Billups an important part of Knicks-Nuggets swap

History may regard the move as the “Carmelo Anthony trade.” By and large, that’s what you will see on television, hear on the radio, and read in print and online.

But there’s another player Knicks president Donnie Walsh was intent on acquiring in the blockbuster three-team deal.

“I think the one name I haven’t heard is Chauncey Billups enough,” said Walsh, who was sitting beside coach Mike D’Antoni at a press conference yesterday at the team’s training facility in Greenburgh.

Billups is the afterthought in the monstrous deal, but he clearly is the second-most accomplished player in the swap. The 34-year-old point guard, a five-time All-Star, will replace Raymond Felton, and Walsh, D’Antoni and Amar’e Stoudemire all have complete confidence that Billups can run the Knicks’ Broadway show.

We got more than just Carmelo,” Walsh said. “We got Chauncey Billups, who’s a terrific player.”

Giving up Billups didn’t come easily for the Nuggets, and team president Josh Kroenke

wants Billups to know it.

“I want to offer a personal apology to the Billups family,” Kroenke told the Associated Press. “[Chauncey] is Denver basketball. He was a high school star here. He as a college star here. He was a professional star here. It was an incredibley tough decision to include him in this trade.”

Billups is averaging 16.5 points on 43.8-percent shooting, along with 5.3 assists. Though he is entering the autumn of his career, he hardly has struggled. In fact, look at Billups’ monthly numbers: After averaging 15.7 points on 28 percent shooting in three October games and 14.3 points on 39 percent shooting in November, Billups averaged 18.9 ppg on 45 percent in December, 16 ppg on 46 percent in January and 17.1 ppg on 51 percent so far this month.

“I think the difference is, Chauncey is shooting 44 percent from 3 right now,” said Stoudemire, while also praising outgoing point guard Felton, who was shooting 33 percent from beyond the arc. Stoudemire also said Billups “also keeps the game under control.”

“Sometimes you get caught up in the moment and you’re just playing and you’re running up and down,” Stoudemire said, “but Chauncey will definitely relax guys and get them in their right positions and run the offense.”

D’Antoni coached Billups as an assistant with the Nuggets in 1998-99 and this past summer for the world championships. The coach insisted that a point guard for his offense doesn’t have to be a speed demon, and he said he trusts Billups to run things in a rhythm.

“And Chauncey’s one of those point guards, he’ll establish his rhythm. He will play the way Chauncey wants to play. And that’s what I think great point guards do,” D’Antoni said. “Chauncey will orchestrate. And that’s what makes you a good point guard. And whatever speed that he is comfortable at, we’ll be comfortable.”

mark.hale@nypost.com

Marv wrote:

Very Mark Jackson like.

BlueSeats wrote:

NYKBocker wrote:The big question is can he run the PnR.

This is every bit as important

“Sometimes you get caught up in the moment and you’re just playing and you’re running up and down,” Stoudemire said, “but Chauncey will definitely relax guys and get them in their right positions and run the offense.”

Light jab at Felton?

NYKBocker wrote:

BlueSeats wrote:

NYKBocker wrote:The big question is can he run the PnR.

This is every bit as important

“Sometimes you get caught up in the moment and you’re just playing and you’re running up and down,” Stoudemire said, “but Chauncey will definitely relax guys and get them in their right positions and run the offense.”

Light jab at Felton?

Definitely. Felton started looking more and more like a rich man's Toney Douglas.