The NBA season has been hit hard by an early gambling scandal and a series of arrests involving figures around the league. Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and former player turned coach Damon Jones are accused of either influencing bets or tipping off friends to wager on prop bets using inside information involving injuries.
Meanwhile, Chauncey Billups’ arrest involves allegations of providing tips and participating in rigged high-stakes poker games tied to organized crime. Billups was reportedly one of several famous names used to lure wealthy bettors into games they had no chance of winning.
Journalist Pablo Torre, who recently broke the Kawhi Leonard–Endeavor scandal, has once again found himself at the center of reporting controversy. Torre reported that Los Angeles Clippers head coach Ty Lue may also be involved and is accused of serving a similar role to Billups of acting as a recognizable name at these illicit poker games.
Ty Lue & Billups Have Deep Friendship
Lue and Billups share a close friendship that dates back to their playing days and has continued into their coaching careers. The term “face card” has been used to describe Lue’s role as one of the celebrities and public figures who helped attract wealthy gamblers to these games allegedly designed to swindle them.
Torre shared the following to confirm they weren’t seated together:
“Now, sources say that Lue did not play at the same table as Chauncey Billups — the man Lue recently called his best friend, and also the man whom Lue would hire as a Clippers assistant himself the very next year, 2020, once Lue got his current head job.”
Torre added that Lue lives in Las Vegas and has a reputation for playing poker in his free time. Another notable detail raised by Torre is that Damon Jones also has strong ties to Lue and considers him one of his best friends, dating back to their time together on the Cleveland Cavaliers coaching staff during the 2010s. Both men were hired in part due to their connections with LeBron James and his influence within the organization.
Lue Recently Defended Billups To Media
The shocking arrest of Billups not only cost the Portland Trail Blazers their head coach but also sent shockwaves throughout the league, prompting widespread reaction. Lue went out of his way to defend his longtime friend, praising Billups’ integrity and insisting that his word should be trusted.
“I know who he is as a person,” Lue told reporters. “I’ve been with him since I was 17 years old.” Both point guards entered the NBA around the same time, chasing their dreams on parallel paths. Lue earned respect as a dependable backup and defensive specialist who contributed to multiple winning teams, while Billups became a five-time All-Star and NBA Finals MVP for the 2004 Detroit Pistons.
Their shared history represents the fraternity of NBA brotherhood, built on loyalty and mutual respect. Unfortunately, that connection has now led to more scrutiny regarding Lue’s possible involvement. Torre, who previously broke the Leonard–Endeavor report using sources within the Clippers organization, has once again placed Lue’s name in the spotlight, this time in connection to the gambling scandal.
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