Break Bank and pay Billips...

[alexamenos]

Originally Posted by Silk Smoov

I am still waiting for the exact rules that state that the Mavs cant sign Billups from free agency. You can play dumb all you want, but all you are doing is playing with words. Come on mister attorney person, interpret the rules for me, since I am the so-called dumb one on this issue. I know you wont respond with the answer because you are too busy trying to find someone who can answer it for you. I sure as hell cant read the NBA trade/free agent rules to know the loop holes and whatnots on how everything works, but you are saying you can................

Silk,

If I may be so presumptious as to propose your next response to Mary:

Mary -- Thank you for clarifying the rules which state that the Mavs can't sign Billups from free agency. Clearly I was wrong and you were right.

That would be a very respectable response on your part.

Cheers

[alexamenos]

Originally Posted by Silk Smoov

Dont confuse MLE exception with what I am saying. The only person that keeps bringing up MLE is Mary. Read through my posts, and you will see that I think Cuban is going to break the bank and go for Billups. As you know, that is the word on the street here in the Dallas area. I also stated that after next season, we lose alot of salary, so this does NOT place us under the salary cap, but that does place us under the luxury tax.

Seems that Mary does NOT understand how it all works, as she so claims. The 2006-07luxury tax threshold is $65.42 million, up $3.7 million from the $61.7 million threshold last season. Seems that maybe Mary is NOT as smart as you put on. So starting the 2008-09 season we COULD be under the salary and luxury tax threshold, so why not sign Billups?

Seriously dude, straight up....take this to heart--

Mary understands how it works, you don't.

See this FAQ, especially #19 which examines the exceptions where teams can sign players despite the fact that they are over the salary cap.

[Silk Smoov]

Originally Posted by alexamenos

Seriously dude, straight up....take this to heart--

Mary understands how it works, you don't.

See this FAQ, especially #19 which examines the exceptions where teams can sign players despite the fact that they are over the salary cap.

From what I understand, that is before they start to pay the luxury tax. If this was the case, then how do teams get to http://www.hoopshype.com/salaries/new_york.htm

[mary]

Originally Posted by Silk Smoov

From what I understand, that is before they start to pay the luxury tax. If this was the case, then how do teams get to http://www.hoopshype.com/salaries/new_york.htm

Teams use "Bird Rights" to extend the contracts of their existing players.

The extending of these contracts, and the trading of these contracts, leads to teams having payrolls that are greater than the salary cap.

[Dtownsfinest]

Roger that. Billups makes that whole team function, why would they let him go anywhere? Why would he WANT to go anywhere?

If I were a good player like that sitting pretty in the cushy east, I'd take a pay cut to stay there and have a chance to go to the Finals every year.

Exactly. The path to the Finals is a lot easier playing in the East. May be people think because the Pistons didn't break the bank for Big Ben that they'll do the same for Billups? And its not like Silk Smoove is the only guy. There are a lot of people in Dallas who keep bringing up Billups including radio personality's and i'm just not seeing any logical way of him getting here.

[Silk Smoov]

Originally Posted by Dtownsfinest

Exactly. The path to the Finals is a lot easier playing in the East. May be people think because the Pistons didn't break the bank for Big Ben that they'll do the same for Billups? And its not like Silk Smoove is the only guy. There are a lot of people in Dallas who keep bringing up Billups including radio personality's and i'm just not seeing any logical way of him getting here.

Yes,you got it..It is alot of buzz here about him coming here. There is alot of speculation here that Cuban has something up his sleeve, and Billups is the main name coming out.

[Silk Smoov]

Originally Posted by Dtownsfinest

Exactly. The path to the Finals is a lot easier playing in the East. May be people think because the Pistons didn't break the bank for Big Ben that they'll do the same for Billups? And its not like Silk Smoove is the only guy. There are a lot of people in Dallas who keep bringing up Billups including radio personality's and i'm just not seeing any logical way of him getting here.

Here you go. Here above Dtownsfinest has heard the same thing around here. I dont know of any published links, but it has been floating around pretty constantly here.

[MavsX]

haha, this thread is awesome, everybody just came in and slammed silk smooth.

haha

[fsadallas]

Billups would be a good guard, but I rather go with Deron Williams.. He is from TX and he is young.

And as for Magette or whatever his last name is spelled like, he is a good player but major attitude problems. I rather get Matt Barnes than him.

[bernardos70]

Originally Posted by fsadallas

Billups would be a good guard, but I rather go with Deron Williams.. He is from TX and he is young.

