Dan Gilbert and Chauncey Billups
Dan Gilbert and Chauncey Billups
Ex-Piston Chauncey Billups, who had positioned himself for the job as the Cleveland Cavaliers' general manager weeks before the job was vacant, has withdrawn from the running, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com reports.
Billups apparently wanted owner Dan Gilbert to pay a bigger yearly salary. He was being offered pay in the $2 million to $3 million range, the news outlet reports, citing an unnamed source.
Billups, 40, was the only candidate under consideration to replace former general manager David Griffin. Griffin departed June 19 after he and Gilbert could not agree on a new contract.
Billups met with Gilbert at least twice to discuss the job, Cleveland.com reports. Gilbert became friends with Billups when he played in Detroit.
“I have great respect for Dan Gilbert and the Cleveland Cavaliers, and I greatly appreciate the discussions we had regarding their organization,” Billups ESPN in a statement.
“As I have conveyed before, ultimately I would like to lead a team’s basketball operation and be a part of a successful franchise. But presently, the timing just isn’t right to delve into that role in Cleveland,” Billups continued. “In the meantime, I will continue to focus on broadcasting and my other business endeavors.”
James Wetzel of Yahoo! Sports writes:
This can, and will, be spun in a million ways. Money. Philosophy. Control.
Whatever. This is about LeBron and LeBron only.
It is extremely unlikely that James told Billups he was out the door after the 2017-18 season – or that such a decision has even been made. There are enough clues here that it is a very real possibility though. Speculation has James bolting to the Los Angeles Lakers, which he hasn’t doused. The construction of a super team anywhere that can beat the Warriors is a possibility, too.
