When Chauncey was included in the Carmelo trade which sent him to New York, something screamed “this isn’t long-term.” Don’t get us wrong, Chauncey is a fantastic player, but he’s 33 and the Knicks are building for the future. But when they decide to release him last week via the amnesty clause it caught many, including Chaucey, off-guard. He wasn’t happy about it and even insinuated that if he isn’t picked up by a contender, he may retire. The Clipps claimed him yesterday and if he does decide to retire, he won’t see one penny of the $14M he’s owed this year. Guess we’ll see him in camp. Besides, a starting lineup of Billups, Eric Gordon, Caron Butler, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan isn’t too shabby at all.
Former Knicks point guard Chauncey Billups was claimed off amnesty waivers Monday evening by the Los Angeles Clippers.
Billups was released by the Knicks with their one-time ability to use the amnesty clause, meaning his contract will not count against the Knicks’ salary cap or their luxury tax.
The Knicks used the amnesty clause on Billups in order to free salary-cap space to sign free agent center Tyson Chandler.
Since being released, Billups and his agent, Andy Miller, have gone to great lengths to say he wouldn’t be happy if he was claimed by a team that isn’t a contender, and Billups has said he’d consider retirement if he wasn’t happy with the team that acquired him.
It’s unclear what Billups will think of playing for the Clippers, long considered to be one of the NBA’s most hapless franchises, but now has two of the game’s brightest young talents: power forward Blake Griffin and shooting guard Eric Gordon.
Source: nypost.com
