Would Ty be capable of starting next season?

[dookieguy]

Let's say hypothetically this team goes for change and Billups is traded away. Do you think Ty can do a good job as a starter on a championship-contending team?

[JRMelo15]

If Billups gets traded next year, he will retire. I think the rookie year for Ty was going great until that fatass Bynum fell on his shoulder. After that, it seems like he hit a rookie wall. I think he'll need to come off the bench for 1 more year until he's ready to start.

[Nutty Nats Fan]

If Billups gets traded next year, he will retire. I think the rookie year for Ty was going great until that fatass Bynum fell on his shoulder. After that, it seems like he hit a rookie wall. I think he'll need to come off the bench for 1 more year until he's ready to start.

Uhh.. rookie wall? He didn't hit any rookie wall. He and the team got f'ed over by AD not wanting to play him.

[pickaxe]

It's not over til it's over.

Wow. Chauncey only 0 assists.

I don't WANT to be hard on him, but Zero assists is UNACCEPTABLE for a guy that came in to rescue this team via the unmanned pg position.

I know he likes to say he'll do whatever it takes to win but at some point the low assists are a liability. He not teaching or encouraging anyone to share either.

[J Smitty]

He's definitely capable, but Chauncey isn't going anywhere, so it's a moot point. I would like to see him start to play more minutes though, to the point where it's about a 50/50 split between them. Chauncey definitely needs to rest during the season, and easing Ty into starter's minutes can only help him.

[SnakefromHell]

I think next season would/ could be Chauncey's last as a starter, if he stays in Denver. Next season would be a season for "grooming" Ty to be a full-time starter soon.

He would get sixth man minutes (I believe J.R. would be gone next season), like in the 24-27 minutes, thus keeping Big Shot's legs fresher throughout the season. I believe Billups also has one more season left in him as a full-time starter, then he can probably come off the bench ala Gary Payton on the Heat.

[CanNugget]

I hope to God he gets minutes in the playoffs. I have a horrible feeling that coach of the year AD is going to go for "experience" instead of skill. I hope AC falls on Malik Allen's face and they're both out.

[stunnar0b]

Let's say hypothetically this team goes for change and Billups is traded away. Do you think Ty can do a good job as a starter on a championship-contending team?

your giving up hope already

[dookieguy]

At best, Billups has one more starter year IMO before he's on steady decline. Depending on what happens in the playoffs, it's not totally outta the realm of possibility..

[Nutty Nats Fan]

It's not over til it's over.

Wow. Chauncey only 0 assists.

I don't WANT to be hard on him, but Zero assists is UNACCEPTABLE for a guy that came in to rescue this team via the unmanned pg position.

I know he likes to say he'll do whatever it takes to win but at some point the low assists are a liability. He not teaching or encouraging anyone to share either.

Exactly. When Billups was trying to take over games and hitting shots, cool. But seems like for a long time now he has been just chucking up bad shots, been cold, but continued to shoot instead of really getting others involved.

In March he took 5.5 threes a game and hit 27% of them! That's worse than JR. April he shot even more threes, 6.4 and hit only 31%. Only 4.6 assists both months too. Really awful numbers. He could just be tired out, but he is supposed to be a really smart player so should adjust his game to play better.

For the above reasons, looking tired out/awful play and dumb play, that I'm really learning towards just trading Billups if the Nuggets can get some good value in return. But it depends on how the playoffs go, if Billups and the team flame out, I say trade Billups (if good value can be had). I don't think splitting time with him and Ty is an option, this coaching staff has never shown any ability to do something like that.

[pickIBL]

To answer the question of the thread. Yes, a healthy Ty should be capable of starting next season.

Now if Billups should be traded all depends on the success of the team. If the playoffs don't go well I think listening to deals for anyone but Melo is something to think about. If the team does really well the question then becomes what puts you over the top?

But the question remains if there is enough talent around Melo to get it done with this current core.

I personally like what I've seen from Bill Walker. If you are going to trade Billups I think you've got to do right by him. Eddie Curry (exp), Bill Walker, and (2) 2nd round 2010 draft picks works under the cap. Especially if those picks could be turned into Craig Brackins and Sylven Landesberg it is worth discussing. This way you get young talent and you dump salary. I was always confident in Walker's athletic ability. But his shooting has caught me by surprise.

Once you move Billups I think the dominos start to fall though. With Billups gone I'd start shopping JR Smith. The Heat would take him for James Jones, Daequan Cook, and one of their first rounders. It sets the Heat up well both financially and in case Wade bolts. I'd turn that DP into Elliot Williams.

I also think Jordan would be interested in Kenyon Martin (especially as a one year rental). S&T Ty Thomas, Nazr Mohammed (expiring), and throw in Ajinca.

This would make the Nuggets younger and change the culture.

Nene/ Andersen/ Earl Barron (free agent)
Thomas/ Brackins/ Ajinca
Melo/ J. Jones/ Balkman
Walker/ Afflalo/ Cook/
Lawson/ E. Williams/ Carter... no make that Curtis Stinson (free agent)

Curry (waived), Landesberg (Summer League then overseas)

A long thought out process that I hope isn't needed because Denver wins. But IF you trade Billups you might as well keep on going and get younger.

[Nutty Nats Fan]

Don't like that Billups trade.

I would prefer doing JR/Kmart/Future 1st for Bosh. Then Nene for Wallace/Perkins if the Celtics bite. Wallace hasn't been good this year, Nene is much better offensively than Perkins. But I think Perkins could be better at least as an anchor in the middle (especially on defense) since he doesn't puss out.

(Billups)/Lawson
AA/
Perkins/Birdman/Petro
Melo/Balkman/
Bosh/Wallace

There are some holes to fill. Hope trading Billups could cover some. Moving Birdman for Kelenna Azubuike (if healthy) would cover backup SG/SF. Petro has looked like he could man the backup center spot, just give him consistent minutes to improve. Still got the MLE too.

[J Smitty]

Did someone really suggest trading Chauncey for three 2nd round picks? Really?

[pickIBL]

Did someone really suggest trading Chauncey for three 2nd round picks? Really?

If the Nuggets have a poor showing in the playoffs... then it is an option. I had to work under that assumption. Technically it is a salary dump plus Bill Walker and two 2nd rounders. So what if Bill Walker was drafted in the 2nd round? So was Mark Price, Manu Ginobili, Carlos Boozer, Toni Kukoc, etc. It's not where you get picked but how well you play. Bill Walker has been impressive with his first shot at consistent minutes. This summer Bill Walker will still have 2 years remaining on his deal. And he isn't making much.

My biggest concern about Walker was his jumpshot when he came out. He's shooting 50-116 or 43% for 3. If I hadn't seen it I wouldn't have believed it. He's gonna be good.... and he'd fit nicely with Denver.

In case you haven't watched any knick games (actually I can't really blame you if you haven't) in 27 games he's averaging 12 ppg, 3 rpg, 1.5 apg, 1.0 tpg, .9 spg, 52% fg, 43% 3p, 79% FT in 27.4 MPG.

[J Smitty]

Yeah and David Lee averaged 20/12/4...but nobody is claiming him to be the next Tim Duncan. I like Bill Walker, but he is a 6th man at best. And we're talking about Chauncey Billups here.

[pickIBL]

And we're talking about Chauncey Billups here.

I know... its a bad idea if the Nuggets do well in the semis (or better)... but if the Nuggets don't do well in the playoffs... hell I remember reading various message boards in the past where crazy fans wanted to move Melo. So the idea was predicated on the Nuggets not doing well in the playoffs Not something I like to think about much but the only way I see Ty Lawson moving into the starting lineup next season... which is the topic of this thread... would be the Nuggets not doing well this spring and moving Billups over the summer to keep up with the youth movement of other WC teams.

[el loco]

Ty is capable of starting, but is he capable of staying healthy for an entire season might be the better question. He didn't do it in college, and he didn't do it in his rookie year in the NBA.

[Nutty Nats Fan]

The way Ty got injured, I wouldn't call it being any signs of injury proneness.

[J Smitty]

Ty's last injury with the shoulder is still a huge mystery to me. I never saw it classified as more then a shoulder bruise. And if that's truly the case, how does somebody miss nearly a month with a bruise? Unless it was a legit strain or something of that sort, that seems a little weird to me. What was weirder was that there was really never any updates on it at any point, or at least that I know of.

Then again, we're talking about a dude who wears Stewie PJs.