CLEVELAND, Ohio — There are multiple reports that Chauncey Billups has been offered a five-year deal to be the new general manager for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
ESPN reports that Billups met with Cavs owner Dan Gilbert Tuesday in Detroit and came to Cleveland for meetings with staff Wednesday.
According to reports, Billups has yet to accept the offer.
Billups is the first person to meet with Gilbert since he parted ways with general manager David Griffin this week when talks about a possible contract extension broke down.
While the Cavaliers are looking for Griffin’s replacement after he guided them to three straight Finals, it’s believed that Billups would take on a different role, perhaps as the team’s director of basketball operations.
Billups has no previous experience as an NBA executive, but he does have a long-standing relationship with Gilbert from their time together in Detroit and he knows the league well. Billups, who was a five-time All-Star, also is close with Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue.
The upheaval in Cleveland’s front office came days before Thursday’s draft and as the Cavs launched plans to retool their roster after being dethroned as champions in five games by the Golden State Warriors.
The Cavaliers currently do not own a draft pick, but that could change; the team has been involved in numerous talks in recent days.
Also, a splashy hire like Billups could relieve some of the external criticism being aimed at Gilbert, who did not offer Griffin a contract extension last summer and then denied other teams permission to talk to him about job openings during the playoffs.
Griffin had been Cleveland’s GM since 2014, taking over the team shortly before LeBron James announced he was re-signing with the Cavaliers after playing four seasons in Miami.
