Trail Blazers assistant named interim HC amid Chauncey Billups' arrest

First-year Trail Blazers assistant Tiago Splitter will assume head coaching duties in Portland on an interim basis following Chauncey Billups‘ arrest on Thursday, reports ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Billups is reportedly being charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering after being accused of participating in an illegal, mafia-run operation to rig unlawful poker games.

Law enforcement officials described Billups as one of the celebrity “face cards” that organizers used to attract “fish” (potential victims) to the games. He was placed on immediate leave by the NBA on Thursday.

Assistant coach Nate Bjorkgren looked like the top candidate to take over as Portland’s acting head coach, as he did last season when Billups briefly left the team for family reasons. However, according to Charania, while Bjorkgren received strong consideration for the position, he decided it was best for him to remain in his current role.

Splitter is in his first season working under Billups, but he has several years of experience as an NBA assistant, having worked in Brooklyn from 2019-23 and Houston in 2023-24, Charania notes. Splitter was also the head coach of Paris Basketball last season, leading the club to its first championship in France’s top league (LNB Élite).

Before becoming a coach, Splitter played in the NBA for seven seasons, including five with the Spurs. The former forward/center won a title in San Antonio in 2014.

Splitter’s first game as Portland’s head coach will come on Friday when the Blazers host Golden State.