Browsing: Jones

NEW YORK — Former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges he profited from rigged poker games and provided sports bettors with nonpublic information about injuries to stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Jones, a onetime teammate of James, said little during back-to-back arraignments in federal court in Brooklyn, letting his court-appointed lawyer enter not guilty pleas in a pair of cases stemming from last month’s federal takedown of sprawling gambling operations.

Jones, 49, acknowledged he read both indictments and that he understood the charges and his bail conditions, which include his mother and stepfather putting up their Texas home as collateral for a $200,000 bond that will allow him to remain free pending trial.

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Jones’ lawyer, Kenneth Montgomery, told a judge that they “may be engaging in plea negotiations.” He is due back in court for a preliminary conference with other defendants Nov. 24.

Jones was among more than 30 people arrested in the gambling sweep. The others included reputed mobsters and prominent basketball figures, including Portland Trail Blazers coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier.

Sports bettor Marves Fairley also pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges alleging he cashed in on information about injuries to NBA players, including some that prosecutors say Jones provided to him.

Jones, an NBA journeyman, earned more than $20 million playing for 10 teams in 11 seasons from 1999 to 2009. He and James played together in Cleveland from 2005 to 2008, and Jones served as an unofficial assistant coach for James’ Los Angeles Lakers during the 2022-2023 season.

According to prosecutors, Jones sold or attempted to sell nonpublic information to bettors that James was injured and wouldn’t be playing in a Feb. 9, 2023, game against the Milwaukee Bucks, texting an unnamed co-conspirator: “Get a big bet on Milwaukee tonight before the information is out.”

James wasn’t listed on the Lakers’ injury report at the time of the text message, but the NBA’s all-time scoring leader was later ruled out of the game because of a lower-body injury, according to prosecutors, and the Lakers lost the game 115-106.

On Jan. 15, 2024, prosecutors said, Fairley paid Jones approximately $2,500 for a tip that Davis, the Lakers’ forward and center at the time, would see limited playing time against the Oklahoma City Thunder because of an injury.

Fairley then placed a $100,000 bet on the Thunder to win, prosecutors said, but the tip was wrong. Davis played his usual minutes, scored 27 points and collected 15 rebounds in a 112-105 Lakers win, prompting Fairley to demand a refund of his $2,500 fee, prosecutors said.

Jones, a native of Galveston, Texas, who played college basketball at the University of Houston, is charged in both cases with wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. As part of his bail agreement, his travel is restricted to parts of Texas and New York City. He was allowed to keep his passport to use as identification for flying until he obtains a REAL ID, which his lawyer said should happen soon.

A threat from outside the 3-point arc, Jones once proclaimed himself in an interview with insidehoops.com as “the best shooter in the world.” He played in every regular-season game for three consecutive seasons from 2003 to 2006.

After his playing days, he worked as a “shooting consultant” for the Cavaliers and was an assistant coach when the team, led by James, won the NBA championship in 2016.

In the poker scheme, according to prosecutors, Jones was among former NBA players used to lure unwitting players into poker games that were rigged, using altered shuffling machines, hidden cameras, special sunglasses and even X-ray equipment built into the table.

According to the indictment, Jones was paid $2,500 for a game in the Hamptons where he was instructed to cheat by paying close attention to others involved in the scheme. When in doubt, Jones was told to fold his hand, prosecutors said.

In response, according to prosecutors, Jones texted: “y’all know I know what I’m doing!!”

The poker scheme often made use of illegal poker games run by New York crime families that required them to share a portion of their proceeds with the Gambino, Genovese and Bonanno crime families, according to prosecutors.

Members of those families, in turn, also helped commit violent acts, including assault, extortion and robbery, to ensure repayment of debts and the continued success of the operation, officials said in court documents.

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Former Cleveland Cavaliers player and assistant coach Damon Jones was arraigned at Brooklyn Federal Court on Thursday following his FBI arrest in connection to what federal authorities called an illegal gambling ring.

He pleaded not guilty, per the Associated Press.

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Jones, who was one of the 30-plus individuals arrested by the FBI in October as part of separate cases, did not take questions as he entered the courthouse.

The 49-year-old Jones was among the three people arrested with direct ties to the NBA. Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier were also arrested as part of the FBI’s illegal-gambling probe.

Billups and Rozier were involved in two separate indictments. Billups was accused of knowingly participating in a rigged poker game that had ties to the Mafia. Billups was brought in to give the game legitimacy, and to draw in wealthy customers. Individuals like Billups, who had celebrity status and the ability to draw players to the game, were known as “face cards” among co-conspirators.

