Chauncey Billups has withdrawn from consideration for the Cleveland Cavaliers‘ president of basketball operations job, he told ESPN.
Billups had discussed the opportunity to replace David Griffin with Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert over the past two weeks but ultimately passed on the offer, informing Gilbert of his decision Monday morning.
“I have great respect for Dan Gilbert and the Cleveland Cavaliers, and I greatly appreciate the discussions we had regarding their organization,” Billups told ESPN. “As I have conveyed before, ultimately I would like to lead a team’s basketball operation and be a part of a successful franchise. But presently, the timing just isn’t right to delve into that role in Cleveland. In the meantime, I will continue to focus on broadcasting and my other business endeavors.”
Billups will continue in his role as an ESPN NBA analyst.
Billups, 40, has no front-office experience but has gained interest for front-office jobs because of his strong reputation as a leader and the belief that he can make the transition with the proper support staff. He interviewed for the Atlanta Hawks‘ general manager opening last month.
Assistant general manager Koby Altman has been running the day-to-day operations for the Cavaliers, including trade talks and free agency, and is expected to continue in that role.
Chauncey Billups removes name from Cavaliers’ front-office search – ESPN