If you don’t remember, a few years ago the Pistons were on the short list year end and year out for the NBA title. They were an elite team, fielding a squad that was built around defense and balanced scoring. Two concepts that might seem a tad foreign in today’s NBA.
Chauncey Billups was the leader and floor general for those Pistons teams, leading them to a NBA title in 2004 and leading them to another Finals appearance and numerous Conference Finals appearances.
All that success was broken up though the day the Pistons traded Billups to Denver for Allen Iverson.
Billups is on the Clippers now, but reflected on the past as his team is in town to face the Pistons today.
Per The Detroit News: “Honestly in my heart, I still feel like if they didn’t make that move and move me, we’d still be an elite team in the league,” Billups said. “Of course you have to make some changes, (adding) the young guys.”It sounds like Billups still doesn’t understand why the trade happened, and even admitted so.
“I still had some great, great years left,” Billups said. “I never wanted to leave, even though I was home (Denver) and it was good to be home, I always wanted to be a Piston. I wanted to retire a Piston.”
“I’m still … Even though I’m over it, I still don’t get it,” said Billups with a slight chuckle. “It wasn’t like I was 36 or 37 and I couldn’t rock anymore. I was still rocking. I was still in my prime.”
