BREAKING: CHAUNCEY BILLUPS ARRESTED BY FBI FOR ILLEGAL GAMBLING (10 Viewers)

[Pinwheel1]

As far as coaching...I have to say Chauncey seemed way too happy after losses....Tiago, not so happy after losses. That speaks volumes to me.

Well, we were trying to tank, and now we are not

 

[Everything Beagle]

Well, we were trying to tank, and now we are not

With a poker face that bad, no wonder he was tapped to be a stooge in a rigged poker tournament

 

[Haakzilla]

WSJ op-ed says Billups is gonna walk >> https://archive.is/45l2r

 

[1 Eye Jack]

WSJ op-ed says Billups is gonna walk >> https://archive.is/45l2r

Who’s he giving up much larger fish

 

[Chris Craig]

Who’s he giving up much larger fish

Ratting out the mob? Not smart.

 

[kjironman1]

Ratting out the mob? Not smart.

Might get suicided?

 

[SharpesTriumph]

I don't know the legality but it still makes me uncomfortable. A person should have presumption of innocence. OTOH a lot of businesses would fire someone as soon as they are arrested. But the player having salary in escrow and coach forfeit just seems unjust. Fucked up however you slice it.

Presumption of innocence is a concept for criminal charges brought by the government. It has never had an impact on civil actions or private parties.

Being arrested is a clear violation of many if not most people's employment.

You can rightly be fired for being late to work, being slow at using excel, or for being rude, etc. You don't go to jail for any of those things either.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

No, escrow means if he's guilty he doesn't get the money, as far as I know. So the Blazers wouldn't have to try to get it back. And if not guilty he gets it. That is my understanding.

that's not my understanding. Even if he's not convicted or pleads guilty (unlikely), he could still be found in violation of his morals and behavior clauses. Seems it's pretty likely the feds have wiretap(s) where Chauncey is giving a gambler inside information on Blazer injuries. That itself would be enough to violate his contract and probably get him banned from the NBA

Yes agree with Wiz interpretation. Even if innocent Billups was arrested and not coaching the Blazers . Likely that is grounds for the Blazers to not pay him any of his contract.

 

[inconceivable]

Yes agree with Wiz interpretation. Even if innocent Billups was arrested and not coaching the Blazers . Likely that is grounds for the Blazers to not pay him any of his contract.

I wonder if the contract has a clause that addresses these things

 

[wizenheimer]

I wonder if the contract has a clause that addresses these things

giving out inside injury information to participate in gambling on the results of games of the team he coaches? That's probably a front and center provision on any coach's contract. And almost certainly a violation of NBA policies. By just about any standard that is corrupt action

keep in mind it was the NBA that immediately place Billups and Rozier on leave (which gives the Blazers an extra layer of cover). Rozier's salary is being diverted to an escrow account because he's a member of the player's union and a full participant in the CBA. There is no CBA equivalent for coaches, so Billups is SOL

 

[SlyPokerDog]

giving out inside injury information to participate in gambling on the results of games of the team he coaches? That's probably a front and center provision on any coach's contract. And almost certainly a violation of NBA policies. By just about any standard that is corrupt action

keep in mind it was the NBA that immediately place Billups and Rozier on leave (which gives the Blazers an extra layer of cover). Rozier's salary is being diverted to an escrow account because he's a member of the player's union and a full participant in the CBA. There is no CBA equivalent for coaches, so Billups is SOL

But NBA coaches do have a union.

About The NBA Coaches Association | The Official Website of The NBA Coaches Association

The National Basketball Coaches Association (NBCA) is the labor union that represents basketball coaches in the National Basketball Association.

nbacoaches.com

(Two former Blazers coaches are featured on that page.)

 

[riverman]

Well, we were trying to tank, and now we are not

You don't need to lose two games by 60 pts just to tank.

 

[Everything Beagle]

But NBA coaches do have a union.

About The NBA Coaches Association | The Official Website of The NBA Coaches Association

The National Basketball Coaches Association (NBCA) is the labor union that represents basketball coaches in the National Basketball Association.

nbacoaches.com

(Two former Blazers coaches are featured on that page.)

Unless it’s like a cop union there’s no way he’s coming back. And if it is like a cop union, then I will quit the team entirely.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Unless it’s like a cop union there’s no way he’s coming back. And if it is like a cop union, then I will quit the team entirely.

I never said he was coming back. But they do have a union, so I'm sure there is some standard language and terms in all NBA coaching contracts that might mean he gets paid or at least is entitled to arbitration.

 

[wizenheimer]

But NBA coaches do have a union.