And as for Magette or whatever his last name is spelled like, he is a good player but major attitude problems. I rather get Matt Barnes than him.

Yeah, and I wanna f*ck Angelina Jolie. The only difference is that I might have a shot.

[Dtownsfinest]

You think Jazz will give up Deron Williams? This is why I visit the Trade section of this site sparingly because half of the time people don't consider the other team involved in the deal. Deron Williams is going no where.

[bobatundi]

Originally Posted by Dtownsfinest

You think Jazz will give up Deron Williams? This is why I visit the Trade section of this site sparingly because half of the time people don't consider the other team involved in the deal. Deron Williams is going no where.

This implies that half the time people DO consider the other team involved in the deal.

I'd say the Trade section here is more like 90%/10% in favor of people who think Donnie Nelson has the ability to hit the trade override button a la NBA 2K7 and force any team to trade us their best talent for our scraps. Maybe 1 out of 10 proposed trades over there make any sense at all.

[Male30Dan]

Instant classic!

[jthig32]

This is another example of why we need a new section that is completely locked, for reading only, where threads like this can be moved. The HOF, if you will.

I think that was Flac's idea, was it not?

[u2sarajevo]

Originally Posted by jthig32

This is another example of why we need a new section that is completely locked, for reading only, where threads like this can be moved. The HOF, if you will.

I think that was Flac's idea, was it not?

It's been kicked around for years. I started moving the old beeeeef threads and such to the lounge a year ago so I could bump them and laugh. But a classic thread section would be ideal.

[Dtownsfinest]

I'd say the Trade section here is more like 90%/10% in favor of people who think Donnie Nelson has the ability to hit the trade override button a la NBA 2K7 and force any team to trade us their best talent for our scraps. Maybe 1 out of 10 proposed trades over there make any sense at all.

You're right lol. I was definately being generous with that 50% comment.

[u2sarajevo]

If Billups comes here we are losing core pieces.

But if it were to happen? I'd wear that tutu happily.

edit: As long as one of the outgoing wasn't from Germany.

[Silk Smoov]

Originally Posted by u2sarajevo

If Billups comes here we are losing core pieces.

But if it were to happen? I'd wear that tutu happily.

edit: As long as one of the outgoing wasn't from Germany.

The reason I think that we may NOT lose core pieces is because Billups can opt-out his last year, and sign with whom he wants. There is alot of buzz here in Dallas on this issue. That is the main reason I brought it to surface here, but I see that a couple of childish people want to try to throw me under the bus, when indeed this is very much talked about here..

[dalmations202]

Originally Posted by Silk Smoov

The reason I think that we may NOT lose core pieces is because Billups can opt-out his last year, and sign with whom he wants. There is alot of buzz here in Dallas on this issue. That is the main reason I brought it to surface here, but I see that a couple of childish people want to try to throw me under the bus, when indeed this is very much talked about here..

How do you propose we get Billups?

If he opts out, he is a FA. If he is a FA, then we are over the salary cap and can only sign him to the MLE because we are over the cap, or do a SNT with Detroit for him.

If we do an SNT with Detroit, then we lose player(s).

Money isn't the issue.

How else do you propose he gets a contract to come here and play?

<edit>
Mary, my apologies, but I am too slow at typing.

[mary]

Question for you, if you indeed an expert in this area. This is a serious question, just want a straight up answer.

I never said I was an expert...just that I knew the basics.

I knew enough not to start this stupid thread.

I've answered your question about spending exceptions.

Now its your turn.

How is Cuban going to get Billups without trading for him?

You've been asked this AT LEAST three times in this thread.

Please refrain from using the phrase "break the bank" in your answer.

Thanks.

[Silk Smoov]

Originally Posted by mary

I never said I was an expert...just that I knew the basics.

I knew enough not to start this stupid thread.

I've answered your question about spending exceptions.

Now its your turn.

Mary,
I am NOT an expert as well, but from what I understand the Bird Exception rule has some clauses/loopholes for players like Billups in free agency.

Larry exception
Perhaps the most well-known of the NBA's salary cap exceptions, it is so named because the Boston Celtics were the first team permitted to exceed the salary cap to re-sign one of their own players (in that case, Larry Bird). Free agents who qualify for this exception are called "qualifying veteran free agents" or "Bird Free Agents" in the CBA, and this exception falls under the auspices of the Veteran Free Agent exception. In a nutshell, the Larry Bird exception allows teams to exceed the salary cap to re-sign their own free agents, at an amount up to the maximum salary. To qualify as a Bird free agent, a player must have played three seasons without being waived or changing teams as a free agent. This means a player can obtain "Bird rights" by playing under three one-year contracts, a single contract of at least three years, or any combination thereof. It also means that when a player is traded, his Bird rights are traded with him, and his new team can use the Bird exception to re-sign him. Bird-exception contracts can be up to six years in length.

