Spin move: Billups withdraws from Cavs’ front-office job
CLEVELAND » Chauncey Billups spun away from the Cavaliers.
After discussing a lead role in Cleveland’s front office, Billups withdrew from consideration Monday. The former All-Star guard had been in discussions with Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert about joining the Eastern Conference champions, but Billups said the “timing just isn’t right.”
The Cavs have been looking for a general manager since David Griffin parted with the club just before the draft. Griffin helped guide Cleveland to three straight Finals appearances but could not resolve issues with Gilbert, who has yet to give a contract extension to any of the four GMs who have worked for him since 2005.
Billups met with Gilbert in Detroit and Cleveland. The 40-year-old does not have any front-office experience, but his solid reputation attracted him to Gilbert, who has known him since he played for the Pistons. It is believed Gilbert asked Billups to be the president of basketball operations.
Billups released a statement to ESPN on his decision. He’s an analyst for the network.
“I have great respect for Dan Gilbert and the Cleveland Cavaliers, and I greatly appreciate the discussions we had regarding their organization,” Billups said. “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, who has strong roots in Denver, previously interviewed for Atlanta’s GM opening.
Cavaliers assistant GM Koby Altman is leading Cleveland’s front office during free agency, and it’s possible he will assume the role full-time.
After shock win over Pacquiao, Horn ignoring the criticism
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA » Manny Pacquiao had already left town without saying much, even as criticism of the referee in the WBO welterweight world title fight and the judges who awarded a unanimous points decision to a previously almost anonymous Jeff Horn was still pouring in on social media.
The 29-year-old Horn, a former schoolteacher who was given almost no hope of beating the 11-time world champion, was feted by fans and politicians in his hometown on Monday and didn’t care too much about criticism — which started in a TV interview as soon as he left the ring on Sunday after the Battle of Brisbane.
“There will always be a backlash where people say I got lucky, or whatever. There will always be the naysayers saying I didn’t win the fight, but I felt like I won the fight,” Horn, now unbeaten in his 18 fights since turning professional in 2013, said as he basked in the victory on Monday. “Everyone has a right to their opinion. I’m sure I’ve (gained) a lot more fans over there than I’ve lost.”
Pacquiao skipped the formal post-fight news conference, his camp saying he needed to get seven stitches in each of the cuts on the top of his head, and also declined other interviews in the dressing room.
Some critics described the result as a robbery and questioned the integrity of the sport.
Immediately after the fight, Pacquiao said he had to respect the decision and noted that he had a clause for a rematch, but he later told a Philippines news channel that he’d been confident he’d won the fight.
His trainers were critical of the referee for not doing more to stop or penalize head clashes and neck holds. And they highlighted statistics that showed Pacquiao threw twice as many punches.
In an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel, Pacquiao thanked some high-profile supporters for letting their feelings be known.
Sagan wins Tour de France Stage 3
LONGWY, FRANCE » Shaking off an equipment glitch in the furious finishing sprint, Peter Sagan bagged his eighth career Tour de France stage victory on Monday with an impressive display of power and quick-thinking on a short, sharp final uphill dash.
Geraint Thomas of Team Sky retained the yellow jersey he’s held since the opening stage in Germany, as the race swung into France, to the former steel town of Longwy. But he is not planning to hold onto it for ever: The team’s goal is for three-time champion Chris Froome to be wearing the jersey when the Tour rolls into Paris on July 23.