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Chauncey Billups Turns Down Cavaliers Front Office Role, Citing Bad Timing, Fit

Chauncey Billups has withdrawn his name from consideration to become Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations, even though he was "positioning for the job weeks before it was vacant," according to Joe Vardon of the Cleveland PLAIN DEALER. A source said that Billups "wanted more money" than Owner Dan Gilbert offered, which was "believed to be" in the $2-3M range annually. A source said that Billups "did not confer" with Cavaliers F LeBron James or James' agent, Rich Paul, on his decision. Billups was the "only candidate under consideration" to replace former GM David Griffin. For the time being, the group left behind by Griffin, led by Assistant GM of Pro Personnel Koby Altman, will "remain in place," and that could be the case "perhaps indefinitely." A source said that future GM candidates "could emerge, but Altman could work his way into the role full time" (CLEVELAND.com, 7/4). Billups said that he was offered the role last week and "turned it down Monday because it was not the right timing or right fit." THE UNDEFEATED's Marc Spears noted Billups will "continue working for ESPN as an NBA analyst and playing" in the BIG3 (THEUNDEFEATED.com, 7/3). ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said, "It comes down a lot of times to money, and I think that was a factor here. It may come down to job description and it may come down to family. Chauncey had told some people that his family had supported him on that, so if you scratch that off, it sort of comes down to the money and job description. It’s a pretty basic situation” (“Mike & Mike,” ESPN Radio, 7/4).

BREAKING IT DOWN
: In Cleveland, Bud Shaw noted Gilbert has "never valued his GMs" and asked, "Why would an experienced executive or any candidate with options value working for him above all else?" Shaw: "If going to the NBA Finals three years in a row doesn't endear you to the man in charge, what would? If earning James' support isn't acing the organizational chemistry test, what would be? Do you have to be a former NBA player?" If so, that is an "awfully shallow candidate pool made even more shallow by Billups' decision to turn down the position of basketball operations kingpin" (CLEVELAND.com, 7/4). In Akron, Marla Ridenour wrote Billups' rejection "showed that Gilbert underestimated his toxic history" with GMs, and to a "lesser extent coaches." Since he took over the Cavs in '05, Gilbert has had six coaches, and none of his GMs have "received a contract extension." Gilbert has also "never given" his GMs the "influence they sought" (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 7/4). FS1's Shannon Sharpe said, "The one thing that you want from an organization is stability. In that front office, Dan Gilbert and the Cavaliers do not provide the stability that would warrant Chauncey uprooting his family from Colorado and going there with the uncertainty. It's a thankless job. You get none of the credit when they win, you take all the blame when they lose” ("Undisputed," FS1, 7/4). In Detroit, Shawn Windsor wrote few players of Billups' era "read a locker room like he did." He could "relate to anyone, from any background, with any kind of personality." That is why it is "not surprising that Billups ultimately spurned Gilbert." James is a free agent next summer and the prospect of "working for a twice-jilted Gilbert couldn’t have sounded appealing." Meanwhile, Windsor suggested with the Pistons moving to downtown Detroit next season, they could "use a bit of the Billups touch." If the Pistons do not "show improvement next season, and the plan looks like it’s about to plateau, bringing Billups back in some capacity makes sense" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 7/4).

TAKING HIS SWEET TIME: In Cleveland, Terry Pluto wrote it is unknown whether Billups "would have succeeded with the Cavs," but by "waiting three weeks to decide against the Cavs job, he made the franchise look bad." Pluto: "Very, very bad." It will "come across as a warning siren that something is wrong with this job." Pluto: "I only blame Billups for dragging out the decision." It is "possible Billups was trying to squeeze more cash, more power, more something out of Gilbert," but "as of now, we don't know" (CLEVELAND.com, 7/4).

BRACING FOR THE NEXT BLOW UP? FS1’s Jason Whitlock noted Billups' withdrawal means some people now "will argue that we’re headed for Dan Gilbert versus LeBron James: World War Two, and that Dan Gilbert is going to force LeBron James out." But Whitlock is hesitant to "put all of the burden or the blame on Dan Gilbert." James is a "very ambitious person," and he wants "more control than perhaps any owner other than Dan Gilbert and the hometown Cavaliers will ever be willing to give him." Whitlock: "I don't blame Dan Gilbert if LeBron is pushed out” (“Speak for Yourself,” FS1, 7/4). But YAHOO SPORTS' Dan Wetzel wrote, "Feel free to panic, Cleveland fans." This is the "most tangible sign yet that LeBron Part II is coming to an end and the megastar will again bail on the Cavs as a free agent after next season." Billups' decision is "about LeBron and LeBron only" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 7/3).

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