Jun

25

Billups To Test Free Agent Market

Posted by Jeff Sack under Main 

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Detroit Pistons point guard Chauncey Billups announced on Monday that he was declining his player option on the final year of his contract and would become an unrestricted free agent. The move was expected by the Pistons who hope to retain the elite NBA quarterback. Billups was a NBA journeyman before coming to the Pistons, after being drafted by the Boston Celtics with the third pick overall in the 1997 draft only to find himself traded in February of that season to the Toronto Raptors. Billups would end up being traded, to Denver and then had stops in Orlando and Minnesota, before his career took hold in Detroit . Billups signed a six year pact with the Pistons in 2002, but the final year had an opt out clause which Billups exercised on Monday.

Billups is on record saying that he would love to come back to Motown if they can match the best offer. But the team that could really use him is the team that defeated the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals; the Cleveland Cavaliers. Detroit has peaked as Rasheed Wallace will in all probability not be back, the loss of Ben?Wallace?hurt them more than they care to admit. But the trading of former first round pick Carlos?Delfino, showed that the Pistons are willing to free up salary space in order to?retain Billups. Cleveland on the other hand has no salary cap space presently.?Cavaliers General Manager?Danny Ferry would certainly earn his salary if he could free up space either by trading current players to?other franchises or creating a sign and trade situation with Detroit. The Cavaliers who a decade ago had a series of elite point guards starting with Mark Price, have not had a legitimate elite NBA quarterback since Andre Miller was traded to the Clippers for Darius Miles. With the acquisition of Billups Cleveland would unequivocally become the premier team in the East, and a far more worthy opponent for let’s say the San Antonio Spurs.

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