friday at the Pepsi Center, where Billups figures to get quite an ovation as he returns to play for the Nuggets for the first time in nine years.

As for forward Antonio McDyess, whom Denver reacquired in the deal, the Nuggets continue to haggle with his agent, Andy Miller, about a buyout.

"You prepare for all the negatives and, hopefully, you get some surprises," said Nuggets coach George Karl, who hasn't entirely given up hope Billups will make it to California.

Billups will don No. 7 for Denver. He wore No. 1 in Detroit, but J.R. Smith, who has that number for the Nuggets, said Billups didn't want it.

Smith had been planning to switch next season to No. 23 but now says he'll keep No. 1 because "it looks good on me."

Overall, Billups feels good about heading to Denver.

"He's excited, but there's a part of him that's going to miss Detroit," said Karl, who spoke with Billups on Monday and still is trying to reach Iverson. "He's going to have that happy depression of what a great six years it was for him there. But I think every day he'll be excited to see this new team."

Anthony Carter, who will start tonight at point guard before Billups takes over, doesn't figure the deal will result in a lengthy adjustment period because "Chauncey's pretty smart."

"It's going to be on the fly because we don't have a lot of practices," Karl said.

He said Billups' "biggest adjustment is probably going from a possession team to a fast-break team."

Paul Willis contributed to this report.

• November 5, 2008

  9:56 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Bob444 writes:

  Ok, so GK has his prized point guard that he so desperately wanted since Andre Miller left town. Chauncey had better produce, because Karl is running out of players to scapegoat. And George, if you don't start JR Smith from here on out, it is clear that your personal issues with him are clouding your already questionable judgment. There is no reason to start Dahnte Jones over Smith. Hey Warkentein, or whoever runs the Nuggets: Get Jeff Van Gundy in here. He would demand defense, and the revolving door of Nuggets players would stop, and we just might see some consistent team play.

• November 5, 2008

  11:03 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  ramAZ writes:

  Welcome back to Denver Chauncy.

  The Nuggets shouldn't even be negotiating with Andy Miller. They have no obligation to give the big baby McFlop what he wants.

  He doens't want to be in Denver? Retire chump.

  If the Nuggets want to save $$$... they sit on his contract, do NOT negotiate a buyout and then start docking his salary when he doesn't report.

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