About The NBA Coaches Association | The Official Website of The NBA Coaches Association

The National Basketball Coaches Association (NBCA) is the labor union that represents basketball coaches in the National Basketball Association.

nbacoaches.com

(Two former Blazers coaches are featured on that page.)

yes...they have a union. But it has no CBA protections

 

[blazerkor]

I don't think there is any chance that Chauncey is coming back to coach the team. I just don't know if the team will be able to get out of his contract.

Sure if there are recordings of phone calls or even one phone call to someone who bet against the Blazers covering the betting line, in which Chauncey tells the better that we aren't playing guys who hadn't been ruled out of the game before the call then that will easily be cause.

That being said if there isn't anything that concrete and it's either hearsay or the government never brings forth the hard evidence, then that would put our team in a different position. I think if there isn't any evidence and only hearsay then our ownership will likely be on the hook for every penny of what Chauncey is owed on his contract.

And our ownership will have to...

 

[riverman]

I don't think there is any chance that Chauncey is coming back to coach the team. I just don't know if the team will be able to get out of his contract.

Sure if there are recordings of phone calls or even one phone call to someone who bet against the Blazers covering the betting line, in which Chauncey tells the better that we aren't playing guys who hadn't been ruled out of the game before the call then that will easily be cause.

That being said if there isn't anything that concrete and it's either hearsay or the government never brings forth the hard evidence, then that would put our team in a different position. I think if there isn't any evidence and only hearsay then our ownership will likely be on the hook for every penny of what Chauncey is owed on his contract.

And our ownership will have to...

They cannot penalize the team for a league suspension. I'm still believing he won't get another Blazer paycheck and his contract will have been nullified by breach of contract. He might get a plea bargain but even the possibility of him shaving pts as a coach will black ball him from coaching. If he's totally exonerated I'd expect Lue to give him a job again with the Clippers if it's allowed. They are used to covering up shady practices. Olshey got fired without compensation and he's working as a scout for the Sixers now I believe.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

So Billups sold his PDX house after his arrest and hasn't been here. Some posters have been saying the Blazers need to resolve Billups situation before hiring a full head coach in the summer. I don't believe they do, everyone knows Billups will have nothing to do with the Blazers there just might be legal/technical reasons that termination or settlement is delayed.

"Billups has been in one of his two Colorado houses for the past several months, according to sources with direct knowledge of his whereabouts. The 15,000-square-foot Greenwood Village estate he purchased in 2007 was used as collateral for his $5 million bond. He sold his Lake Oswego, Oregon, house for $4.275 million shortly after his arrest and indefinite unpaid leave from his head coaching job with the Trail Blazers.

He spends his days quietly, according to sources close to him, with his family and friends in the Denver area, playing golf, watching games and communicating with a handful of NBA brethren. The terms of his release restrict him from traveling outside the United States, and any state or city other than Colorado, California, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington D.C. or New York City."

What's next in the scandal that has ensnared Chauncey Billups

After a Hall of Fame NBA career, here's what we know about Billups' connections to Mafia-affiliated poker games and illegal gambling.

www.espn.com

 

[kjironman1]

So Billups sold his PDX house after his arrest and hasn't been here. Some posters have been saying the Blazers need to resolve Billups situation before hiring a full head coach in the summer. I don't believe they do, everyone knows Billups will have nothing to do with the Blazers there just might be legal/technical reasons that termination or settlement is delayed.

"Billups has been in one of his two Colorado houses for the past several months, according to sources with direct knowledge of his whereabouts. The 15,000-square-foot Greenwood Village estate he purchased in 2007 was used as collateral for his $5 million bond. He sold his Lake Oswego, Oregon, house for $4.275 million shortly after his arrest and indefinite unpaid leave from his head coaching job with the Trail Blazers.

He spends his days quietly, according to sources close to him, with his family and friends in the Denver area, playing golf, watching games and communicating with a handful of NBA brethren. The terms of his release restrict him from traveling outside the United States, and any state or city other than Colorado, California, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington D.C. or New York City."

What's next in the scandal that has ensnared Chauncey Billups

After a Hall of Fame NBA career, here's what we know about Billups' connections to Mafia-affiliated poker games and illegal gambling.

www.espn.com

Technically isn't he on a leave of absence? I think they do have to resolve it first but that might just be firing him?

 

[THE HCP]

I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THIS CASE OR SITUATION
But I had heard “experts” on ESPN last fall saying they assumed the case would start this upcoming summer……this article says this SEPTEMBER at the earliest. WOW!

