Chauncey Billups, who missed the final 46 games of the regular season after tearing his left Achilles tendon, said returning to the Clippers is something he would like to do.

"I'm definitely going to give this a huge amount of consideration this summer. I feel like we've got some unfinished business a little bit," Billups said. "You never know what direction the team is going, if they even want me back. I've learned not to really assume nothing.

"I don't know if this is going to be my last time here. But if it is, I had a good time. But if not, I'm looking forward to continuing. I'm definitely going to be back playing next year. For sure and you can believe that. Believe it."

Billups was claimed off waivers by the Clippers on Dec. 12, two days before Chris Paul was traded to the Clippers

Mo Williams will not opt out of his $8.5 million player option with the Clippers for the 12-13 season.

"No," Williams said when asked if he would opt-out this summer. "I can tell you that right now."

Williams averaged 13.2 points and 3.1 assists per game in a reserve role.

"This is my first time in this position. I don't think about it when I'm playing," Williams said. "I haven't thought about it. I pay a good man four percent of my money, so he'll make a good decision for me."

The Clippers were swept by the Spurs on Sunday, but the team is already looking ahead to the future.

Blake Griffin is eligible for an extension this summer, while Chris Paul is under contract for just one more season.

The Clippers are confident, however, that both players will be retained for the long-term.

"I feel those things are going to get done," Clippers president Andy Roeser told ESPNLosAngeles.com. "The important thing is that we have to do other things to improve the team. But I believe we'll do those things and ultimately I believe those two players (Griffin and Paul) are going to play out their careers here."

Griffin will receive a max contract offer from the Clippers when he becomes eligible on July 1st. But Griffin hasn't thought about his options.

"I haven't given it one ounce of thought," Griffin said. "That's been the furthest thing from my mind, honestly. I know that's kind of the popular thing to say, but I haven't thought about it. I'll get to that when it comes."

A source close to the situation says Paul has given the Clippers indications he intends to remain with the team long-term.

Both Griffin and Paul are curious to see what moves the Clippers make during the offseason to improve.

The NBPA is asking an arbitrator to clarify free agent Bird rights in how it impacts players through waivers.

The NBA contends that a team that claims a player through waivers loses Bird rights.

If the union is successful in their argument, the Knicks could sign both Jeremy Lin and Steve Novak without using their $5 million midlevel exception.

The case also impacts J.J. Hickson with the Blazers and Chauncey Billups of the Clippers.

The Knicks could re-sign J.R. Smith using their mid-level if the arbitrator rules in the favor of the union.

“I think we feel very strongly about the case,” said Novak’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, adding, “I don’t think the players association would go through the exercise if they didn’t feel strongly about the merits.”

Chris Paul was a late-bloomer who grew eight inches between his sophomore and junior years of high school.

“I loved the Tar Heels,” Paul said, smiling. “I grew up following North Carolina. It was 13 miles away from my home in Lewisville. Since I was a little kid, that was the only school I wanted to play for.”

Paul led his high school team to a 26-4 record during his senior season and shortly thereafter received the scholarship offer he had coveted.

“I had waited patiently for that day to come,” Paul said, recalling that he could initially only get UNC to encourage him to walk-on. “I wanted to know I was good enough to get one. As soon as it was offered, I called coach [Skip Prosser] and committed to Wake Forest.”

Blake Griffin managed eight points, four rebounds and two blocked shots in Game 7 of the Clippers’ first-round series against Memphis despite a sprained left knee that limited his jumping ability.

"There just were movements I couldn't do and I wanted to do," Griffin said. "And I don't want to ever put my teammates in a situation where I feel like I'm hurting them, where physically I can't do what I need to do."

Griffin intends to play when the Clippers open their second round series against the Spurs on Tuesday.

"No, I'm not going to sit out," Griffin said. "It's a matter of rest."

Blake Griffin and Chris Paul are listed as game time decisions for Game 6 against Memphis.

Griffin sprained his left knee in Game 5, but an MRI confirmed no structural damage.

PAul suffered a strained right hip flexor.

Blake Griffin sprained his left knee, while Chris Paul endured a strained right hip flexor and jammed middle finger during their Game 5 loss at Memphis on Wednesday.

Griffin took a hard foul from Marc Gasol in the third quarter in which his knee was injured.

"It was just kind of a weird play," Griffin said. "My foot got caught under me, and I kind of came down wrong. It was scary at first."

Griffin remained in the game to shoot free throws and for the remainder of the quarter before being treated on the bench.

"Our chiropractor did some stuff and it felt a little better, but then as I was out there more -- I don't want to say it got worse and worse, but it started to stiffen up," Griffin said. "The good thing is there's not much swelling." 

Griffin was able to return, but will undergo an MRI on Thursday.

Caron Butler hopes he will be able to return during the Clippers' first round series against Memphis.

Butler sustained a broken hand in Game 1 and the original diagnosis was that he would miss four to six weeks.

"I haven't done anything with a basketball yet, but I do know that I injured it early in the third quarter and I still was able to play and be effective," Butler said. "I just knew something was wrong and I knew something wasn't feeling right. I'll go see the specialist tomorrow and see what they come up with."

Butler will see a hand specialist on Thursday.

With the Clippers already missing Caron Butler and Chauncey Billups, three players sustained injuries in Game 2.

Mo Williams had a right forearm contusion, Eric Bledsoe had a left elbow contusion and Nick Young sprained his right thumb.

Butler, Williams, Bledsoe and Young sustained their injuries in the first two games of their series against a physical Grizzlies' team.

"That's what they do," Bledsoe said. "They're real physical. We've just got to get used to it."

Williams, Bledsoe and Young are each considered day to day. 

"Hopefully everybody will be OK because there isn't anybody left," said Chris Paul, who has been dealing with a mild groin sprain.

Said Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro: "We'll tape them up and see who can go the next game. We've got a few days in between, so hopefully they can heal up fast. We're going to need everybody."