Point taken

Pistons sign Billups to six-year, $35 million deal

Chauncey Billups signed a six-year, $35-million deal with Detroit. AP

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) -- Detroit Pistons president Joe Dumars said he expects Chauncey Billups to work with current point guard Chucky Atkins -- not replace him.

The Pistons announced the signing of Billups to a multiyear deal on Wednesday. Dumars said the 25-year-old -- a 5-year veteran of the league -- will add both youth and experience to the lineup.

"He's a pretty good size for his position," Dumars said of the 6-foot-3, 202-pound Billups. "We like the fact he's poised on the court and we feel that we have upgraded our team."

Billups flourished last season when elevated to a starting role with Minnesota. He said Detroit's drive to win and the fact that Dumars and head coach Rick Carlisle actively recruited him were a big part of what drew him to the Pistons.

"Detroit had shown great interest to me and the thing you want as a free agent is to be wanted," Billups said Wednesday. "This was what I thought was best for me and my family and I took advantage of it."

The Pistons made an improbable turnaround in 2001-02, winning 50 games and advancing to the Eastern Conference semifinals in Carlisle's first season as coach.

Billups averaged 12.5 points, 5.5 assists and 28.7 minutes last season, largely in a starter's role with the Timberwolves after Terrell Brandon's season-ending knee surgery in February.

He opted out of the final season of his three-year contract to become a free agent after the season ended.

Billups, who ranked second in the league in free-throw percentage and ninth in 3-point field goals in 1999, is expected to bring stability to a position that was exposed as a weakness when Boston eliminated the Pistons from the second round of the playoffs.

"To have that variety is going to be a plus for this team," Billups said of sharing time with Atkins. "This is going to be a luxury for this team to have."

Dumars said he told Atkins at the end of last season that he planned to go after a point guard and he said Atkins was on board with decision to sign Billups.

Minnesota executive Kevin McHale said Monday he expected his former point guard to sign a six-year, $35-million contract with the Pistons.

Per team policy, the Pistons did not the disclose the terms of the contract.

 

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