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Rozier was accused of giving inside information to bettors for gambling purposes.

Jones was mentioned in both indictments. Jones, like Billups, reportedly also appeared at rigged poker games as a “face card.” Jones also reportedly used his NBA connections to share inside information with bettors for gambling purposes. In one instance, Jones may have informed bettors about the injury status of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, who sat out of a 2023 game against the Milwaukee Bucks due to an injury.

James and Jones were teammates for three seasons on the Cavaliers. Jones also played for nine other teams over his 11-year playing career in the NBA.

Following the arrests of Billups and Rozier, the NBA moved quickly to place them on immediate leave. Jones did not face punishment from the NBA, as he is no longer an active player or coach in the league.

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The 2025 season has largely been one to forget for the New York Giants, but there is one clear reason for optimism.

They once again have a first-round quarterback from Ole Miss leading the way as the franchise cornerstone.

Jaxson Dart seemed destined to join the Giants when he called Eli Manning “a huge role model” before the 2025 NFL draft, and the NFC East team ended up taking him with the No. 25 overall pick. And now the rookie is the starting quarterback and impressing the man whose Ole Miss all-time passing record he broke in college.

“He’s not making many bad decisions,” Manning told Bleacher Report when discussing Dart. “He’s not making a ton of mistakes, and he does a great job of extending plays and making big plays with scrambles. Those are great, and he has that ability. Now it’s fine-tuning and getting the ball out on time a few more times. Or understanding all the different reads or progressions.Â

“And that’s just part of being a young quarterback, it’s going to come with time. Being able to play faster in those moments and when things aren’t there, having the ability to create things. Just having that combination as he becomes more familiar with the offense and the defenses coming after him is going to be exciting.”

While Dart has a ways to go to replicate Manning’s career on the Giants, he has completed 62.3 percent of his passes for 1,175 yards, 10 touchdowns and three interceptions to go with 251 yards and five scores on the ground this season.

His potential is on full display almost every week, and it didn’t take him long to take over the starting job even though New York added veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston during the offseason.

The Giants turned to Dart after Wilson started 0-3, and the rookie immediately won two of his first three starts. It seemed like the team was turning the corner with rookie running back Cam Skattebo also quickly becoming a fan favorite, especially when he ran for three touchdowns in a victory over the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles.

However, that optimism surrounding the young backfield took quite the hit when Skattebo suffered a significant leg and ankle injury in the rematch against the Eagles. It left an offense that already lost star receiver Malik Nabers for the season to a torn ACL with one fewer weapon, and the Giants have now lost three in a row.

One of those losses was a collapse against the Denver Broncos where they gave up 33 points in the fourth quarter, and things might get worse for the 2-7 team in the immediate future with the next four contests against teams with winning records.

â–¶ï¸ Full Giants-Broncos Recap

But Manning is taking a glass half-full approach when assessing his former team.

“They’ve solved the quarterback situation,” he said. “Jaxson Dart is playing well, he’s making plays. Since he’s been the starter, you go in and beat the Eagles and beat the Chargers and you have Denver basically beat. That was a tough one, and the latest one with Philadelphia, you knew they were going to come out fired up after beating them a couple weeks ago. The injury to Skattebo hurts everybody, you never like to see anybody get injured.Â

“But the excitement and energy with Dart and Skattebo, what it brought to the fanbase and the team, you can tell everyone was enjoying it and benefiting from it. It’s a long season, it’s just valuable time for a rookie quarterback getting all these reps because every game is an opportunity for him to learn something new. I’m excited to see how it progresses the rest of the season.”

Dart is not the only quarterback Manning is connected to who is making quite the impression this season.

He was still on the Giants when they selected Daniel Jones as his eventual replacement with the No. 6 pick in the 2019 NFL draft. While Jones didn’t live up to expectations with New York as he went 24-44-1 as a starter, he has been a revelation with the Indianapolis Colts this season.

Indianapolis is 7-2 and tied for the best record in the AFC with the New England Patriots and Broncos in large part because Jones has completed 69.6 percent of his passes for a league-best 2,404 yards, 14 touchdowns and six interceptions to go with five rushing touchdowns.

“Daniel Jones and what’s happening in Indianapolis has been exciting,” Manning, who has followed this season closely through his Manningcastbroadcasts on ESPN, said when asked what non-Giants storyline has stood out this year. “He’s a former teammate of mine, drafted to the Giants when I was still there. I probably shouldn’t like Daniel because he stole my job.Â

“But I saw from day one, his commitment to be the best quarterback, best person and best teammate he could possibly be. We saw it every single day. His teammates always respected him, he always worked extremely hard, he always tried to do the right things. His number one focus was always doing whatever possible to help the team win games. And now they’re doing that very well in Indianapolis, and he’s playing extremely well. So I’m happy for him.”

There was only one year of overlap in New York, but Jones was still there for the end of Manning’s legendary career.

It was a career that made him an icon among Giants fans and included two Super Bowl titles and two Super Bowl MVP awards. He is also still 11th on the NFL’s all-time list for passing yards (57,023) and passing touchdowns (366).

Those Super Bowl titles are the biggest argument in his favor when it comes to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, especially since they both came against Tom Brady and the dominant Patriots.

Manning was one of the 15 modern-era player finalists announced in December 2024 but fell just short of being inducted into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Making it that far right away was a promising sign he will eventually be enshrined in Canton, Ohio, and he is once again a candidate this year as one of the 52 modern-era players to advance in the voting process.

Fellow quarterbacks Philip Rivers and Drew Brees also advanced that far, which was fitting since they are two of Manning’s contemporaries who he will always be connected to from their playing days.

“Those two guys are very deserving,” Manning said. “We’re all linked together somehow, going back to 2004 with that draft and Philip and I being traded from San Diego to New York. And with Brees being the quarterback there at one point and then going to New Orleans where I grew up. Had a lot of great games against those guys. Both of them are tremendous people and outstanding football players. I’m just honored to be in that process with those guys. You can’t make a bad decision.”

Manning was involved in another decision before the Hall of Fame one as part of his partnership to promote the New York TimesFamily Subscribers program that gives four different users access to the New York Times.

As part of the campaign, Manning was asked to decide who from his family made the cut for his shared subscription plan with his father Archie, his mother Olivia and his brother Cooper all making their cases before a surprise twist ending.

“I had a lot of fun keeping up with my brother, Cooper, and my parents to celebrate this new family subscription,” Manning said. “The idea of sharing the New York Timeswith your family and friends makes a lot of sense and customizing it to whatever everyone’s interests might be. With our family, my mom is big into the crossword and the games, my dad is into The Athletic and the sports coverage. With the commercial we did having Coop with the Thanksgiving cooking recipes, which probably is not his area of expertise, we had fun with it.

“Anytime you can shoot anything with your family is always a lot of fun. We don’t get to spend a whole lot of time with each other, everybody’s living all over the place. … To get us all together for a day, it allowed us to improvise a lot. Especially with Coop, you never know what he’s going to say. You just try to keep a straight face, but we had a lot of laughs and a lot of fun.”

One member of his family who wasn’t part of the campaign but who has been under the spotlight this year is his nephew, Arch Manning.

The No. 1 overall prospect in the recruiting class of 2023, per 247Sports’ composite rankings, took over as Texas’ starting quarterback this season following Quinn Ewers’ departure to the NFL.

Given his family and status as the face of a high-profile program, perhaps no college football player generated more attention entering the 2025 season. And things did not start off in ideal fashion for Manning considering the Longhorns managed just seven points in their season-opening loss to Ohio State before also losing to Florida in their next matchup against a Power Four conference opponent.

Despite the scrutiny, Texas has bounced back with four straight wins, two of which came against arch-rival Oklahoma and a Vanderbilt team that was ranked in the top 10 at the time of the game.

Manning also threw for a combined 674 yards, six touchdowns and one interception in the last two wins over Mississippi State and the Commodores and helped lead the Longhorns to the No. 11 spot in the initial College Football Playoff rankings.

Texas Longhorns – Mississippi State Bulldogs Highlights

“It makes watching college football more nerve-wracking than it used to be,” Eli Manning said of watching his nephew. “I’d always watch Ole Miss and want them to win, but I wasn’t biting my fingernails and pacing. But now I’m pacing, I’m getting mad and yelling at the TV. It reminds me of back when I would watch Peyton’s games. You want it for him so bad, you want his teammates to make plays, you want him to make plays.Â

“This is his first time getting extensive playing time in college football. There’s going to be some good times, there’s going to be great plays and bad plays. It’s about learning from it and getting better and taking everything in. I think he’s done a great job of handling this. Handling the attention, handling a slow start, but rallying and getting back to work and getting back to the fundamentals. So I’m excited and happy for him and just enjoying the journey.”

If that journey takes him to NFL stardom down the line, it will be a familiar place for the Manning family.

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  André SnellingsOct 27, 2025, 12:08 PM ET

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  Dr. André Snellings is a senior writer for men’s and women’s fantasy basketball and sports betting at ESPN. André has a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from Michigan. He joined ESPN in 2017 after a 16-year career as a neural engineer, during which time he was also a writer and analyst for Rotowire.

