Pistons close in on deal with Billups

[Dr.Zoidberg]

Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Pistons close in on deal with Billups
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News


AUBURN HILLS -- The Pistons on Tuesday felt they were close to having an agreement that would pay Chauncey Billups $60 million over five years.

While the Pistons maintain that the structure is solid, Billups' agent, Andy Miller, does not.

"The deal is not done," Miller said. "We have not agreed in principle to anything. 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."

The basic premise of the deal is believed to be solid -- five years and $60 million. What needs to be worked out, apparently, is the language of the fifth year. That fifth year might not be entirely guaranteed, or, the bulk of the $60 million will be paid over the first four years.

Billups, 30, who has led the Pistons to the Eastern Conference finals the last five years and was the MVP of the 2004 NBA Finals, cannot sign until July 11.
Miller would not comment on whether any other team was bidding on Billups' services. But it is unlikely.

Billups was the top-ranked point guard on the free agent market, but he lost some negotiating leverage on draft night last Thursday when potential bidders Charlotte and Memphis went in different directions -- the Bobcats taking on Jason Richardson and his $51 million salary and the Grizzlies drafting point guard Mike Conley, Jr.

Billups lost additional leverage on Monday when Orlando, a third potential bidder, agreed to sign Rashard Lewis to a maximum contract.

Still, agent Miller has been able to work a lucrative deal. Billups contract would be richer than one signed two years ago by Steve Nash and not nearly as exorbitant as Jason Kidd's $103 million deal.

The Pistons now have the mid-level exception -- worth roughly $6 million for next season -- to re-sign Amir Johnson and sign another free agent (potentially Grant Hill).
The Pistons would like to split that $6 million between those two players.

Hill was in discussions with the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday.

http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...127/SPORTS0102

[untitled]

Agent denies Billups agrees to five-year, $60M deal with Pistons

ESPN.com news services

Updated: July 3, 2007, 6:22 PM ET

Chauncey Billups' agent refuted media reports that his client had agreed to a five-year, $60 million contract.

"This is a vicious rumor," Andy Miller, Billups' agent, told The Detroit Free Press. "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."

The Associated Press and some Detroit-area media outlets had reported that Billups and the Pistons had agreed to a five-year contract.

Billups had become an unrestricted free agent last month after opting out of the last year of a six-year contract.

Joe Dumars, the Pistons' president of basketball operations, said shortly after the team was eliminated from the conference finals by the Cleveland Cavaliers that his top priority was re-signing Billups.

The 6-foot-3, 202-pound All-Star said he would prefer to stay with Detroit and expected to be back if the team could match any other team's best offer.

Billups, 30, who played with the Celtics, Denver, Orlando and Minnesota in his first four seasons, was selected the NBA Finals MVP in 2004 when Detroit won the championship. He was an All-Star in each of the next two seasons.

He averaged 17 points and 7.2 assists in 70 games last season and 14.5 points and 5.3 assists over his nine-year career. But Billups struggled in the playoffs each of the past two seasons, and averaged 15.3 points, 3.5 assists and 3.8 turnovers in the Eastern finals against the Cavs.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2925200

[Janett_Reno]

AP reported he signed.

[Dortmund]

Isnt that Terry's contract? He deserves better! But then again some people here were complaining about Nash's contract..