Billups to Bucks Trade Rumor Posted Today

Another trade scenario is now looming. Interesting situation may be developing based on the article.


Could Bucks Bring In Billups?

By: Jon Mladic Last Updated: 7/15/08 8:13 PM ET | 4352 times read




John Hammond has already performed his first magic trick in Milwaukee, finding a way to add Richard Jefferson in exchange for Yi Jianlian while unloading the contract of Bobby Simmons. Could he pull off the addition of Chauncey Billups for his encore?
If the Bucks want to be a high-scoring team, they don't need to make any changes. Jefferson joins Michael Redd, Andrew Bogut and Milwaukee's returning point guard, Mo Williams. All are quite capable scorers.

I'm just not convinced that this is the type of team the new brass of the organization wants. Scott Skiles is known as a defensive-minded coach. John Hammond comes from a franchise that has won for years with a balanced offensive system and hard-nosed rebounding and defense.

If there is one position Skiles (like most [COLOR=#c80000! important][COLOR=#c80000! important]NBA[/COLOR][/COLOR] coaches) – a former NBA point guard – likes to have personify the team's style, it is his point guard. Hammond's organizations have historically placed a high priority on attaining and keeping point guards they feel best represent the type of team they want to put on the floor. Could Hammond pass on an opportunity to grab Billups, a player he personally saw lead the Pistons to their most recent years of success?

Of course, many teams want players they won't be able to add. A slew of them will be disappointed when [COLOR=#c80000! important][COLOR=#c80000! important]LeBron [COLOR=#c80000! important]James[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] doesn't choose to come to their town in 2010. But it appears that Billups is available. Detroit is at a turning point, having replaced [COLOR=#c80000! important][COLOR=#c80000! important]head [COLOR=#c80000! important]coach[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] Flip Saunders with Michael Curry. They have good youth to build from, led by emerging point guard Rodney Stuckey.

And it seems like the chances of it being possible are increasing as Detroit may be running out of places they could trade Billups. Talks of trading him to Houston for Tracy McGrady are reportedly overblown. Another suitor, the [COLOR=#c80000! important][COLOR=#c80000! important]Golden [COLOR=#c80000! important]State [/COLOR][COLOR=#c80000! important]Warriors[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR], are willing to trade Al Harrington, but not the player the Pistons really want – Andris Biedrins. While the Bucks don't seem to have individual pieces as valuable as these offers, they could start an offer with Charlie Villanueva (particularly if the Pistons decide to trade Rasheed Wallace) and work from there.
Williams is a quality point guard in the league, and will be for years to come. Holding onto him would not be a bad thing – he is signed through 2014. But the chance to add Billups, just the type of leader who could anchor a young team as it is being steered in a new direction, might be too much to pass on … if Hammond can find a way to work his magic