The part I highlighted is where I am thinking where the Mavs could get Billups. I am not for sure, but since all the rumors are going around here, I was just trying to figure out if that is rule above is something that could happen. For the record, I am NOT creditxpert. I am just asking questions, and trying to figure out how Billups can come here.

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by Silk Smoov

Mary,
I am NOT an expert as well, but from what I understand the Bird Exception rule has some clauses/loopholes for players like Billups in free agency.

Larry exception
Perhaps the most well-known of the NBA's salary cap exceptions, it is so named because the Boston Celtics were the first team permitted to exceed the salary cap to re-sign one of their own players (in that case, Larry Bird). Free agents who qualify for this exception are called "qualifying veteran free agents" or "Bird Free Agents" in the CBA, and this exception falls under the auspices of the Veteran Free Agent exception. In a nutshell, the Larry Bird exception allows teams to exceed the salary cap to re-sign their own free agents, at an amount up to the maximum salary. To qualify as a Bird free agent, a player must have played three seasons without being waived or changing teams as a free agent. This means a player can obtain "Bird rights" by playing under three one-year contracts, a single contract of at least three years, or any combination thereof. It also means that when a player is traded, his Bird rights are traded with him, and his new team can use the Bird exception to re-sign him. Bird-exception contracts can be up to six years in length.

The part I highlighted is where I am thinking where the Mavs could get Billups. I am not for sure, but since all the rumors are going around here, I was just trying to figure out if that is rule above is something that could happen. For the record, I am NOT creditxpert. I am just asking questions, and trying to figure out how Billups can come here.

Yes, the Bird exception is transfered when the player is traded. But in that case we would have to send equal salary back, hence the word TRADE.

There is no way, at all, that the Mavs can sign Billups for anything other than the MLE, the LLE, or the veteran's minimum. There are possible trade avenues, perhaps, but those are just that, trades.

Now, you need to apologize to Mary, because she, and all of us, are right, and you are wrong. You don't/didn't know the rules, and you just need to admit it.

It is truly confounding that someone could be so into basketball that he posts frequently on a board like this, and yet has never read a single article related to free agency, and is so out of touch with the NBA as a whole that he thinks Cuban hasn't been signing free agents simply because he hasn't yet wanted to "break the bank". It's just astounding.

[Silk Smoov]

Originally Posted by jthig32

Yes, the Bird exception is transfered when the player is traded. But in that case we would have to send equal salary back, hence the word TRADE.

There is no way, at all, that the Mavs can sign Billups for anything other than the MLE, the LLE, or the veteran's minimum. There are possible trade avenues, perhaps, but those are just that, trades.

Now, you need to apologize to Mary, because she, and all of us, are right, and you are wrong. You don't/didn't know the rules, and you just need to admit it.

It is truly confounding that someone could be so into basketball that he posts frequently on a board like this, and yet has never read a single article related to free agency, and is so out of touch with the NBA as a whole that he thinks Cuban hasn't been signing free agents simply because he hasn't yet wanted to "break the bank". It's just astounding.

I dont owe you or anyone else anything. I dont know where you get off that someone NEEDS to give someone an apology. In that case, you need to apologize to me, because Billups is indeed a free agent after this season. And it has been told that the Mavs are indeed trying to get Billups in free agency. Now, how they get him is NOT my business or yours. If they do indeed get him in some sort of free agency or trade, they Mavs indeed will have to break the bank. Which is all my thread was about. Now, you and a couple of others turned it into something else.

[Silk Smoov]

Originally Posted by jthig32

Yes, the Bird exception is transfered when the player is traded. But in that case we would have to send equal salary back, hence the word TRADE.

There is no way, at all, that the Mavs can sign Billups for anything other than the MLE, the LLE, or the veteran's minimum. There are possible trade avenues, perhaps, but those are just that, trades.

Now, you need to apologize to Mary, because she, and all of us, are right, and you are wrong. You don't/didn't know the rules, and you just need to admit it.

It is truly confounding that someone could be so into basketball that he posts frequently on a board like this, and yet has never read a single article related to free agency, and is so out of touch with the NBA as a whole that he thinks Cuban hasn't been signing free agents simply because he hasn't yet wanted to "break the bank". It's just astounding.

