There’s some conflicting news out there regarding Chauncey Billups right now. From Chris McCosky in the Detroit News:
Free-agent guard Chauncey Billups agreed Tuesday in principle to a five-year, $60-million deal to remain with the Pistons.
Billups, who will be 31 next season, became a free agent Sunday. He will be the highest-paid Piston next season. There apparently were no other serious bidders for Billups.
But Justin Rogers from MLive’s Full-Court Press reports that A. Sherrod Blakely was not able to confirm the news:
Chauncey Billups has agreed to a 5-year, $60-million contract according to Chris McCosky, reporting on WDFN-AM, but MLive.com’s A. Sherrod Blakely just got off the phone with Billups’ agent, Andy Miller, and Miller says the deal is still far from done.
Interesting. Stay tuned.
Update: OK, McCosky is now backtracking a little — this update now appears on the Detroit News site:
The Pistons and Chauncey Billups have agreed in principal to a five-year contract.
The deal, though, which is believed to be worth $60 million, still has some wrinkles to be ironed out.
“I would not characterize it as being wrapped up,” said Andy Miller, Billups’ agent. “The discussions are ongoing. I wouldn’t say they were positive or negative. There are still a lot of hurdles that haven’t been addressed to our satisfaction or theirs.”
Update: Sigh. Andy Miller has strong words in the Detroit Free Press:
“This is a vicious rumor,” said Andy Miller, Billups’ agent. “It’s entirely untrue. We have not reached an agreement. I don’t know what stage we’re at. We’re having ongoing discussions, and I don’t believe that we’re on the verge of signing an agreement anytime today by any stretch of the imagination.”
Miller also said he wasn’t expecting the deal to be finalized Wednesday.
“I don’t know how long it’s going to take,” he said.
It’s kind of hard to get more from Andy Miller’s end if Orlando just offers the max to Rashard Lewis.
There’s no bidding war, so that’s pretty much that.
It’s just under Steve Nash’s per-year, and despite Steve’s shitty defense, he’s regarded as the top point guard in the league.
12-per is a hell of a bargain for a 4.5 star player at a most crucial position.
Good point on Miller. And $12 million is definitely a great price for Detroit.
12 mil. is good for the stones, but 5 years is a little tough. How old is cassel this year? 37? CB will be 36 at the end of this contract and on the hook for 14.5 at the end of it. If we’re pushing on the luxury tax this year, we’ll be tied up until sheed comes off the books in 08-09. I’m not sure how the team gets better in that period. Especially if we’re locking up Dice for another 2-3 years, too.
The early reports were that the 5th year was not guaranteed. Perhaps there’s a player or team option on that 5th year of the deal.
I hope Dice isnt given an extension. Because after next season, Detroit loses around 10 million dollars when him, Lindsey, Dupree and Murray expire and should be under the projected cap for the 08-09 season.
Dice, is getting up there in age and its time for Maxiel and Johnson to take reins. Bring over Samb next season and draft a C with the late first in the 08 draft.
Espn is reporting that the deal is a team option for the 5th year.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2925200
If that’s going to stick, I really like the deal for the pistons. It’s good for CB, too, but I’m happy we didn’t have to over pay for him, either. We may not even have to wait till next year for Lindsey and Flip to come off the book, if Dumars can make some moves. I’ve heard that Lindsey is agreeing to be a player/coach for next season, so i’m not sure how the cap/roster is affected by that. I’m not sold on Samb. Looks malnourished, and has only been playing for 4 years? We already had Mikki Moore. Should have gone big with 27 or 57. Not sure how 3 sg’s work into the long term….
This [may or may not] makes me very happy.
If the reported deal is true… I love it. I always like contracts with team options. As for lindesy I also heard player/coach. that I don’t like. We need his salary off of the books. Offer him a bunch of money to be a coach/consultant or whatever and keep yourself from the luxury tax. Samb will always look malnourished. If he plays well on the summer league he makes the team… we only have nazr at center currently. Lots of people have said that nazr starts and the remaining mins. go to other front court guys… that doesn’t make sense to me. Can you see us with only one true center playing Oneal and the heat? Also I am anxiously awaiting the long overdue jettison of flip murray. that will leave us with 2 1/2 sgs.
the AP backed up what WDFN (mckosky) initially reported– a team option for a fifth year at 12 mill per season.
Im gonna assume this info was “leaked” to gauge public reaction.
dear andy miller,
what, EXACTLY, would make this rumor “vicious”?
we are all wondering.
thanks in advance.
I was wondering the same as jackdutch. How is this a vicious rumor. A vicious rumor is saying Chauncey punched Dumars in the face when he offered him 800k for 17 years.
800k for 17 years? hell, I’d take that “deal” to play pro basketball.
that’s a hell of a lifetime contract for a 5′9 white guy who hasn’t played organized basketball since 1998.
Of course, I’d have to get a part time job in the off-season…maybe bag some groceries or something, like Kurt Warner used to do?
Should we be concerned?
nobody should be concerned. Billups will be back.
$12 million for 4-5 is exactly what he is worth, which is hardly any sort of insult. John Hollinger had an interesting story on which guards fair best after age 30. Billups fits the prototype. Here are some stats for PGs at age 34
Payton
20.4 PPG 8.3 APG 47% FG
Cassell
19.8 PPG 7.3 APG 49% FG
And, well… I thought Kidd was 34 last year, so that was going to really drive the point home. But I think there is plenty of precedent for Billups playing at this level for 4 or more seasons. He shoots well, passes well, and is bigger than his defenders. That’s a recipe for aging well.
Boney– screw bagging groceries, why don’t you pull a Ron-Ron and work at Circuit City? You’ll get sweet discounts.
And hell, I’d take $47,000 a year to warm the bench. “Hey Joe, I’m MUCH cheaper than Dupree. And I shoot 20% at the free throw strip. So ya got that going for you, which is nice. Want me to guard Lebron? I’ll throw a knee at his crotch faster than you can say ‘Witness’.”
Mike Payne: i was thinking the same thing, thats exactly what Ronald Dupree is doing right now…man, for 47 a year…i would go into the game in late seconds to give some intentional fouls…
Diablo– should I call Andy Miller or Arn Tatum, see if they can shop us around? I’ll make sure D. Whistle gets wheeled off NINE.