A significant development has emerged in the NBA gambling scandal that sent shockwaves through the basketball world approximately a month ago. On Monday, Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, who was accused of using his reputation as a “face card” in a scheme to bring players to illegal poker games, entered a not guilty plea.

The charges include wire fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering. The trial is about to begin; if Billups is convicted, he could be imprisoned for up to 20 years, encompassing all accusations. With this new update in play, the central question becomes: what’s the future look like for the five-time All-Star in the league? First, a quick overview of how the 49-year-old arrived at this moment.

What happened to Chauncey Billups? Why was he suspended?

It all started last month when the FBI arrested Chauncey Billups alongside several other individuals, including Miami Heat star Terry Rozier, for two different cases. The Portland Trail Blazers head coach, however, was arrested for a scheme that reportedly swindled millions from victims using high-tech cheating tools, according to U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr.

This incident then led to the NBA suspending the former NBA star. The Trail Blazers also released a statement acknowledging the same. “We are aware of the allegations involving head coach Chauncey Billups, and the Trail Blazers are fully cooperating with the investigation. Billups has been placed on immediate leave, and Tiago Splitter will assume head coaching duties in the interim,” they wrote.

Portland further noted that any further questions regarding the situation should be “directed to the NBA.” It seemed like the Trail Blazers wanted to distance themselves from this chaos. Unfortunately, for them, that might not actually be an option. After all, he was the team’s head coach for five years. Moreover, this is particularly evident given the details that emerged in the recent court hearing.

What were the key details from the recent court hearing?

The most notable detail from Chauncey Billups’ appearance at a federal courthouse in Brooklyn is that he has pleaded not guilty to the charges of wire fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy. The 49-year-old’s attorney, Marc Mukasey, entered the plea on behalf of his client before U.S. District Judge Ramon Reye during the hearing.

Billups only answered specific questions from Reye, after which he used his Colorado home as collateral to secure the bond for his bail, which was set at a whopping $5 million. Now, the Trail Blazers head coach is scheduled for a case update alongside other defendants on March 4th. Moreover, Reye noted that he hopes the trial will begin by September 2026. So, will Billups return to coaching in the meantime?

Will Chauncey Billups return as the Portland Trail Blazers head coach?

That’s a bit tricky. For now, as we mentioned, the league and the Trail Blazers have put Billups on an indefinite leave. While that does mean that the NBA is following the “innocent until proven guilty” approach, that doesn’t mean they’ll allow the Hall of Fame head coach to return to the sidelines. At least, until he’s cleared of all charges.

Meanwhile, there might be other reasons that might stop Chauncey Billups from coaching in the NBA. Seemingly, everyone within the league with a guaranteed contract also has a “moral turpitude” clause that allows terminations of the deal if the contracted party does something flagrantly immoral or illegal. So, there’s no chance Adam Silver and Co. would allow him to coach until he’s cleared of all of his charges.

In fact, that’s a huge reason why he and Miami Heat player Terry Rozier haven’t been cut loose. That’s because if both teams were to fire these individuals, they would probably owe them their entire contracts, if they are to be proven innocent. So, it only makes sense to wait and see how the trial unfolds before the NBA or the Trail Blazers plot their next move.

What are the possible scenarios for Chauncey Billups’ future?

To put it simply, as we’ve already emphasized, there could be just two possible outcomes for Chauncey Billups concerning his future in the league. Firstly, if the veteran coach is proven innocent, there’s a good chance that the Portland Trail Blazers and the NBA would not only allow him to resume his position as the head coach of the franchise, but also pay his salary, which he would be owed until the final decision.

However, the other outcome won’t be this favorable for Billups. That’s because even if he’s found guilty of even one of the charges that have been placed on him, his days in the NBA might be over, similar to what happened with Jontay Porter, who was banned for life after being linked with gambling. So, we’ll have to wait and watch what happens with Chauncey Billups as this saga continues to take shape.