What rules are you talking about. Go back and read all my posts from this thread and tell me which one you are talking about. You need to read ONLY my posts. If you read the others, they were twisting words and adding stuff that I never mentioned. I challenge you to go back to see what I said.

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by Silk Smoov

What rules are you talking about. Go back and read all my posts from this thread and tell me which one you are talking about. You need to read ONLY my posts. If you read the others, they were twisting words and adding stuff that I never mentioned. I challenge you to go back to see what I said.

Challenge accepted

I understand the cap, but what I am saying is that I feel that Cuban is going to break the bank this year at all costs.

Salary info: http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm

I know the cap information above , but the word here is that Cuban is going to break the bank, and Billups is the main name being tossed around. It seems that you are indeed just high, because at no time have you heard that I said he will sign for the MLE. I said Cuban will break the bank.

In this post, you claim to understand the RULES of the salary cap. And yet you claim that Cuban is going to "break the bank" as if the cap is not really an obstable, and he can get around it if he wants to.

You admitted that Billups could not be aquired for the MLE, so you are in fact claiming that the Mavs would be allowed to spend more than the MLE in free agency.

Seems that Mary does NOT understand how it all works, as she so claims. The 2006-07luxury tax threshold is $65.42 million, up $3.7 million from the $61.7 million threshold last season. Seems that maybe Mary is NOT as smart as you put on. So starting the 2008-09 season we COULD be under the salary and luxury tax threshold, so why not sign Billups?

Here you claim that Mary does NOT understand the RULES of the salary cap, but apparantly you do. You quote some luxury tax numbers, apparantly beleiving that they have a bearing on our ability to sign players. You ask "why not sign Billups". Why?? Because based on your own statements before, WE CAN'T! You already stated he would not sign for the MLE. Based on the rules of the cap, that is all we can offer. So by your own logic, we are unable to sign Billups.

From what I understand, that is before they start to pay the luxury tax. If this was the case, then how do teams get to http://www.hoopshype.com/salaries/new_york.htm

Here is the money quote. Here you admit that you have no friggin' clue how the salary cap works. The luxury tax is NOT the spending limit of the NBA. The salary cap is. Teams get over the salary cap by using the Larry Bird rights on their own existing free agents, and by using the Exceptions given by the NBA, which you already stated Billups would not sign for. When you complete a trade, if you are over the cap, you must trade essentially equal salary, within a certaion threshold.

You are right about one thing on Billups. He is very likely to opt out of his contract this season, and be a free agent. He can most certainly sign with whomever he wants. But as you already agreed to, it is EXCEEDINGLY unlikely that the top free agent on the market would sign with a team for the MLE. Because the Dallas Mavericks are over the NBA's salary cap, they can only offer the MLE. We've already decided he will not sign for that, so if the Mavs' want to pursue Billups, they will have to convince Billups AND the Detroit Pistons to complete a sign and trade, where they send the Piston salary roughly equal to the contract Billups signs.

So when someone says "the only way the Mavs can get Billups is if they trade for him", they are NOT incorrect.

So, as you can see from your quotes, you claimed more than once to know the rules of the salary cap. You claimed that Mary did not.

You are flat out wrong, and it would behoove you to just admit that you didn't know what you were talking about.

[Flip41]

Billups would have to come here in a trade, just as everyone has said.

Well considering that all of the teams still in the playoffs have quality point guards, there is no way Dumars will trade Billups to the Mavs. Billups is not as replaceable as Big Ben.

[Silk Smoov]

Originally Posted by Flip41

Billups would have to come here in a trade, just as everyone has said.

Well considering that all of the teams still in the playoffs have quality point guards, there is no way Dumars will trade Billups to the Mavs. Billups is not as replaceable as Big Ben.

Dumars have "NO" say so in what Billups decide to do. Just like I keep saying. Billups can OPT out and do whatever he wants.

[mary]

Originally Posted by CreditXpert2003

Dumars have "NO" say so in what Billups decide to do. Just like I keep saying. Billups can OPT out and do whatever he wants.

Dumars DOES have a say in ANY sign and trade that involves Billiups. Detroit ownership/management would have to approve of any trade involving Billups...PERIOD.

Chauncey Billups can not be signed as a free agent unless a) he accepts the MLE or b) the Pistons agree to a sign and trade.

As jthig, dalms, and countless others have pointed out, this is not a debatable issue.

