Chauncey Billups: Veteran's Resistance to Amnesty Is Understandable but Wrong

Chauncey Billups has been a consummate professional throughout his 14-year NBA career, but he's  looking a little less than professional lately.

With news that Billups had been released via the Amnesty clause, the veteran reacted less than ideally, saying:

"

I’m tired of being the good guy, I’m tired of being viewed as the guy. After a while, you just kind of get taken advantage of in these situations. I’ve been known as a leader, and I am a leader, but a leader can be as disruptive as he can be productive, especially when you carry a strong voice and people rally around you. This is about me now. This is about me, and teams should know that right now.

"

Billups has essentially dared any non-contending team to claim him off the waiver wire, as is the process of the amnesty clause.

It is a predictable fallout from players who are literally being dropped from a cliff with no way to know where they will land. That said, it is no different than being traded. Billups is under contract, he isn't a free-agent, he doesn't have a no trade clause, this is not his time to choose. Billups still receives his salary, it is just paid between two teams, his original team and the team that claims him.

Players don't have the right to not report when they are traded, so they won't have that right in this instance, either. However, players do have the prerogative to use intangible leverage, such as eluding to the fact that they will be a distraction, to deter teams that represent a undesirable destination.

That is exactly what avenue Billups is taking at this point.

If that is enough to get their way, then so be it. They may land where they choose, which in Billups' case, as they are free agents.

I can imagine it is very frustrating for a player to be moved so many times, even considering their wealth. Billups has played for seven teams in his NBA career.

This is still a human being, and a older one, by basketball standards. I'm almost positive he doesn't want to spend the rest of his remaining career in Minnesota, or another similar situation.

Still, this is not an unfair rule, and I am usually pro-player in these types of situations. Billups will have to report to whatever team claims him, if they dare, or forfeit upwards of $14 million dollars.

Unless, of course, he wins the stare down. If he does, CB4 will be running the Miami Heat offense sometime very soon.