His No. 7 ain’t for Mickey Slaughter.
Chauncey Billups grew up during the John Elway era, when the young kid from Park Hill learned about excellence and swagger and drive. A few years and a few millions later, Billups is as big a Broncos fan in 2009 as he was in 1989. And he sees some No. 7 in No. 6, so like other Denverites, Jay Cutler’s trade demand saddened this No. 7.
“I love Jay Cutler — I love Jay Cutler,” the Nuggets all-star guard said. “I’ve been a huge Jay Cutler fan since the first day he’s been here. Hopefully they can work it out. But you never know.”
Unlike your average bar stool Broncos fan, C-Bill can relate, in some regard, to Jay-C demanding a trade from the Broncos. Billups has been traded like a Topps card in his NBA career, four times early in his career as he tried to establish himself. He knows the feeling of not being wanted, which is especially tough when you’re a high draft pick with equally high hopes.
“I see how he feels, especially for the first time,” Billups said. “I can see him being frustrated. But it’s a business, man, and a lot of people say that and it sounds like cliche, but in actuality, it is a business. When you learn that, the next few times it doesn’t hurt as bad. It’s probably not personal.”
Although Billups wants to see Cutler in a Broncos uniform, he also sees the team’s side of things.
“It’s a tough situation,” Billups said. “Say you know (you’re in trade talks), and they don’t get it done — now what do you do? If you don’t know it, and then in the eleventh hour, they tell you, I can respect that and appreciate that. But it’s tough.”
While things might seem hopeless at Dove Valley, there’s some hope at the Pepsi Center.
Nuggets coach George Karl believes the Broncos don’t need to give in to the trade demand because “there’s a period of time for rebuilding enthusiasm and to fix a breakdown in communication and relationships.”
As Karl pointed out: “The scenario with Kenyon Martin and I, we had our moments where the relationship was — whoosh — far, far apart. Now, we’re not best friends, but we’ve come to work it out and respect one another.”