[Silk Smoov]

Originally Posted by mary

Dumars DOES have a say in ANY sign and trade that involves Billiups. Detroit ownership/management would have to approve of any trade involving Billups...PERIOD.

Chauncey Billups can not be signed as a free agent unless a) he accepts the MLE or b) the Pistons agree to a sign and trade.

As jthig, dalms, and countless others have pointed out, this is not a debatable issue.

Once again you twist my words. I replied to that guy that said that Dumas has a say. My response is that Dumars DONT, because Billups can opt out and go anywhere he pleases. So my statement stands. You can flip it all you want, but my statement is clear. Billups decides what HE wants to do. Now, if Billups DECIDE to be a part of a trade, then Billups still decides what he will do, because he can always just go to free agency by his decision.

[mary]

Originally Posted by CreditXpert2003

Once again you twist my words. I replied to that guy that said that Dumas has a say. My response is that Dumars DONT, because Billups can opt out and go anywhere he pleases. So my statement stands. You can flip it all you want, but my statement is clear. Billups decides what HE wants to do. Now, if Billups DECIDE to be a part of a trade, then Billups still decides what he will do, because he can always just go to free agency by his decision.

If Chauncey Billups opted out of his contract this offseason, and Mark Cuban wanted to pay Billups 10 million per year to play for the Mavs (or anything over the MLE), Billups would have to get the Pistons to accommodate him with a sign and trade in order to make that happen.

Dumars could say NO, and there wouldn't be anything Billups, Cuban or YOU could do about it.

As it relates to ANY possibility of Billups ending up in a Mavs uniform, Dumars would HAVE to go along with it.

But sure, if Billups wanted to opt out and either sign for the MLE, or for team that actually HAD cap room, that would be his decision.

Not that it has any relevance to this thread, so I'm not even sure why you brought it up.

Billups will not accept the MLE, and the Mavs do not have any cap space.


What other completely irrelevant point would you like to discuss today?

[bobatundi]

I think the Mavs should just Break the Bank and sign Silk Smoov to be their GM.

[Flip41]

Detroit will not make the mistake that the Mavs did in not paying the PG.

[bobatundi]

The sky is not blue. Discuss.

[nashtymavsfan13]

Wow, he just doesn't get it. I'm a high schooler, and even I get this stuff. Any basketball fan should be able to udnerstand it, it's very basic stuff.

If Billups becomes a free agent the only way we can get him is the MLE, LLE, or Vet's minimum because we are over the cap. We could sign him for that, but he won't take that little it's common sense. So using common sense, we can determine that we CAN'T sign Billups. The only real way we could get himis through a sign and trade, in which we'd have to give up players so that the salaries match, which I seriously doubt we do. We are NOT going to get Billups, get it through your head.

[Silk Smoov]

Originally Posted by nashtymavsfan13

Wow, he just doesn't get it. I'm a high schooler, and even I get this stuff. Any basketball fan should be able to udnerstand it, it's very basic stuff.

If Billups becomes a free agent the only way we can get him is the MLE, LLE, or Vet's minimum because we are over the cap. We could sign him for that, but he won't take that little it's common sense. So using common sense, we can determine that we CAN'T sign Billups. The only real way we could get himis through a sign and trade, in which we'd have to give up players so that the salaries match, which I seriously doubt we do. We are NOT going to get Billups, get it through your head.

You still dont get it, because you just proved my point that we COULD get Billups w/o trading for him. That is my whole point. There are two options. Trade or sign him from free agency. There is no such thing as only real way to get him like you suggested above. The Mavs can sign him or trade for him. So, that makes any point that you made or others that we can ONLY trade for him NOT correct. Now, I dont know what Billups wants to do or I dont even know what situation his family is in, but I have seen stranger things when it comes to wanting to get out of town for a reason. How bout, would Billups sign a 1-year deal with the Mavs, and get back on the market next season? I think this is a possible situation as well. Could Cuban have something up his sleeve that he can land Billups? I dont know, but I do know it is being talked about seriously here.

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by Silk Smoov

You still dont get it, because you just proved my point that we COULD get Billups w/o trading for him. That is my whole point. There are two options. Trade or sign him from free agency. There is no such thing as only real way to get him like you suggested above. The Mavs can sign him or trade for him. So, that makes any point that you made or others that we can ONLY trade for him NOT correct. Now, I dont know what Billups wants to do or I dont even know what situation his family is in, but I have seen stranger things when it comes to wanting to get out of town for a reason. How bout, would Billups sign a 1-year deal with the Mavs, and get back on the market next season? I think this is a possible situation as well. Could Cuban have something up his sleeve that he can land Billups? I dont know, but I do know it is being talked about seriously here.

