PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Assistant coach and former NBA player Tiago Splitter was named interim coach of the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday after Chauncey Billups was placed on leave following the announcement that Billups had been charged with participating in a conspiracy to fix high-stakes card games.
Federal authorities said Thursday that Billups and Miami Heat player Terry Rozier were indicted in separate cases alleging they ran extensive schemes to make millions.
“We are aware of allegations against head coach Chauncey Billups and the Trail Blazers are fully cooperating with the investigation. Billups has been placed on leave effective immediately and Tiago Splitter will assume head coaching responsibilities on an interim basis. Any additional questions should be directed to the NBA,” the team said in a brief statement.
Messages left with Billups' agent Andy Miller were not immediately returned.
Splitter, 40, was named Billups' assistant in June. He was previously the head coach of Paris Basketball in the French top league for one season after serving as an assistant with the Houston Rockets.
A 6-foot-11 center originally from Brazil, Splitter played seven years in the NBA for San Antonio, Atlanta and Philadelphia before officially retiring in 2018. In 2014, he won the NBA championship with the Spurs.
The Trail Blazers canceled Thursday's practice. They will host the Golden State Warriors on Friday night.
Billups signed a multi-year deal with the Trail Blazers in April and began his fifth season with the team on Wednesday, losing their opener at home to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Billups led the team to a 36-46 record last season, but Portland missed the playoffs for the fourth straight season.
Billups, 48, played in the NBA for 17 seasons. He won a championship with Detroit in 2004 and was named Finals MVP. A five-time All-Star, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame last October.
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