Pistons stamp deal with Billups


Chauncey Billups and the Detroit Pistons are set to reunite with a two-year, $5 million contract.

Billups, 36, played 42 games last season with the Los Angeles Clippers and only 15 games in 2011-12 because of an Achilles injury. Billups played in Detroit from 2002-2009, winning the NBA title with the Pistons in 2004 with Billups earning Finals MVP honors.

The second year of the new deal is a team option.

The Pistons will look to Billups as a mentor and leader, especially for rising point guard Brandon Knight, rookie Kentavious Caldwell Pope and Rodney Stuckey.

Billups has designs on becoming a front-office executive and will be in a potentially awkward role, having been traded out of town for Allen Iverson by GM Joe Dumars at one time. Dumars envisioned Stuckey as the heir apparent to Billups.

Former Los Angeles Clippers guard Chauncey Billups. (Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE)