Chauncey Billups withdraws from consideration for Cavaliers front office job

Retired five-time All-Star and ESPN analyst Chauncey Billups withdrew his name from the Cleveland Cavaliers president of basketball operations job, two people familiar with his decision told USA TODAY Sports.

They requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the situation.

Billups had mulled the job for nearly two weeks before deciding he wasn’t ready to join an NBA front office.

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Several factors played a role in his decision: family, his ESPN job, his involvement with the Big3 league and the prospect of working for Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, who has had three general managers since buying the team in 2005.

“We want him to play in the Big3, of course, but we wish him well if he decides to take the job in Cleveland,” Big3 founder Ice Cube said. “Our league is player friendly in every way you can think about. We want him to be happy and successful in whatever he does, but I'd rather see him with a basketball in his hand."

Billups also parlayed his interest in the Cavs job into an increase in pay from ESPN, two people familiar with the situation told USA TODAY Sports. They requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation. That made his choice more palatable for Billups.

Billups' decision to pass on the job puts the Cavs back at square one in their search for a top front-office executive. Cleveland parted ways with then-general manager David Griffin and then-vice president of basketball operations just before the draft.

Though the Cavs didn’t have a draft pick, they operated through the draft and the start of free agency without a general manager or president of basketball operations. Assistant general manager Koby Altman has handled free agency and trade possibilities.

Cleveland reached free-agent deals with veteran guards Kyle Korver and Jose Calderon over the weekend.

Contributing: A.J. Perez

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