Billups would love to return to Knicks

GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- Will Chauncey Billups be back with the Knicks next season? It is believed that Billups and the Knicks want that to occur, but the circumstances and timing are a bit complicated.

The Knicks have until Friday to decide whether to waive Billups, 34. He is due to make $14.2 million next season, the final year of his contract. But because only $3.7 million is guaranteed, they could buy him out for that sum, making him a free agent.

Even if the Knicks do waive him, he could end up playing for them next season. The Knicks could do something similar to what the Spurs did with Richard Jefferson last summer: Waive Billups and re-sign him as a free agent after July 1 to a longer contract for less money per season. This would free up cap space to pursue other free agents.

The danger is that he would sign elsewhere, but he said Monday, "I want to be back. I loved being a Knick this year. It was a great time. I would love to be a part of bringing championship-caliber basketball back to the city."

Billups spoke after his exit meeting with Mike D'Antoni and Donnie Walsh, who were unavailable for comment.

"If Chauncey is back, that would be great for us," Amar'e Stoudemire said. "He brings great leadership to the team."

The Knicks' season ended Sunday when the Celtics swept them in the first round of the playoffs. Billups missed the series' final three games after straining a knee tendon late in Game 1. He also missed six games in March because of a deep thigh bruise, but he takes issue with those who believe he is getting too old and too injury-prone. "My game is not a jumping game or speed game," he said. "My game is more mental. I'm going to outsmart you . . . Kind of the old-school way of playing, throwback way of playing. I'm able to do that for a long time as long as I'm healthy."

The Knicks went 14-14 after acquiring Carmelo Anthony and Billups from the Nuggets, finishing 42-40 for the franchise's first winning record in 10 years. Billups believes that a team like the Knicks, one built around Stoudemire and Anthony, needs a veteran point guard to provide leadership.

"I think it's important to have someone at the position -- especially playing with Amar'e and Melo -- who has won, and they have to respect the body of his work," he said. "Because those two guys are alpha males, and if you are a young player, you can feel dominated. But they know they can't do that to me."

Billups has one championship, has reached two NBA Finals and seven conference finals since 2003, and was the NBA Finals MVP in 2004. He said he believes the Knicks are a team "on the way up" and would like to be along for that ride.

The Dolan family owns

controlling interests in the Knicks, MSG and Cablevision. Cablevision owns Newsday.