Tiago Splitter to take over as Blazers head coach in Billups’ absence

PORTLAND, Ore. — 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 had been indicted in separate cases alleging sprawling schemes to rake in millions. 

“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. Any further 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 made an assistant on Billups’ staff in June. He previously served as head coach for Paris Basketball in the top French league for one season after a stint as an assistant for the Houston Rockets. 

A 6-foot-11 center from Brazil, Splitter played seven years in the NBA with San Antonio, Atlanta and Philadelphia before officially retiring from basketball in 2018. He won an NBA championship in 2014 with the Spurs. 

The Trail Blazers cancelled practice on Thursday. They host the Golden State Warriors on Friday night. 

In April, Billups had signed a multiyear contract extension with the Trail Blazers and embarked on his fifth season with the team on Wednesday, losing the opener at home to the Minnesota Timberwolves. 

Billups guided the team to a 36-46 record last season but Portland missed out on the playoffs for the fourth straight season. 

Billups, 48, had an NBA playing career that spanned 17 seasons. He won a championship with Detroit in 2004 and was named the finals MVP. A five-time All-Star, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame last October.