E Da Old Tymer

What is going on in the world of the NBA?  You would think there are enough issues on the plate of commissioner Adam Silver’s plate but as Smashmouth once famously said, “they don’t stop coming”.  Today, various new outlets haves reported two separate instances of misconduct in the prestigious basketball league.

The first, and possibly the more serious matter, involves the current Portland Trailblazers head coach, Chauncey Billups.  Billups, 49, is being charged with money laundry and wire fraud for allegedly participating in an illegal poker operation.  According to U.S. Attorney Jospeh Nocella, Jr., these illegal games were rigged to the advantage of the game runners, using technology such as x-ray devices to read cards while laying face down on the table as well as tampered shuffling machines.  Other basketball players attended these games to give an appearance of legitimacy and credibility.  These games were organized as early as 2019, originating in the Hamptons and branched out to Miami and Las Vegas.  These games also had ties to organized crime syndicates, with victims, some of which lost millions in the scheme, facing violence when refusing to pay their debts. 

FBI Director Kash Patel said that the fraud was “mind boggling” while speaking at a Brooklyn press conference where the charges were announced.  “We’re talking about tens of millions of dollars in theft, in, fraud, in robbery.”  The arrests were described as a “massive, nationwide takedown” by FBI Assistant Director Christopher Raia.  The 34 defendants arrested in connection with this scheme include current and former NBA coaches and players.  Members and associates of the Genovese, Bonano and Gambino mafia families have also been implicated.

Next up, we have what law officials have called an “overlapping” matter, involving current Miami Heat star Terry Rozier.

Rozier, along with former Cleveland Cavaliers player and assistant coach Damon Jones, have been arrested and charged wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy.  The alleged scheme also involves four other co-defendants who apparently passed along inside information obtained by Rozier and Jones, to a network of sports bettors who then placed bets with retail betting outlets and online sports book.  Using non-public information to place bets on sports is prohibited under these methods. 

According to the indictment, Rozier and Jones obtained non-public medical information about certain players which was sold to the co-defendants so they could make bets.  One instance where this occurred include when the Los Angeles Lakers played the Milwaukee Bucks back on February 9, 2023.  Jones allegedly sent a text message to one of the co-defendants instructing to “get a big bet on Milwaukee tonight before the information is out!  [Player 3] is out tonight.  Bet enough so DJones can eat.”  That “prominent” player did not play in that game.  Ironically, the Lakers lost that day’s match-up with the Bucks, possibly proving that crime, indeed, does not pay.

Both Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier have been placed on leave from their respective teams.  Reports indicate that the NBA fully cooperated with the investigations.  This is a developing story and more will be reported when available. 

Sources:  ABC News; New York Post