No, YOU still don't get it. You're trying to refocus the discussion. You started this now-famous thread stating that Cuban would "break the bank" and really go for it by signing Billups.

Somehow I doubt by "break the bank" you really meant "get Chauncey to sign the biggest bargain in the NBA in 10 years".

Possible, but unlikely, that you meant that.

[Silk Smoov]

Originally Posted by jthig32

No, YOU still don't get it. You're trying to refocus the discussion. You started this now-famous thread stating that Cuban would "break the bank" and really go for it by signing Billups.

Somehow I doubt by "break the bank" you really meant "get Chauncey to sign the biggest bargain in the NBA in 10 years".

Possible, but unlikely, that you meant that.

I am saying Cuban should go on a spending slurge and do whatever it takes to land us a player or two, and dont worry about paying the luxury taxes. Getting a 31 year Billups MAY be easier than we think? We never know!!!! Well maybe I should have said "Break the bank open"? Would that sound alot better?

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by Silk Smoov

I am saying Cuban should go on a spending slurge and do whatever it takes to land us a player or two, and dont worry about paying the luxury taxes. Getting a 31 year Billups MAY be easier than we think? We never know!!!! Well maybe I should have said "Break the bank open"? Would that sound alot better?

HE CAN'T BREAK THE BANK. HE CAN PAY THE MID LEVEL EXCEPTION. THAT IS HIS BIGGEST SALARY SLOT THAT HE CAN GIVE IN FREE AGENCY. HOW IS THIS HARD TO UNDERSTAND?????????????

[nashtymavsfan13]

Originally Posted by Silk Smoov

You still dont get it, because you just proved my point that we COULD get Billups w/o trading for him. That is my whole point. There are two options. Trade or sign him from free agency. There is no such thing as only real way to get him like you suggested above. The Mavs can sign him or trade for him. So, that makes any point that you made or others that we can ONLY trade for him NOT correct. Now, I dont know what Billups wants to do or I dont even know what situation his family is in, but I have seen stranger things when it comes to wanting to get out of town for a reason. How bout, would Billups sign a 1-year deal with the Mavs, and get back on the market next season? I think this is a possible situation as well. Could Cuban have something up his sleeve that he can land Billups? I dont know, but I do know it is being talked about seriously here.

The ONLY way we can get Billups without doing a sign and trade would be to sign him with our MLE or LLE. That's the only spending money we have this offseason. There is NO WAY IN HELL Billups only signs for the MLE in LLE. So there is NO WAY we can get Billups without doing a sign and trade. How hard is that to understand?!?!

[DelNegro]

Originally Posted by Silk Smoov

You still dont get it, because you just proved my point that we COULD get Billups w/o trading for him. That is my whole point. There are two options. Trade or sign him from free agency. There is no such thing as only real way to get him like you suggested above. The Mavs can sign him or trade for him. So, that makes any point that you made or others that we can ONLY trade for him NOT correct. Now, I dont know what Billups wants to do or I dont even know what situation his family is in, but I have seen stranger things when it comes to wanting to get out of town for a reason. How bout, would Billups sign a 1-year deal with the Mavs, and get back on the market next season? I think this is a possible situation as well. Could Cuban have something up his sleeve that he can land Billups? I dont know, but I do know it is being talked about seriously here.

To sign him assumes he would be willing to give up tens of millions of dollars. This is highly unlikely since by NBA standards he's been underpaid for quite some time now and this offseason represents the best chance he'll ever have to cash in during his entire career.

To trade for him assumes the Pistons are going to be interested in whatever you think the mavs should give up for him. Terry would be the obvious choice on the mavs end, but would the Pistons want him and the bloated contract Cuban gave him last year? The Pistons are going to be flirting with luxury tax land and while you definitely pay lux tax to keep Chauncey Billups around, do you really want to risk paying luxury tax over Jason Terry? Pistons don't need or want Dampier, Howard's BYC so he's hard to trade, Harris doesn't make enough to match salaries. What else is there? Sometimes getting nothing isn't the worst case scenario in a transaction so the Pistons aren't going to take garbage and a bunch of salary cap dead weight just to say they didn't let Billups get away for nothing. They'd just let him walk and go get another PG in free agency.

Basically, Billups is a pipe dream. He likes Detroit, Detroit likes him, and Detroit can pay him. He's going to sign a big money deal to stay there.