After talks fell apart for Chris Paul, what did the Los Angeles Clippers do? They went to the waiver wire for a new PG. According to ESPN.com’s Marc Stein, every team in the league was just notified that the Clippers registered the winning waiver bid for five-time All-Star Chauncey Billups.
“If I get claimed by a team I don’t want to play for, I would absolutely consider retirement,” Billups said Sunday. “The game’s been really good to me, and I don’t want anyone to feel bad for me. I’ve made a lot of money, and I’ve saved most of it. I don’t need the money now. I want to be able to play for something, a championship, and I want to be able to have my own destiny in my hands. If I don’t, then retiring might have to be a decision I make.”
Will Billups be excited to throw alley-oops to Blake Griffin? That’s yet to be see. But you have to think the Clippers got some sort of word from Chauncey’s camp that he’d be down to move to L.A. before making a bid. And if not, tough luck – the new amnesty clause rules don’t allow him to be traded until after the season.
If no teams had put in a bid, Billups would have cleared waivers today at 6 p.m. EST. At that point, the Heat, Magic and Mavs were all widely believed to be his top suitors.
What do you think? Smart move by the Clippers?
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