Look at that smile. That’s a 60 million dollar smile! Chauncey Billups will be returning to the Detroit Pistons after signing a four-year 60 million dollar contract this past summer. Good thing for fantasy owners because Chauncey has had his best statistical years under Pistons Coach Flip Saunders. Billups is the calming floor general for the Pistons’ offense and is the yin to the volatile Rasheed Wallace’s yang. Harmony. Chant with me. Ohmmmm…now follow me through the four yoga flows for the downward dog sequence.

Ha! Can you imagine Rasheed Wallace doing yoga?!?!  Sorry, I digress. Billups will be fresh from his summer run with Team USA when the season starts, but should continue his positive contribution to fantasy teams the games count.

Round 3, Pick 5: Chauncey Billups, PG, Detroit Pistons

Check out Billups’ numbers the last two seasons under Saunders:

‘05-‘06 GP 81– 18.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 8.6 apg, 0.9 spg, 0.1 bpg, 2.3 threes, 2.1 topg, 41.8 FG%, 89.4 FT%, 43.3 3PT%
’06-’07 GP 70 – 17.0 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 7.2 apg, 1.2 spg, 0.2 bpg, 1.6 threes, 2.0 topg, 42.7 FG%, 88.3 FT%, 34.5 3PT%

Billups’ offensive game has flourished under Coach Saunders. Billups is strong enough to post up smaller PGs and as a result, he does get to the line frequently (averaging at least six trips per game in the last two seasons) where he is money from the stripe (last season: 88.3 FT%). Leagues that include turnovers pay close attention; Chauncey’s 2.0 turnovers/game was the lowest amongst PG that averaged at least seven assists/games with Billups averaging a 3.59 assist per turnover ratio, good for second in the league.

Billups’ three-point prowess took a hit last season, however, as Billups drained “only” 1.6 moneyballs/game at a 34.8% clip which was a season-low for Billups as a Piston. Most of the blame for his drop could be attributed to a sore groin and right leg problem that robbed him of some lift in his jump shot. You can expect Chauncey this season to average close to two three-balls/game at his career average of 38.4 3PT%. Speaking of injuries, the 12 games missed last season were the most games he missed in the last seven seasons. Billups has been fairly durable and in the new millennium (‘00-’01 to ‘05-’06) prior to last season has only missed an average 3.3 games/season.

Billups’ hustle stats are Abercrombie & Fitch catalog attractive but not quite Victoria Secret catalog sexy. Chauncey’s 3.4 rebounds/game ranks him fifth amongst PG, just below Steve Nash’s 3.5 rebs/game and slightly better than Deron Williams 3.3 average. Billups has never been a big steals guy, but last season his 1.2 steals/game was slightly better than his career average of 1.0. Anything more than a steal/game is gravy on your double order of fries.

I like the chi of this fantasy team. Billups will mesh well with Dirk Nowitzki and Tim Duncan. Dirk and Billups help offset Duncan’s shortcomings from the free throw line while Duncan and Dirk will help offset Billups FG%. Assists and turnovers are looking solid for this team. Duncan is the anchor in the rebounding and blocks department, so maybe I’ll need to look for a steals guy in the next couple of rounds.

Other Players on this Fantasy Team:

1.5. Dirk Nowitzki, PF, Dallas Mavericks
2.8. Tim Duncan, PF/C, San Antonio Spurs

Previous Picks This Round:

3.1. Paul Pierce, SG/SF, Boston Celtics
3.2. Marcus Camby, C, Denver Nuggets
3.3. Baron Davis, PG, Golden State Warriors
3.4. Deron Williams, PG, Utah Jazz

Previous Round Selections
Round One Recap
Round Two Recap