CB will not desert us!
Let's see how well you understand CB.
I'll be taking names in this one.
Who's down?

Billups will remain a Piston!

I always thought Ben would stay, and if anyone would leave it would be CB.

Watch Chauncey stay. It's always the one you don't expect that suprise you.

Hasn't Chauncey already gone on record as saying "If things go the way we want them to, I will opt out"? (sorry no link, but it was a CB quote from a newspaper article in the past month)

I think we can take that as an indication that his heart is not necessarily with us, and it will be a business decision for him. If Joe can make the money right, CB will stay. He's not unhappy the way Ben was. But if another team offers more money (money=status, value, RESPECT) I do think he will go to that team, and it might not even have to be a contender. I think that Chauncey is even more attached to these intangible markers of success than Ben was. We gotta pay him to keep him.

Uh, I think you can take his statement that he will opt out as, well, the absolute truth of him being way underpaid (and I don't think your quote is correct, he's straight up said he's going to opt out).

He'd be an idiot not to opt out whether he wants to stay here or go elsewhere and acknowledging that doesn't mean that he wants to leave or that he wants to stay. You're reading tea leaves.

We'll definitely have to pay to keep him (and an entire year to go means there's no way of knowing what his attitude towards the team will be by then so there is a chance he leaves no matter what just as there is a chance he takes less to stay).

In general, I find the idea that everyone owes us a home town discount odd. It's great when a guy does sign for less, but to get all pissy when they don't is just weird.

From the Dever Post, 7/11/2006


The Pistons' next contractual concern could be Billups, who likely will opt out of his contract next summer, forgoing $6.8 million for the 2007-08 season in order to become a free agent. But the 2004 NBA Finals MVP said he "loves" Detroit and his "heart" is with the Pistons.

"It's probably a pretty good chance that I will opt out if everything goes the way we hope it will," he said.

That's why they put the clause in the contract. So bust-out guys can renegotiate. But why wait till next summer. He's been here 4 complete years.

I made the poll unconditional. But if the Pistons can't get within $15mil.
total contract difference he might bolt. Less than that he stays. Even though he's forgone the USA games to be with new child and wife, I'm sure he can feed his family and keep a roof over their head.
It's gonna get loud!

I hope a way is found to keep him. It depends a lot on what kind of season he has this year. And in one of those perverse quirks of fate, the better season he has, the more likely someone is to toss big bucks at him making it harder for the Pistons to keep him. The better the team does, the more likely it is to do poorly the next year because CB goes.

Anyway, I don't think a $15m difference is close enough to keep him. Five or six over the term maybe. Any more and he'll start pulling out baby pictures and talking about the high price of sneakers in toddler sizes.

__________________
"But first, are you experienced? Or have you you ever been experienced? Well, I have."
Jimi

As it stands right now, the big players in free agency next year will be;

Atlanta
Charlotte
Milwaukee
New Orleans
Chicago

that's based upon rough guesstimates.

__________________
Nov 13 LW Milan Lucic had an active night. He scored his first goal in eight games since his Oct. 25 hat trick and also pounded Michael Komisarek in a third-period fight. Lucic cut his hand in a fight with Michael Komisarek. "I'll be fine," he said. "(X-rays are) negative, but there's so many broken bones in there from before you can't really tell."

Atlanta - would be in the running, if CB wants a contender, then no way

Charlotte - ditto, though maybe the lure of MJ?

Milwaukee - probably not looking for a point, much better served by a forward

New Orleans - not looking for a point, got Chris Paul

Chicago - probably not looking for a point, got more guards than they need already

That's pretty slim pickings for Mr B.