Chauncey Billups ready for the Los Angeles Clippers challenge – NBA Update
Chauncey Billups has finally cleared the air and has said that he is happy to be a part of the Los Angeles Clippers roster. The veteran point guard had reacted angrily after being waived by the New York Knicks through an amnesty
clause in the New Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The Los Angeles Clippers saw the whole fiasco as an opportunity for them and snapped him up off the waiver at just around $2 million, with the rest of his salary still coming out of New York’s pocket. Billups though had warned
that if his contract was taken up by a team he didn’t want to play for, he could walk away from it all and retire from the game.
However, when talking to reporters after linking up to with his new teammates, Billups was much more relaxed and didn’t show any signs of quitting at all. Instead, he was pleased to have arrived in Los Angeles.
"It is what it is," a composed Billups said Friday. "I'm a Clipper, and I'm happy to be here. It could have been much worse."
In fact, Billups said that he liked what he saw in the Clippers locker room. The team has plenty of talented young players and Chauncey thinks he can help the guys get to the next level.
"This is a really good situation. I think these guys are ready to take the next leap and I think I can be a part of that."
His signing was overshadowed by the arrival of super star Chris Paul from the New Orleans Hornets and Billups was happy to see a genuine star alongside him. Paul though is also a point guard, which could in theory mean that Chauncey’s
minutes could be significantly reduced.
The former NBA Finals MVP though had no such concerns and believed that the two could co-exist on the court.
"I'm a point guard, and, in my eyes, we'll probably be starting two point guards," Billups said. "I'm a lead guard and a playmaker, and so is Chris.”
He was more concerned about getting ready for the next season and helping the team become genuine contenders for the NBA World Championship. Billups said he knew he didn’t have a lot of time left in the league and he wanted to
end his career in a befitting manner.
"I don't have that many years left in the league, and I want to make them count," Billups said. "I want to go out of the game gracefully.”
“And winning. Because that's what I'm all about."
Tags: