The NBA is currently facing a major gambling controversy involving several high-profile figures. Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat player Terry Rozier, and former NBA player Damon Jones have all been arrested for their alleged roles in illegal gambling activities.
One of the most shocking revelations involves Billups, who is accused of running illegal poker games with an elaborate cheating scheme. According to reports, Billups was profiting from a suspicious hand and a rigged shuffling machine during an April 2019 game in Las Vegas.
Now, the situation has expanded to include another prominent NBA coach. Sources reveal that Ty Lue, the current head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers and a longtime friend of Billups, was also present at that 2019 game. At the time, Lue was serving as an assistant coach for the Clippers.
Pablo Torre reported, “According to multiple sources with direct knowledge of that April 2019 game in Vegas — the same one where Billups was allegedly profiting off of an extremely suspicious hand and a rigged shuffling machine — another ‘face card’ in attendance was current Los Angeles Clippers head coach Ty Lue.”
However, it’s important to note that Lue reportedly did not play at the same table as Billups. Despite their close relationship — Lue even hired Billups as a Clippers assistant in 2020 after becoming head coach — Lue’s involvement remains under scrutiny.
An open secret in the NBA is that Ty Lue spends his offseasons in Las Vegas and is an avid poker player. He is often seen at the Aria High Limit Bar, a hotspot for NBA players and known as the nucleus of the NBA poker scene. Damon Jones, a retired NBA player who is also implicated in the gambling scandal, is frequently spotted there alongside Lue.
The news has sparked a wave of reactions on social media. One fan tweeted, “The plot thickens. Now was he a perpetrator or a victim of the scheme?” Meanwhile, a Clippers supporter wrote, “After what I’ve been seeing this season, just give him life,” referencing Lue’s coaching performance. Another user commented, “Ty Lue’s rotations and the way he gives up on games is weird. If anything comes out about him, I wouldn’t be shocked.”
As this story continues to unfold, many are left wondering how deep the gambling scandal runs within the NBA. Fans and insiders alike will be watching closely to see what new developments come next.
https://thecomeback.com/nba/clippers-ty-lue-connected-to-illegal-gambling.html
