The Detroit Pistons are in an interesting place. At 31-39, it's highly unlikely they'll qualify for the playoffs; Detroit is six games back of Milwaukee, which sits in No. 8 after its loss to Cleveland Monday night. Many believe coach and president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy will be fired if Detroit misses the playoffs, and former Pistons guard Chauncey Billups may be brought in.
Detroit has expressed interest in hiring the former Pistons star Chauncey Billups to work in tandem with Arn Tellem in a totally revamped front office, according to league sources
Billups commented on the rumor.
“I’m very happy with the on-air opportunities ESPN has given me to talk about the NBA in the studio & at games. Of course, I love my Pistons & Detroit. But I would never push for a job with any NBA franchise that is not open. That’s not part of my character,” - Chauncey Billups.
Whoever runs the Pistons will have two interesting pieces to work with—center Andre Drummond, who has blossomed this season, and forward Blake Griffin, whom the team acquired from Los Angeles in late January. In the wake of that deal, Griffin said he wants "to play for an organization that wants me."
Now, he's opened up more about the trade. Griffin had a candid conversation with Marc J. Spears of ESPN's The Undefeated, where he claimed he hasn't thought much about the deal but threw in a little jab at the Clippers.
"I haven't put much thought into it, to be honest," Griffin told Spears. "I've been so focused on making this transition and [adjusting] to this change that I haven't put that much thought into it. I never want to be in a place where I'm not wanted. Coming here made me realize what a franchise looks like."
Griffin was effusive in his praise of the Pistons organization.
"If I wasn't happy with where I was at or excited to be here, it would take a little bit longer," Griffin said of moving on. "But as soon as I got here to Detroit, the franchise, the way they go about taking care of the players, the way they do everything, is first-class. So, that makes the transition much easier. [Coach] Stan [Van Gundy] and the whole staff has been awesome. I'm not looking back."
Though Van Gundy may get the boot, it seems unlikely that Detroit would want to (or be able to) move on from Griffin anytime soon—there are four years remaining on his gargantuan deal after this season—so it's good to hear he's happy in his new home.
Spears keeps churning out top-rate NBA content. Read the full piece here.
