HoopsHype.com Rumors

Chris loves Chauncey Billups, whom the Clippers gave $4 million to play 22 games – and whom they’ll sign again, for pure leadership ability and ambience, if they know what’s good for them. HoopsHype

Los Angeles Clippers, Free Agency, Chris Paul, Chauncey Billups 

Chauncey Billups is never short on confidence. He has long built a reputation as a clutch shooter, leader and one of the better playoff performers in recent history. It came as no surprise, then, when Billups, 36, proclaimed that after an injury-plagued 2012-13 season he would be back to full strength. Close? “I won’t be close,” Billups said a day after the Clippers were eliminated from the playoffs in six games by the Memphis Grizzlies. “I’ll be there next year. I’ve finally got my body back in position where I’ve turned a corner and I feel good. Now, it’s all about me putting in the work and going through it.” NBA.com

Los Angeles Clippers, Free Agency, Chris Paul, Chauncey Billups 

Madelyn Burke: Chauncey Billups worked hard for a comeback, says he finally feels fully healthy heading into the off season. WATCH: nba.com/clippers/video… Twitter @MadelynBurke

Los Angeles Clippers, Chauncey Billups, Injuries 

A tantalizing candidate to be the Clippers' next head coach posited by one NBA executive if the team would like to maximize its chances of Chris Paul re-signing with the franchise: Chauncey Billups. I can't tell you if Billups is interested in retiring as a player at this point, or even if being a head coach is what he wants to do next, but he certainly knows the game well enough, has long held unusual authority among his peers on the court and in the locker room. Then there's this: no one is closer on that team than Paul and Billups. I also know that Paul's control of the franchise, by virtue of the fact the Clippers will do anything to keep him, is nearly absolute. As for the current head coach, Vinny Del Negro, the consensus around the NBA is that this first-round ouster is almost certain to cost him his job. There are plenty of contributing factors that led to their demise that Del Negro couldn't control -- Billups' Achilles tendon issues, Blake Griffin's high ankle sprain, to name two -- but owner Donald Sterling simply invested too much in this team to be out of the postseason already. If Del Negro stays, it's because Paul wants him to stay and I haven't heard from anyone that Paul is willing to go to bat for Del Negro in that way. I only hope that over the next few months Paul doesn't feign that he will have nothing to do with who gets the job next or del Negro not being retained. The only way that could be true is if he tells the Clippers definitively that he is not coming back; otherwise, they are assuredly going to be highly interested in who Paul thinks should run the team. Sulia

Los Angeles Clippers, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, Vinny Del Negro, Coaching, Chauncey Billups, Donald Sterling 

"I'm proud he's able to feel comfortable in his own skin and be who he is," Clippers guard Chauncey Billups said. "I'm happy that he had the courage to do that." Los Angeles Daily News

Chauncey Billups, Jason Collins 

Chauncey Billups: “I’m proud of him. I’m proud that he’s able to feel comfortable in his own skin and be who he is and be comfortable enough to come out. Now, I’m pretty sure he feels free and feels like he can live a little bit.” “It didn’t really matter to me which sport it was. I’m more proud that he had the courage to do it. With the media today and social media and things like that and all the different outlets just having that courage is commendable.” NBA.com

Chauncey Billups, Jason Collins 

Chauncey Billups – Unrestricted Sources close to Billups say he wants to remain with the Clippers beyond this season and that if he’s not in LA that retiring is more likely than adding another team on his resume. Billups has been instrumental as a coach on the floor for the younger Clipper guards and his imprint is evident in almost every facet of how the Clipper guards prepare for games. The Clippers will face some tough economic decisions, but retaining Billups for another year shouldn’t be a problem and don’t be surprised to hear that Chris Paul makes resigning Billups a condition on him signing his next deal. Billups is that important to the process. Some have suggested that the best move would be to make Billups a coach going forward, however, Billups laughs off the notion of his future being in a suit as a coach, although watching him interact with the younger guards he’s a natural; he just wants to keep playing. HoopsWorld

Los Angeles Clippers, Free Agency, Chris Paul, Chauncey Billups 

After playing in 22 games this year due to a variety of ailments, including returning Tuesday from an eight-game absence with a strained right groin, Billups says he’s feeling healthy heading into Saturday’s Game 1 of what’s expected to be a lengthy first-round playoff series. “I’m good,” Billups said. “I’m fine. I’m ready to go. NBA.com

Los Angeles Clippers, Chauncey Billups, Injuries 

Dan Woike: Chauncey Billups said he felt sick hearing news about Kobe and plans to reach out to Bryant Twitter @DanWoikeSports

Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Chauncey Billups, Injuries 

Dan Woike: Billups said when he injured his Achilles, David Beckham reached out to him and shared advice. CB said he wants to do the same. Twitter @DanWoikeSports

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Chauncey Billups, Injuries, David Beckham 

When asked if this would be his last season and potentially his last postseason, Billups shook his head. "No," he said. "Not at all." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Clippers, Chauncey Billups 

Bill Reiter: Clippers guard Chauncey Billups will return from his injury on Tuesday against Portland, a source close to him tells me. Twitter @foxsportsreiter

Los Angeles Clippers, Chauncey Billups, Injuries 

Los Angeles Clippers guard Chauncey Billups practiced Tuesday for the first time since aggravating his strained right groin on March 27 in a game against the New Orleans Hornets, according to Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro. Billups, who initially suffered the injury March 19 against the Sacramento Kings, had been limited to shooting and non-contact drills, but participated in full-court drills and 5-on-5 scrimmages Tuesday. Del Negro said he wasn't sure if Billups would play Wednesday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves, but said Billups will likely return before the regular season ends April 17. "It's all about how he feels tomorrow," Del Negro said. "He looked pretty good. We didn't go long today, but we went pretty hard for 30 or 40 minutes. He looked good." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Clippers, Chauncey Billups, Injuries 

Los Angeles Clippers guard Chauncey Billups practiced Tuesday for the first time since aggravating his strained right groin on March 27 in a game against the New Orleans Hornets, according to Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro. Billups, who initially suffered the injury March 19 against the Sacramento Kings, had been limited to shooting and non-contact drills, but participated in full-court drills and 5-on-5 scrimmages Tuesday. Del Negro said he wasn't sure if Billups would play Wednesday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves, but said Billups will likely return before the regular season ends April 17. "It's all about how he feels tomorrow," Del Negro said. "He looked pretty good. We didn't go long today, but we went pretty hard for 30 or 40 minutes. He looked good." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Clippers, Chauncey Billups, Injuries 

Despite all of the injuries that have limited Chauncey Billups to 20 games this season, the Clippers starting guard said "no" when asked whether he had given thought to retiring after the season. Billups sat out his eighth consecutive game because of a strained right groin, and he has no timetable for a return. He sat out the first 14 games of the season recovering from left Achilles' tendon surgery. Then Billups missed 34 games because of tendinitis in his left foot and one game because of a sore lower back. "When I was trying to come back, they [the doctors] told me that this year would be tough," Billups said. "I knew I would have a lot of knickknack injuries just so my body could recalibrate. And the following season, I could be 100% back to myself. So I was ready for the fight. That's why these setbacks, these small ones, they don't take the toll on me because I already had this set." Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Clippers, Chauncey Billups 

"Now next year, if I have a year like this, where I just can't get right, then I'll think about retirement," Billups said. "But I know that the times I have been healthy this year, I can still have a major effect in this league doing what I do. So it's just a matter of my body getting healthy." Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Clippers, Chauncey Billups 

Dan Woike: Chauncey Billups is doubtful for Sunday's game with Lakers. Barnes (ankle), Griffin (calf) and Jordan (hip) all should play. Twitter @DanWoikeSports

Los Angeles Clippers, Chauncey Billups, Injuries 

"These last two seasons have been the toughest of my career," he said before Friday's game with San Antonio. Since coming back from the Achilles' injury Nov. 28, he's missed extended time because of injuries to his back, foot and, now, a groin muscle. After playing more than 13 minutes in the Clippers' victory over New Orleans, Billups re-injured a right-groin muscle, and it kept him from suiting up Friday. Orange County Register

Los Angeles Clippers, Chauncey Billups 

While frustrating, the injuries haven't been unexpected, he said. "I had prepared myself for the fight back. These little knick-knack things, my rehab people were really honest with me," Billups said. "'You really won't be all the way back to yourself until the next season.' With that in my mind, I was just honest with myself, knowing there were going to be some of these little setbacks." Orange County Register

Los Angeles Clippers, Chauncey Billups 

Billups won't play against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night, Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro said Thursday, and there isn't a timetable the team is able to give for the shooting guard's return. "He's going to be out a little bit," Del Negro said. "I don't know how much. I'll know more [Friday], probably. But I don't expect him around for a while. "I'm not sure if Chauncey will be out a game, two games, two weeks. I don't know yet. It depends on how he reacts working out." Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Clippers, Chauncey Billups, Injuries