On Thursday, October 23, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups were arrested as part of FBI investigations involving sports betting and illegal poker operations. FBI Director Kash Patel said 34 people were detained in total, with the probe uncovering eight figures in illicit money movement and ties to four Mafia families.
Rozier allegedly removed himself from games that drew suspicious betting activity on his player prop Unders. Investigators also believe the 31-year-old provided inside information to co-conspirators in exchange for upfront cash payments or a cut of their winnings. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said that, in one instance, Rozier was even celebrating with cash at home shortly after leaving a game early.
Rozier’s saga goes back to earlier in the year. His name first surfaced in January, but many thought the situation was over after ESPN’s Shams Charania told Pat McAfee that Rozier had been cleared in the NBA’s internal review.
The Billups development, on the other hand, blindsided everyone. The 49-year-old coach is accused of playing a promotional role in rigged underground poker games, allegedly used to attract wealthy bettors in the New York area. Criminal filings claim the games were rigged using technology that allowed players to see through cards.
Billups also appears to fit the description of a figure mentioned in the broader sports betting investigation — an ex-player who competed in the NBA from 1997 to 2014, began coaching in 2021, and resides in Oregon. That individual allegedly leaked injury information to defendants, revealing when certain Trail Blazers players wouldn’t be active on game nights.
Officials have maintained that the two investigations are technically separate. Still, it’s hard to ignore the connective tissue, as former NBA sharpshooter Damon Jones — who played from 1999 to 2009 — has emerged as a link between both cases.
For now, Rozier and Billups have been placed on leave by the NBA. Rozier wasn’t expected to have a major role in Miami’s rotation this season, so the on-court impact for the Heat should be minimal. Billups’ absence, though, stings a Portland team many viewed as a Western Conference sleeper. Assistant Thiago Splitter will serve as interim head coach. A former NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs, decorated EuroLeague performer, and successful coach in Europe (with the LNB Elite’s Paris Basketball), Splitter brings a motion-heavy offense that could breathe life into a stagnant Blazers team; Billups is a defensive-minded coach.
On the larger issue, it’s fair to hope this is the home stretch of an ugly chapter for the league. Rozier’s alleged activity reportedly dates back to 2023 — meaning no one has been caught since Jontay Porter was banned from the NBA and pleaded guilty to federal felony charges in July 2024. Porter is scheduled for sentencing in December and is expected to receive 41 to 51 months in prison, a punishment that should serve as a sobering lesson for others.
Meanwhile, unresolved storylines remain — most notably Malik Beasley’s. Like Rozier, the Detroit Pistons guard was investigated by both the NBA and FBI, but has not been charged. Beasley averaged 16.3 points per game for a Pistons team that reached the playoffs last season and was reportedly close to a three-year, $42 million deal before the allegations surfaced. If reinstated, he may have to settle for a one-year minimum contract. LeBron James’ name has also surfaced because of his ties to Jones, his former teammate with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Though early reports indicate LeBron was completely unaware of what Jones was doing with any injury information he was privy to.
The bigger question is how the NBA and Commissioner Adam Silver respond long-term. After the Porter case, the league moved to restrict sportsbooks from offering props on two-way players and end-of-bench reserves. Now, some fans, executives, and policymakers want even stricter regulations. Still, others argue we’re talking about a handful of bad actors — not a systemic problem.
Will this moment redefine the conversation around legalized sports betting and integrity in professional basketball?
