Trail Blazers coach and Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups pleaded not guilty Monday to federal charges that he participated in and profited from rigged poker games, Philip Marcelo of the Associated Press reports. He was released on a $5M bond secured by his family’s Colorado home. Per his bond agreement, he must refrain from gambling and can have no contact with other defendants or alleged victims. He has surrendered his passport and can only travel to seven states, including Oregon and New York. Billups and his co-defendants, including ex-NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones, appeared for a status conference on Monday and are due back in court on March 4. The judge told all the attorneys at Monday’s proceedings that his intention is to expedite things and start trial by September of 2026, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN tweets. Billups was placed on unpaid leave by the NBA after his arrest in late October, shortly after the team’s opening game. The court process essentially assures that Billups won’t return to
