Of all the Pistons’ veterans, Billups’ name has been most prominently mentioned in fantastical trade scenarios ever since president of basketball operations Joe Dumars declared there were “no sacred cows.”

With the emergence of guard Rodney Stuckey late in his rookie season, Billups became the veteran that outsiders deemed the most expendable. And so the rumor mill began to turn: Billups to Denver, his hometown. Billups to Golden State, which needed a point guard after Baron Davis exited. Billups to Houston for Tracy McGrady.

Billups has heard them all, but nothing from Dumars – until Monday.

Billups and Dumars, who had not even spoken on the phone since the season ended, met in the clubhouse at the Birmingham Country Club, where Billups was hosting a charity golf event.

“We had a good talk,” Billups said. “I think with all the stuff swirling, circulating we knew at some point we had to sit face-to-face. Because that’s the relationship we have anyway. So today was a good opportunity.

“We cleared some things up,” he said. “It was a good conversation.”

After talking with Dumars, Billups met with the media for nearly 25 minutes. Several times during the interview he expressed an appreciation for Dumars’ stated desire to improve the team, and, should he be dealt to further that cause, he would not leave personally wounded. “He came out and said, ‘no sacred cows,’” Billups said. “There never should be anyway, if you can get better.”

He also didn’t hesitate when asked if he would be a Piston next season.

“Yeah,” he said. “Without a doubt.”

’I signed back … to finish my career as a Piston.’

Just a year ago at this charity event, benefiting The Children’s Center, Billups met with the media under entirely different circumstances. An unrestricted free agent, Billups had just signed a new five-year contract with the Pistons. At the time, he presumably felt the deal would have shielded him from precisely the type of uncertainty he now faces.

“The thing about it is when I signed back last year, I signed back with the expectation it was pretty much established I was going to finish my career a Piston,” Billups said. “Now you never know what can happen. This is the NBA, this is basketball, this is business; you never know what can happen. But it was understood that’s why I was signing back – to end my career as a Detroit Piston. That’s what it was all about and that’s why I did it.”

Billups, married with three young daughters, craved the kind of stability his $60 million deal appeared to provide. Especially after his well documented travels upon entering the league: he was traded midway through his rookie season by the Celtics, who had just drafted him No. 3 overall, then dealt twice more the next two seasons. By the end of his fourth campaign, he had already worn five different jerseys.

“Had I not gone through that, this would probably be tough,” he said. “It’s really not that big of a deal right now at this point.”

Billups was a cast-off in earlier deals, not yet the NBA Finals MVP he would blossom into as a Piston. A three-time All-Star with considerable value, Billups admits there is a dose of flattery in the trade talk. “You’ve got to be wanted for your name to be out there,” he said.

But the rumors – especially ones so enthusiastically endorsed by some sectors of the fan base, eager to add a flashy scorer like McGrady or Carmelo Anthony – also made Billups wonder what he had done to shoulder so much of the blame for the Pistons’ third straight defeat in the conference finals, Stuckey’s presence notwithstanding.

“I know that as a team, we all hold ourselves accountable and we all take responsibility,” he said. “But it felt like my name was the only one out there, and so it’s like, ‘Man, they’re putting all of this on me.’ That’s just a natural thing that you feel.”

’I love Detroit, man, everything about it.’

A less seasoned pro with a more stable career start might have been proactive in securing a vote of confidence from Dumars. That was the case for Anthony, whose frustration with trade rumors in June prompted a meeting between his representatives and the Nuggets’ front office to ascertain his future with the franchise.

But “Smooth” never picked up the phone, unconvinced anything bandied about in the media was worthy of contemplation. “I’ve got a great agent [in Andy Miller] who talks to a lot of people, and, like I said, me and Joe have a good relationship too, so a lot of the stuff I knew never even had wings, never even had legs,” he said.

A more insecure player – less smooth, if you will – might also have rushed to judgment, and, believing their team was shopping him, demanded the trade they presumed was coming anyway. But Billups, who will be 32 when his 12th NBA season begins in November, said the rumors were “not that big of a thing” to make him turn his back on Detroit. He’ll keep coming back for charitable events like Monday’s golf outing as long as the Pistons will let him.

“I love Detroit, man, everything about it. That doesn’t change, man. It’s just a little adversity going on,” he said. “One thing I’m never going to do is jeopardize my character in the face of a little adversity. I’m never going to do that, no matter what.”

Billups did not just talk about his situation Monday. He gave his insights on new head coach Michael Curry, how he’s different from Flip Saunders, and why the team’s veteran core is not too old to win it all. Read about it at Pistons.com in Part 2 of “Chauncey Speaks.”