Former Cavs coach allegedly participated in rigged poker games with Chauncey Billups

Former Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue was reportedly in attendance at a rigged poker game hosted by Chauncey Billups, who was arrested by the FBI last week.

Mar 30, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue argues with referee Curtis Blair (74) during the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Cleveland Cavaliers fans will remember Tyronn Lue fondly for helping the team win their first championship in 2016. 

Now the head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers, Lue might find himself in a bit of hot water surrounding the FBI’s investigation into Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups.

According to investigative sports journalist Pablo Torre, Lue was in attendance for one of Billups’ poker games.

"According to multiple sources with direct knowledge of that April 2019 game in Vegas that we’ve been discussing—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,” Torre reported.

At the time, Lue was an assistant coach with the Clippers. He joined the staff in Los Angeles following being fired from the Cavaliers in 2018.

“Now, sources say that Lue did not play at the same table as Chauncey Billups—the man he recently called his best friend, and the same man whom Lue would go on to hire as a Clippers assistant in 2020, once he landed the head coaching job,” Torre added. “But here’s the open secret around the NBA: Ty Lue lives in Vegas during the offseason. He also loves poker.”

While Lue has not been formally charged with anything or even accused of participating in anything nefarious, Torre made sure to include that the championship-winning coach has an affinity for the game of poker.

“He’s often seen at what many insiders consider the nexus of the NBA poker world—the Aria High Limit Bar—often alongside another retired NBA player: Damon Jones."

Jones went down in the FBI’s investigation into Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier last week. According to the allegations, Jones served inside injury information about LeBron James for betting purposes surrounding a Los Angeles Lakers game against the Milwaukee Bucks in 2023.

Jones served on Lue’s staff with the Cavaliers. He was an assistant coach with the Canton Charge during the 2015-2016 season before joining the NBA bench with Lue from 2016-2018.

Outside of reportedly attending this rigged poker game hosted by Billups, Lue has not been charged with doing anything illegal. It’s unknown if Lue had knowledge of the nature of the tournament, as the FBI’s investigation found 3D glasses and rigged shufflers were being used.

The Cavaliers replaced Lue with Larry Drew after an 0-6 start to the 2018 campaign. They have employed John Beilein and J.B. Bickerstaff as head coaches prior to hiring Kenny Atkinson to lead the Cavs in 2024.