Even though he’s played for his hometown Nuggets, the New York Knicks and now, the Los Angeles Clippers in that short span, (Chauncey) Billups still talks as if the Pistons hold the biggest piece of his basketball heart.

“Honestly in my heart, I still feel like if they didn’t make that move and move me, we’d still be an elite team in the league,” Billups said. “Of course you have to make some changes, (adding) the young guys.”

“I still had some great, great years left,” Billups said. “I never wanted to leave, even though I was home (Denver) and it was good to be home, I always wanted to be a Piston. I wanted to retire a Piston.”

If it sounds like a conflicted man having trouble comprehending the “why” behind a move that’s occurred so many times in his career, you’re right.

“I’m still … Even though I’m over it, I still don’t get it,” said Billups with a slight chuckle. “It wasn’t like I was 36 or 37 and I couldn’t rock anymore. I was still rocking. I was still in my prime.”

via Vincent Goodwill of The Detroit News