After several face-to-face meetings with team owner Dan Gilbert, former Detroit Pistons great Chauncey Billups has yet to decide whether or not he will accept the job as president of basketball operations with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Goodman, talks between Billups and Gilbert are still ongoing. Goodman reports that Billups’ camp made a counter-offer to Gilbert on Wednesday. It is believed that the new offer would be an increase in both salary and terms.
Billups, an NBA champion (2004), five-time All-Star, and close friend of Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue, is a fine candidate for the job. That’s why Gilbert is focusing solely on him. In fact, according to Chris Manning of fearthesword.com, Gilbert has only met with Billups for the opening — no others.
After parting ways with David Griffin last week, Gilbert and assistant GM Koby Altman have stepped up to man the Cavaliers’ phone lines. While there is no set timetable for the Billups deal, there is no doubt Gilbert would like to have him on-board sooner rather than later.
Billups, 40, seems willing to accept the difficult decision before him. On one hand, he already has a solid job as an ESPN analyst and a family living in Denver, Colorado. On the other hand, he has an opportunity to lead a championship-caliber franchise. If he is indeed hired as president of basketball operations with the Cavs, it is believed that Billups will have the chance to recruit a new GM.
With a counter-offer made, the decision lies in Gilbert’s hands.