CLEVELAND -- Chauncey Billups once competed against the Cleveland Cavaliers as a player. He could be joining them as an executive.
Billups met with team owner Dan Gilbert on Wednesday for the second straight day to discuss a front-office position with the Cavaliers, who are regrouping after losing to Golden State in the NBA Finals.
Gilbert could be close to offering a job to Billups, according to a person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks. 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.
Billups was in Cleveland, but as of 7 p.m. EDT there was no official agreement in place. The 40-year-old is likely weighing whether Cleveland is a good spot for him to begin a new career, given the team's recent upheaval and that superstar LeBron James will be eligible for free agency after next season.
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. Trent Redden, who served as the senior vice president of basketball operations, is also not returning next season.
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 (see full story).
Wizards: Frazier acquired from Pelicans for pick
WASHINGTON -- The Washington Wizards have acquired point guard Tim Frazier from the New Orleans Pelicans for a second-round pick in the NBA draft.
NBA
Wednesday's deal gives the Pelicans the No. 52 overall selection Thursday night.
That was the only pick Washington had this year. Its first-rounder went to Brooklyn in the Bojan Bogdanovic deal at the trade deadline.
The 6-foot-1, 170-pound Frazier has averaged 6.2 points, 4.4 assists and 2.4 rebounds in three NBA seasons with New Orleans, Philadelphia and Portland. He has played in 127 regular-season games, making 40 starts.
Last season, he averaged 7.1 points and 5.2 assists for the Pelicans in 65 games, including 35 starts.
With Washington, Frazier could be the primary backup to All-Star point guard John Wall.
Lakers: Young declines contract option for next season
LOS ANGELES -- Nick Young will be an unrestricted free agent this summer after declining his $5.66 million contract option for next season with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Lakers announced Young's decision Wednesday.
Young has spent four tumultuous seasons with the Lakers, averaging 13.1 points and 2.3 rebounds over 220 games.
The Los Angeles native realized a childhood dream by joining the Lakers, but the 10-year NBA veteran's tenure has coincided with the worst four-year stretch in the 16-time NBA champions' history.
After struggling on the court during the 2015-16 season and enduring upheaval in his personal life due to an infamous video scandal with then-rookie D'Angelo Russell, Young enjoyed a career revival last season under new coach Luke Walton. Young averaged 13.2 points while hitting 40.4 percent of his 3-pointers.
Hornets: Coach says Howard can return to All-Star level
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Charlotte coach Steve Clifford is confident he can help newly acquired Hornets center Dwight Howard become a dominant force and an NBA All-Star again.
Clifford is familiar with Howard, having coached him for six seasons as an assistant in Orlando and Los Angeles.
"I know what he has to do to play well," Clifford said Wednesday. "He understands that I know him. I know his game. Being around him in different settings I have a feel for what he likes to do... There is no reason he can't get back to playing at a really high level."
General manager Rich Cho said Clifford's familiarity with Howard is a major reason the Hornets pulled the trigger on a trade that sent guard Marco Belinelli, center Miles Plumlee and the No. 41 overall pick in the NBA draft to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Howard and the No. 31 overall pick. It meant taking on Howard's contract, which will pay him $47 million over the next two seasons.
Now the question becomes if Howard can bounce back from two tumultuous seasons in Atlanta and Houston, and also fit in in Charlotte.
Howard was an NBA All-Star eight straight seasons from 2007-14. But Howard didn't play in the fourth quarter two of Atlanta's first-round playoff games last season, something that irked the 13-year NBA veteran. Atlanta dealt Howard to Charlotte just one year into a three-year, $74 million contract (see full story).