Tyronn Lue’s Name Surfaces in FBI Investigation of Rigged Poker Ring in 2019

The NBA’s gambling scandal keeps getting messier with this new Tyronn Lue news.

Just when you thought the fallout from the Chauncey Billups arrest couldn’t get any deeper, investigative journalist Pablo Torre dropped another bombshell on his “Pablo Torre Finds Out” podcast. Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue was present at the same allegedly rigged poker game in Las Vegas that’s at the center of the federal investigation into Billups.

This isn’t some tertiary connection. We’re talking about a poker game in April 2019 where X-ray vision tables and tampered shuffling machines reportedly gave insiders an unfair edge. The kind of setup that makes your average Vegas casino heist movie look like child’s play.

According to Torre’s sources—multiple people with direct knowledge of that infamous Vegas game—Tyronn Lue was there. At the time, he was serving as an assistant coach for the Clippers, not yet the head man. The game featured Billups, who federal prosecutors have accused of serving as a “face card” to lure wealthy players into what appeared to be legitimate high-stakes poker but was allegedly anything but.

The Brotherhood Between Lue and Billups Runs Deep

Here’s where it gets complicated, and frankly, more human.

Lue didn’t just know Billups casually. After news of Billups’ arrest broke, Lue stood by his friend publicly, calling him “my brother” in front of reporters. The relationship goes back decades—Tyronn Lue said he’s known Billups since he was 17 years old. That’s not a professional acquaintance. That’s family.

“I know who he is as a person,” Tyronn Lue told reporters early this week, his voice carrying the weight of someone defending more than just a colleague.

The year after that Vegas game, when Lue got the Clippers head coaching job in 2020, one of his first moves was hiring Billups as an assistant. It’s the kind of loyalty you’d expect from someone you’ve known for more than two decades. But now, with federal investigators circling, that loyalty puts Lue in an uncomfortable spotlight.

Torre made it clear that Tyronn Lue didn’t play at the same table as Billups during that 2019 game. But his presence raises questions that won’t go away easily. How much did he know? What did he see? And perhaps most importantly, was he just in the wrong place at the wrong time?

Vegas, Poker, and NBA Circles

Anyone who follows the NBA knows that Tyronn Lue loves Vegas. He lives there in the offseason, and his affinity for poker is well-documented within league circles. The Aria High Limit Bar has become something of a nexus for NBA poker enthusiasts, and Lue is a regular there.

But here’s another wrinkle: Damon Jones.

Jones, another retired NBA player implicated in this sprawling investigation, has repeatedly called Lue his best friend in interviews. Tyronn Lue hired Jones as an assistant coach in Cleveland and later brought him along to the Clippers. The two are often spotted together at the Aria, sitting rail-side at poker tournaments like the World Series of Poker, where they were photographed in June 2024 watching a mutual friend compete.

Jones allegedly tipped off gamblers that LeBron James wouldn’t play in a February 2023 game against the Milwaukee Bucks—a detail that’s now part of the broader federal case. Jones also tried to file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy twice in Texas, with both cases dismissed. Among his creditors? The Bellagio casino, which he owed nearly $50,000.

The connections keep multiplying. Friends of friends. Coaches hiring coaches. Poker games that blur the line between recreation and something far more sinister.

What Federal Prosecutors Say Happened

The alleged scheme is sophisticated and brazen. High-profile NBA figures like Billups and Jones were used as bait to draw wealthy players into games they believed were on the level. Instead, prosecutors claim, the games featured altered equipment capable of identifying cards and relaying information to insiders at the tables.

Think about that for a second. You’re a successful businessman or athlete. You get an invite to play poker with NBA legends. You think it’s a fair game, maybe even a little star-struck. And the whole time, the deck is literally stacked against you.

The FBI has linked these 2019 poker sessions to a multi-state gambling operation that defrauded participants out of large sums. Federal officials arrested Billups, and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier faces separate but related charges connected to illegal gambling and insider betting. Jontay Porter is also part of the investigation, accused of manipulating his own stats so others could cash in on prop bets at sportsbooks like DraftKings.

Where Does Lue Stand?

Pablo Torre emphasized an important point: there’s no indication whatsoever that Lue engaged in any wrongdoing. His name came up because he attended that 2019 game. He wasn’t accused of cheating. He wasn’t charged with anything. He was simply there.

When Torre’s team reached out to the Clippers for comment, the organization didn’t respond. That silence speaks volumes, though it’s hard to say what it means. Are they lawyering up? Conducting their own internal review? Or do they simply have nothing to say because Lue has nothing to hide?

Tyronn Lue’s reputation in the NBA is solid. He won a championship with the Cavaliers in 2016, overcoming a 3-1 deficit against the 73-win Warriors. Players respect him. Executives trust him. But this investigation has a way of ensnaring people by proximity, and in the court of public opinion, the standard of proof is far lower than in an actual courtroom.

The Bigger Picture

This scandal is bigger than one poker game or even one coach. It’s about the intersection of sports, gambling, and the temptations that come with both. The NBA has embraced sports betting in recent years, partnering with companies like DraftKings and FanDuel. But those partnerships come with risks—risks that are now playing out in real time.

The league has strict rules about gambling. Players and team personnel are forbidden from betting on NBA games or sharing inside information. But enforcement is one thing. Prevention is another. And when you have retired players with deep ties to current coaches and active players moving in and out of high-stakes poker games, the lines get blurry fast.

For Tyronn Lue, this is a personal nightmare wrapped in a professional crisis. He’s watching his best friend face federal charges. He’s dealing with questions about his own presence at a game that’s now under federal scrutiny. And he’s trying to coach a Clippers team with championship aspirations while the media dissects his every connection to this mess.

What Happens Next?

The investigation is ongoing, and more names could surface. The FBI has made it clear they’re taking this seriously, and the reach of the alleged gambling ring extends across state lines and involves multiple NBA figures.

For Lue, the best-case scenario is that investigators confirm what Torre’s sources suggested: he attended the game but wasn’t involved in any illegal activity. The worst-case scenario? Well, let’s not go there yet. Nothing suggests that’s where this is headed.

But even if Tyronn Lue is completely exonerated, the damage to his relationships and reputation is real. Loyalty is admirable, but it’s also risky. Standing by Billups publicly was the right thing to do if Tyronn Lue genuinely believes in his friend’s innocence. But it also ties Lue’s name to this scandal in ways that won’t be easy to shake.

The NBA is watching. Fans are watching. And federal prosecutors are watching most closely of all.

This story is far from over. And for Tyronn Lue, the man who once coached LeBron James to a title, the hardest game of his life might not be on the court at all.