The Disposable Superstar Chauncey Billups

[The Young One]

ESPN had a amazing article on chauncey billups up. Man i always respected chauncey. This article only made me respect him more what a player and a warrior. Ill put up some important and interesting stuff below.

Unaware his world is about to go spinning, Chauncey is flying to North Carolina for an early season game against the Bobcats.

The night before, Piper had predicted he'd be gone by the trade deadline, but Chauncey told his wife, "Why would you say that? We're going to win a championship this year."

But Piper's right; the Pistons want Chauncey out ASAP. First of all, they love Rodney Stuckey and think he can be Chauncey's heir apparent, and they also think their current roster has maxed out. More than that, they're trying to clear cap space so they can make a run at LeBron James, Chris Bosh or Dwyane Wade in the summer of 2010. Rasheed Wallace's contract will be expiring after the season, and if they can deal Chauncey for another expiring contract -- say, Allen Iverson's -- then they'll have cap room galore.

Dumars, before he agrees to settle for Iverson, reportedly asks for Carmelo Anthony. If not for the Olympics, maybe Denver would've considered it -- or at least discussed it -- but Anthony has shown in Beijing that he's more serious about the game. He has played stout defense for Team USA, and, during the ensuing Nuggets training camp, he promises George Karl he'll do it again for him. So Anthony is going nowhere. It has to be a Billups-for-Iverson swap.

The talks are finalized before the team flies to Charlotte, and, on the flight, Chauncey can tell he's being ignored. "He notices Joe and none of the coaches can even look at him," Ray says. "And that's when he knows something is wrong."

When the flight lands, he chats with Antonio McDyess, who tells him about the impending trade. It isn't official yet, but the Pistons have filled McDyess in, because they need to trade his salary to balance the deal. They tell him that Denver will waive him, and they'll want to re-sign him. But they tell Chauncey nothing.Though he has been traded three times before, it still stings. At the team hotel, on Nov. 2, Dumars and the coaches are staying right down the hall from him, but no one invites him down for a goodbye chat. Then, on the morning of Nov. 3, before the shootaround, it becomes official: Chauncey to Denver.

He's going home again, but he calls Piper and tells her it feels bittersweet. "I've been through some dark alleys with them dudes, man,'' he tells her. "They're my brothers."

He begins packing at the team hotel, when there's a knock on the door. It's Hamilton and Prince, the trio together one last time. They embrace, cry, laugh and reminisce. They call Ben Wallace, a Cavalier now, and put him on speaker phone. Wallace tells them, "I told you how they are." Hamilton is the most affected of all. He has just signed an extension, and he tells Chauncey he wants to be traded now, that if he'd known they were going to trade Chauncey, he never would've re-upped in Detroit.

They keep talking about games, moments, shots. Hamilton has always told Chauncey he wants his toddler son to someday marry Chauncey's toddler daughter, and he brings it up again. At one point, Piper calls Chauncey's cell and Chauncey tells her, "Call me back. I'm talking to my guys." It goes on this way for three incredible hours that Chauncey says, "I'll never forget. We were, 'Wow, wow,' in disbelief. Just coming to the realization it was over.'"

Eventually, Chauncey tells them he has a flight to catch, and he walks out the door. The three of them enter the elevator, and Chauncey pauses to give Hamilton a last hug.

Hamilton breaks down, sobbing. Absolutely sobbing.

Iverson has been popular but counterproductive in Denver. Key members of the organization say that Iverson has partied some nights until 3 in the morning, and that Denver's two most crucial players -- Anthony and J.R. Smith -- have tried to keep up with him. They say Anthony and Smith look at Iverson with reverence, the same way Chauncey's generation looked at Michael Jordan. So when A.I. says, "Let's go out,'" they go out. When A.I. wears a sleeve on his arm, they wear a sleeve. Especially the impressionable Smith, who has never met a shot he didn't like

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/sto...=090511/billups
^ Link for Full Article. It is a must read for any NBA fan. Especially piston fans

 

[RipCity32]

Well as much as it kills me to see em gone it was needed.

I doubt Hamilton said he wants to be traded though.

 

[The Young One]

I dont find it hard to believe that rip would want out. AI was my favorite player growing up. But dude is a known gunner who cant run a team and is a cancer. Chauncey can run a team and is far from a cancer.

 

[dez]

All he did for the organization, Dumars and the coaches should have handled it better. Should have at least given him a heads up.

Good read though, and I can def seeMelo and JR following everything AI did, makes perfect sense why Denver got way better and Pistons got worse.

 

[Mexi]

i love Chauncey
I still believe he's the real MVP

 

[PiStoL31PeTe]

Glad things worked out for Chauncey though he's a great fit with Denve. Hopefully he can take them to the finals this year.

 

[Pugz]

Chauncey he wants to be traded now, that if he'd known they were going to trade Chauncey, he never would've re-upped in Detroit.

Nice article, but for that.. we need to trade Rip.
But Chauncey is the man, I agree though we needed to make a move and he needed to go.

 

[The Young One]

What move you guys are gonna be mired in mediocrity. Why would bron,amare,d-wade or bosh want to come to d-town when their would be better places to go. Your best bet is to sign Boozer this off-season.

 

[Pugz]

we need to trade Rip for a big like Tyson Chandler or if we want low post scoring Chris Kaman.
Rip and Stuck do not match up good, Stuck needs a SG like Ben Gordon.

 

[Lake Louise]

Nice Article....I have and always will have have respect for Chauncey. He is just amazing, and I hated to see him leave Detroit, but like it was said, it was needed. We needed to make a move, and obviously Denver was the better fit for him.

 

[Pugz]

I have a gut feeling we will tank this off-season.

 

[Dice-J]

I never thought I could ever have more respect for Chauncey, but I do now. Just another reason why this guy is one of my favorite players.