Judge targeting Nov. 2 trial date for Chauncey Billups, other co-defendants in rigged poker ring case: Reports

A federal judge is targeting a Nov. 2 trial date for the rigged poker ring case that features Pro Basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups, former NBA guard and Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Damon Jones and 29 co-defendants, according to multiplereports Wednesday.

All 31 people charged by federal prosecutors in the case appeared for a status hearing inside the United States Courthouse in Brooklyn, New York.

Right now, there are too many defendants to try at once, according to ESPN's latest report about the case, which stems from an FBI gambling probe that unearthed a rigged poker ring backed by the Mafia last year.

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A dozen of those defendants are expected to receive plea offers soon, federal prosecutors said while also noting in the same legal filing that they've had "productive" discussion with lawyers for at least nine more people charged, indicating that they, too, could come to an agreement before a trial, per The Athletic.

The names of those defendants, however, reportedly weren't disclosed in the filing, so it's unclear if Billups and Jones are among that group.

Both of them have pleaded not guilty after being alleged to have helped legitimize the illegal poker games by luring unknowing players into the scheme.

The scam was reportedly aided by the use of secret cameras, contacts that could read marked cards, X-ray tables and other methods to cheat players out of money.

Billups has been on unpaid administrative leave from his position as the Portland Trail Blazers' head coach since his arrest. He was released on $5 million bail and has been living in Denver, according to ESPN.

On Tuesday, prosecutors submitted a brief, in which they said evidence includes more than 100,000 pages of financial records and telephone records, more than 800 pages of surveillance photographs and pole camera footage from a site of an alleged rigged poker game in Manhattan, per ESPN's report.

Additionally, the government has reportedly gathered gobs of electronic data from the defendants. The investigation hasn't stopped, and, according to The Athletic's report, a prosecutor said Wednesday that more evidence could ultimately lead to new defendants in the case.

Jones is also charged in a separate illegal gambling case uncovered by the FBI this past fall that's centered around the trading of non-public information about the health and availability of NBA players.

That case notably includes Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, who was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. He has pleaded not guilty as well.

Prior to a March 2023 game, in which he played only about 10 minutes for the Charlotte Hornets, Rozier is alleged to have shared inside information about his early exit, allegedly leading to his co-conspirator bettors wagering more than $200,000 on his under prop bets.

Rozier and Jones are among six defendants in that case.