Chauncey Billups, the Portland Trail Blazers' head coach since 2021, has traditionally focused on the NBA Draft in late June. However, this year, Billups was absent from the Blazers' decision-making as the team welcomed Micah Nori, former assistant coach with the Minnesota Timberwolves, as the new head coach. This change follows Tiago Splitter's departure earlier this month to lead the Chicago Bulls after serving as the interim coach.
Billups has been on leave from the Blazers since October 2022, after his arrest tied to a prominent illegal poker investigation. His absence from the draft raises serious doubts about his future with the team, particularly as the Blazers reached the playoffs this season for the first time since 2021. The ongoing trial related to his case is expected to affect his chance of returning for the 2026-27 season.
In June, Billups appeared at a federal courthouse in Brooklyn as part of his legal proceedings. He is one of 31 defendants indicted in a wide-ranging gambling case that has attracted significant media attention. He pled not guilty to felony charges, including conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud.
The indictment claims that the defendants swindled poker victims out of $7 million through various deceptions, including the use of advanced technology to cheat in games. Although Billups is not accused of directly cheating players, he is described in legal documents as a 'face card,' a term referring to celebrity participants used to entice players into underground poker games. Prosecutors allege that he received a $50,000 wire transfer related to the operations following an October 2020 game.
Outside the courthouse, Billups' attorney asserted his client's innocence despite the serious accusations, which could carry a 20-year prison sentence for each charge if convicted.
In the same case, six co-defendants have pleaded guilty, including former NBA player Damon Jones in a separate betting matter. Another defendant, Robert Stroud, allegedly supplied a rigged shuffling machine utilized in a poker game attended by Billups. Text messages revealed intentions to manipulate game outcomes to avoid suspicion.
Prosecutors have amassed extensive evidence, including 259 hours of recordings and 2.1 terabytes of data from the defendants’ electronic devices. Due to the number of defendants, the court has organized them into three trial groups. The trial is tentatively set to commence on November 2, with Billups placed in 'Trial Group 3' alongside seven others. The next status conference is set for September 10.
