NBA rumors: Detroit Pistons decline option on Chauncey Billups, Billups may retire
It looks like the extremely productive and excellent career of Detroit Pistons’ point guard Chauncey Billups may be coming to an end.
More from Detroit Pistons
- NBA rumors: Pistons determined to trade Killian Hayes
- The new NBA flopping rules explained
- NBA rumors: Nets clear cap space, perhaps posturing for Cam Johnson
- NBA Free Agency Live Deal Tracker: Grading every signing made worst to best
- NBA Free Agency 2023: 3 landing spots for Jerami Grant you never thought of
Billups signed with the Pistons before last season in hopes of ending his career in the place where he had the most successful run of his career in terms of team success.
Billups signed a two-year deal with an option for the second year. Billups played just 16.3 minutes per game in 19 games for the Pistons a year. He spent his prior two years with the Clippers but played in just 42 total games, meaning he has missed 185 games in the last three seasons.
Because of that, the Pistons have decided not to pick up his option.
According to Vincent Ellis of The Detroit Free Press, Billups “doesn’t want to leave like this,” but may be foreced to if he cannot find a team who wants to bring him in.
It's official: #Pistons announce they are declining $2.5 million option on Chauncey Billups. Gather he is going to explore continuing career
— VinceEllis (@AlabamaScribe56) June 30, 2014
Let's put it this way: Retirement talk would end if #Pistons had picked up option. He told Denver station he doesn't want to leave like this
— VinceEllis (@AlabamaScribe56) June 30, 2014
But he may have to leave like this.
— VinceEllis (@AlabamaScribe56) June 30, 2014
Billups, who was selected by the Boston Celtics with the third-overall pick in the first round of the 1997 NBA Draft, spent his first season there. In addition to the Celtics, Clippers and Pistons, he has also played for the Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic (although he didn’t actually appear in any games), Minnesota Timberwolves and New York Knicks.
In his career, he has averaged 15.2 points, 5.4 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game.