Report: Pistons interested in hiring Billups for front-office position
The Detroit Pistons are reportedly interested in hiring former star point guard Chauncey Billups to work with vice chairman Arn Tellem in what would be a dramatic overhaul of the team's front office, league sources told The New York Times' Marc Stein.
The Pistons have gone 144-172 with one playoff appearance since Stan Van Gundy took over as both head coach and president of basketball operations at the beginning of the 2014-15 season. With the 31-39 Pistons a long shot to make the postseason this year, both Van Gundy and team owner Tom Gores have spoken candidly about the need for improved on-court success.
Van Gundy has just one more year on his contract after this season.
Billups was considered a strong contender for the vacant Cleveland Cavaliers president job last summer before withdrawing from consideration. That gig ultimately went to Koby Altman, with Billups remaining in his studio analyst role with ESPN, though he maintained that running a team was "still a desire" as recently as two weeks ago.
Fittingly, Billups has already worked alongside two of the Pistons' key players during his playing career: Blake Griffin with the Los Angeles Clippers from 2011-13 and Andre Drummond with Detroit in 2013-14.
The five-time All-Star played 482 games for the Pistons across eight seasons, mostly while Detroit was the dominant power of the Eastern Conference through the mid-2000s.
Billups averaged 16.5 points, 6.2 assists, and 3.2 rebounds per game with Detroit, being named to three All-NBA teams and two All-Defensive teams during the height of his career. Nicknamed "Mr. Big Shot" for his timely ability to connect in crunch time, Billups helped pilot the Pistons to back-to-back Finals appearances, winning over the star-studded Los Angeles Lakers in 2004 and losing to the San Antonio Spurs in 2005.
After first leaving via trade two games into the 2008-09 season, Billups would eventually return to the Motor City for his final campaign in 2013-14, making 19 more appearances before hanging up his sneakers for good.