 

[wizenheimer]

Technically isn't he on a leave of absence? I think they do have to resolve it first but that might just be firing him?

the resolve is simple...just fire him and sort out the contract balance later. The evidence seems pretty solid that he was participating in a gambling scheme betting on results of Blazer game(s). That seems like a pretty good case for firing with cause

 

[e_blazer]

the resolve is simple...just fire him and sort out the contract balance later. The evidence seems pretty solid that he was participating in a gambling scheme betting on results of Blazer game(s). That seems like a pretty good case for firing with cause

I'm no lawyer, but it seems to me that if the Blazers cited that as the reason for firing him before the court case is decided, they would be looking at a pretty big suit by Chauncey if he's eventually found not guilty. Seems to me like a contract buyout would be the safest route.

 

[riverman]

In my opinion Chauncey won't get a nickel from the Blazers again and he wouldn't be foolish enough to sue the Blazers after the position he put the franchise in. When he sold his house so quickly after his arrest I figured he knew it was over in Portland. He threw this job away. Shaving points against your team is grounds for termination without a buyout. His coaching rep is in the toilet. I always thought he was too happy after losses.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

We should have the city and state buy out his contract.

 

[wizenheimer]

I'm no lawyer, but it seems to me that if the Blazers cited that as the reason for firing him before the court case is decided, they would be looking at a pretty big suit by Chauncey if he's eventually found not guilty. Seems to me like a contract buyout would be the safest route.

The NBA put Chauncey on a leave of absence. I'm not sure if it was the NBA's decision he would be suspended without pay or the Blazers' decision. But I'd imagine it was an NBA policy since Chauncey had no CBA protections, at all

IIRC, the conviction rate of charges brought by joint task forces of the DOJ and FBI is around 95% (high rate of plea deals). I get that the Trump DOJ stains everything it touches but this investigation has been going on for years

as far as justification for firing: Portland needs no justification; they can just do it, and probably already have. The balance of his contract is another matter but sure, a buyout might be negotiated

 

[SlyPokerDog]

If everyone in NBA portion of this case is found guilty or pleads, I wonder what the Class Action Lawsuit would look like? Have regular fans who don't bet been hurt by this? I think you can make the argument that they have. Is it worth damages? Not so sure.

Key NBA Integrity Rules and Policies:

• Anti-Tanking Measures: The NBA is implementing rules to combat teams intentionally losing for draft picks, including potential restrictions on consecutive high draft picks and freezing lottery odds.
• Player Participation/Load Management: Teams face fines for resting healthy star players during nationally televised games, with rules requiring that no more than one star player is unavailable for the same game.
• 65-Game Rule: Players must participate in at least 65 games to qualify for major end-of-season awards like MVP and All-NBA teams.
• Betting and Gambling Policies: In response to integrity-threatening gambling scandals, the league has enacted strict policies, including changing injury reporting rules to ensure transparency.
• Referee Integrity: NBA referees are expected to maintain high standards of, and are frequently evaluated on, their professionalism, including neutrality, discipline, and, in some cases, reporting unique, or atypical, incidents to the league office.

These rules are designed to maintain the credibility of the game for fans and to prevent the intentional manipulation of game outcomes or statistics.

 

[blazerkor]

It's my understanding that there aren't any allegations of point shaving or anything close to that. What I had read was that there is an allegation that Chauncey or rather someone who fits Chauncey's description called someone and let them know who he was sitting while tanking, before that information was made available to the public.

I would think unless people who regularly bet on the NBA can show a big swing in the betting line due to the one person being notified that the NBA would not have any liability.

Obviously if massive money came in that moved lines then we would have already read about that in one of the reports early on but I don't remember seeing anything like that.

 

[riverman]

It's my understanding that there aren't any allegations of point shaving or anything close to that. What I had read was that there is an allegation that Chauncey or rather someone who fits Chauncey's description called someone and let them know who he was sitting while tanking, before that information was made available to the public.

I would think unless people who regularly bet on the NBA can show a big swing in the betting line due to the one person being notified that the NBA would not have any liability.

Obviously if massive money came in that moved lines then we would have already read about that in one of the reports early on but I don't remember seeing anything like that.

benching players is how you shave points. Letting other coaches know who you bench let's them load up their defensive schemes accordingly. According to the FBI they have an enormous amount of evidence. We'll see tomorrow I guess.

 

[wizenheimer]

not looking very good for Billups:

What's next in the scandal that has ensnared Chauncey Billups

After a Hall of Fame NBA career, here's what we know about Billups' connections to Mafia-affiliated poker games and illegal gambling.

www.espn.com

 

[blazerkor]

benching players is how you shave points. Letting other coaches know who you bench let's them load up their defensive schemes accordingly. According to the FBI they have an enormous amount of evidence. We'll see tomorrow I guess.

Every definition I can find of point shaving involves in game manipulation not pregame stuff. Anyway, it's semantics because sharing inside information with sports gamblers is obviously criminal and that's only one of the things Chauncey is facing.