Blake proved himself to be an important part of this Rockets team last season.

He averaged 10.3 points and 3.6 assists per game in the regular season, and improved to 12.6 points and 4.3 assists in the playoffs, shooting 46% from three-point range.

With such a performance, the Rockets will definitely sign a contract of about 4 million, and 6 million can also be considered, but if it is 8 million a year, it will be a bit too premium.

This year, the NBA announced salary cap of $55.63 million, because of the three big contracts of Yao Mai and Huo Ershu, if they are forcibly signed, the Rockets will have little room to operate in the rest of this offseason.

Negotiations between the two sides are ongoing, but there is no good progress.

Without Blake, the Rockets' starting point guard for the new season will only be Alston, which is a return to the old path from the beginning of last season.

This was obviously not what Tang Tian wanted to see, and he also looked at the free market.

Just then, a name appeared that made his heart flutter.

Chauncey Billups.

Billups announced his choice to jump out of his contract this offseason to test the waters of free agency this year.

Originally, the team's champion was the hero of the team, and he played for the team for 5 consecutive years, and the contract renewal should have been finalized at the moment when the freeze period ended, but now the two sides are in a stalemate.

Billups was expecting a five-year, $75 million contract, but the Pistons refused to even offer a five-year, $60 million contract.

To say that Pistons owner Bill Davidson, although a billionaire and philanthropic, is not so generous to his team's players, Ben Wallace finally left Detroit last year because of the big difference in contract renewal salary.

Although Billups finally renewed his contract with the Pistons in his previous life, it was Billups himself who chose to compromise in the end.

When Tang Tian thought of this, he couldn't hold back his excitement and went to find Morey.

Morey is also interested in recruiting Billups, but he is not very optimistic, first, it is difficult for the Pistons to release people, and secondly, it really takes 75 million for 5 years, and the Rockets can't afford to give such a big contract.

Tang Tian didn't give up, this thing worked hard, if Billups really wanted to come, he would just find a way to clear the space when the time came.

In the end, the two reached an agreement.

As long as Billups is willing to come and is willing to sign a five-year, 60 million contract with the previous revelation, the Rockets will try to clear space.

With this agreement, Tang Tian got on the plane to Detroit.

On the plane, for the first time after the crossing, he couldn't sit still with some excitement.

The best point guard for Yao Ming is one of the most discussed questions by fans in previous lives, and Billups's name is bound to appear in every survey result.

Can shoot threes, can play, can defend, have experience, can control the court......

Although Billups is a grassroots FMVP, he is a late bloomer, but his strength is one of the strongest guards in the league.

Back in the day, Billups, who was at the end of his career, also took Anthony to the Western Conference Finals, and his strength can be seen.

At the age of 30, he is the pinnacle of a point guard, and if he can really be found, the Rockets are also a real Big Three, and they are really not afraid of the Lakers or the Celtics.

After getting off the plane, Tang Tian stayed in the hotel, asked his assistant to make an appointment with Billups, and then went directly to visit.

Billups, who has played for the Pistons for five years and has already made his home in Detroit, lives in a luxury villa in a wealthy neighborhood, and when Tang Tian enters, he is playing on the lawn with his daughter.

Seeing Tang Tian coming, Billups asked his wife to look at his daughter, and walked quickly towards him.

"Hey, Coach Tang, welcome~" Billups smiled and stretched out his hand to Tang Tian, his expression was very respectful.

Tang Tian is now the head coach of the Rockets, and the head coach visits free agents, which is a big importance.

"Hey, Chauncey, your daughter is cute." Tang Tian said with a smile when he shook hands.

"Thanks, let's go, let's go inside and talk, Pibe, get us some coffee." Billups said and turned back to greet his wife.

Entering the living room, after the two of them sat down, they first chatted politely about some homely things.

After chatting for a while, Billups' wife served coffee to the two of them, and then walked back.

After drinking some coffee, he felt that the two of them were almost the same, and Tang Tian then got straight to the point.

"Chauncey, you should be able to guess what my purpose was for coming to you, how, is there any interest in playing for the Rockets?"

Billups was stunned for a moment, then laughed: "Coach, you speak more directly than Joe. ”

(Note: Joe refers to Joe Thomas, then the Pistons general manager.) ）

"If you don't order it directly, the coffee will cool down quickly." Tang Tian said jokingly, and took a sip of coffee after speaking.

Billups was amused by Tang Tian's humor again, and after waiting for a while, he put away his smile.

"Honestly, I'm used to being in Detroit and my teammates, so I want to stay with the Pistons." Billups said sincerely, and could feel that this was his heart.

Sure enough, it's not that easy, in my memory, Billups is still more affectionate, and jumping out of the contract this time is also a routine operation, after all, for the 30-year-old, this is basically the last big contract in his career.

"The Pistons need to change, either this year or next year, you're so smart, you should know that, right?" Tang Tian didn't give up and said.

Billups didn't speak, he was acquiescing.

The Pistons' salary space exploded after winning the championship, when Ben Wallace had to renew his contract, but then Rasheed Wallace, Hamilton also had to renew his contract, then Billups this season, and finally Prince.

For NBA teams to remain competitive all the time, they need to have excellent rookies and high-quality players with base salaries, and it is simply unrealistic for all five to have large contracts, which is why the Pistons did not have a big contract extension Ben Wallace, and they also have options.

"You have been in the league longer than me, you should be very aware of the cruelty of the NBA, as soon as you renew your contract, the team space is locked, you old guys want to win the championship again, it is not realistic for you old guys to win the championship again, at most next year, you will fail to win the championship again, and it will be inevitable to dissolve at that time, and you with the most transaction value are probably the first to be swept away, right?"

"Would you rather be a free agent and choose a more promising team? Or would you rather stay on a hopeless team and end up being swept away? ”

Tang Tian's words are not alarmist, in fact, Billups was the first to be traded in his previous life, and Billups admitted to the media more than once later that he should not renew the Pistons in 07.

Billups looked up at Tang Tian at this time, and stopped talking.

Obviously, Tang Tian's words have reached his heart, which is why he has to force the team to give him 75 million for 5 years, he wants to see how much the team values him.

If he is not even willing to pay for Extravagance, then I am afraid that it is really like Tang Tian said, it is only a matter of time before he is traded.