'I didn't even know he was a gambler': How the Blazers and NBA are grappling with Chauncey Billups' stunning downfall

FOR A FEW hours past Thursday, it was a comparatively mean greeting for Jrue Holiday and his Portland Trail Blazers teammates.

Most of them had turned their phones disconnected hoping to slumber successful aft a late-night season-opening loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The biggest contented Holiday faced was whether his kids would fto him slumber past 8 a.m.

But erstwhile greeting came and helium checked his phone, helium knew thing astir this play was going to beryllium mean again. For immoderate of them.

His coach, Chauncey Billups, the Hall of Fame subordinate who had been guiding Portland done its rebuild the past 5 seasons, was successful national custody. Billups had been arrested by the FBI successful a predawn raid successful transportation with a national probe into rigged poker games and was implicated successful a abstracted probe into amerciable gambling connected NBA games.

The quality was everywhere.

Holiday didn't person a agelong past with Billups, but helium thought helium knew his manager good enough.

Two years ago, aft Holiday had been traded to Portland from the Milwaukee Bucks successful a blockbuster woody for Damian Lillard, Billups had called to archer him that helium would emotion to person Holiday arsenic a seasoned person connected the squad arsenic it began its rebuild. But helium besides wanted to cognize wherever Holiday's caput and bosom were, too. Holiday had won a title with the Bucks successful 2021 and astatine 33, was inactive a profoundly impactful player.

Holiday told Billups helium preferred to beryllium connected a contending team, and the Blazers worked with him and his representatives to find a trade (ultimately to the Boston Celtics) that worked for some sides. The Blazers got backmost promising young halfway Robert Williams III, Malcolm Brogdon and 2 first-round draught picks. The Celtics got Holiday, who proved captious to their title tally successful 2024.

"Chauncey truly did maine a coagulated the archetypal clip I was traded here, conscionable being capable to spot things done my lens and inquire maine what I wanted," Holiday told ESPN. "Not galore coaches would bash that. But helium understood due to the fact that helium was besides a subordinate successful this league."

This summer, circumstances had changed. The Celtics were looking to shed wage and retool, portion superstar guardant Jayson Tatum was retired with a torn Achilles' tendon. And the Blazers were looking to adhd veterans specified arsenic Holiday, who could assistance elevate their young halfway of Deni Avdija, Shaedon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson, Toumani Camara and Read Entire Article