We are almost a week into the NBA season, and we’re already seeing huge storylines start to play out. Luka Doncic set an all-time Los Angeles Lakers record with 92 points in their first two games; then he sat out the third game, and Austin Reaves exploded for 51.

Victor Wembanyama looks like a walking impossibility on the court, blocking seemingly every shot on defense while dropping more than 30 PPG on offense. Nikola Jokic has triple-doubles in his first two games despite struggling with his shot, and somehow the Philadelphia 76ers start this week in first place in the Eastern Conference despite Paul George sitting out and Joel Embiid playing on a strict minutes limit.

And of course, we are also already seeing players outproducing expectations in their early season production. This all leads to a really exciting product on the court, and a plethora of players that you should really be paying attention to.

Let’s go through some of the lightly rostered players who are worth picking up this week.

Point Guard

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Dylan Harper, PG/SG, San Antonio Spurs (41.8% rostered in ESPN leagues): Harper, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft, was one of the more talented and polished rookies I saw this summer at the Las Vegas Summer League. He is getting more opportunity to start the season with De’Aaron Fox sidelined, but his level of play, in addition to his 6-foot-7 size that lets him defend all three perimeter positions, seem likely to continue to get him run as long as he continues to perform.

Egor Demin, PG, Brooklyn Nets (43.7% rostered): Demin was the most talented and NBA-ready of the five rookies the Nets chose in the first round of this year’s NBA draft. He was injured for most of the preseason, but played well in his last preseason game and has gotten off to a good start early in his NBA career. He seems poised to be an impact fantasy hoops producer moving forward, particularly as a rebounding guard who can flat out shoot the 3.

Ajay Mitchell, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder (26.1% rostered): Mitchell was a second-round draft pick in 2024, but he has already played himself from a two-way deal up to a standard NBA contract. He is making the most of extra opportunity early in the season with Jalen Williams out. Mitchell can create his own shot off the dribble and gets to attack an unbalanced unit when the defense focuses on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He is solidifying his role as someone the Thunder can rely on to produce when called upon.

Shooting guard

Ben Sheppard, SG, Indiana Pacers (15.8% rostered):Sheppard was already set for a larger role this season due to the absence of Tyrese Haliburton, but in the first game of the season Andrew Nembhard also injured his shoulder and has had to miss time. Sheppard is getting major minutes now, and he is able to contribute across the board as long as the Pacers ask him to carry this larger role.

Walter Clayton Jr., SG/PG, Utah Jazz (5.8% rostered):Clayton made his name with a dominant effort in last season’s NCAA tournament, knocking down 3-pointers and big shots to lead Florida to the National Championship. At the pro level, Clayton had a strong preseason that has carried over into the regular season. With Isaiah Collier battling a hamstring injury, Clayton is getting meaningful minutes early in his rookie season and establishing himself as a rotation player with upside on the rebuilding Jazz.

Small forward

Dillon Brooks, SF/SG, Phoenix Suns (31.0% rostered):The Suns start Brooks as a 3-and-D power forward, but he is the second-most established healthy scorer on the Suns with Jalen Green out. So, while Devin Booker remains the offensive focal point for the Suns, Brooks is called upon to step up into the second scorer slot. He has been a mid-upper teens scorer for the past five-plus seasons and should continue to produce at this level for at least as long as Green is out.

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Herbert Jones, SF/PF, New Orleans Pelicans (30.9% rostered): Jones is a known as a 3-and-D wing. He has averaged at least a steal and a block, with at least 2.9 combined, in each of the past two seasons. But he has shown some flashes as a scorer and rebounder, and when you added in a few assists and a rounded block per night Jones becomes a valuable across-the-board contributor, particularly in category leagues.

Ronald Holland II, SF, Detroit Pistons (7.9% rostered):Holland was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft and had a solid rookie season in limited minutes off the bench. But the Pistons did not bring back a couple of their veteran wings from last season, opening up more space for the developing Holland. Holland has upside across-the-board, particularly as a scorer, and has been productive to start the season.

Power forward

Jerami Grant, PF, Portland Trail Blazers (39.8% rostered): Grant is a career scorer; over the five seasons leading into this one, he averaged 19.5 PPG and 2.1 3PG. The Trail Blazers are bringing him off the bench this season, but he has already shown that he can still heat up and put big points on the board whether he is starting or not.

Center

Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Charlotte Hornets (14.9% rostered):Kalkbrenner was drafted in the second round of this year’s NBA draft but already has earned the starting center job for the Hornets. He was a dominant rebounder and defender at Creighton, and he notched a double-double in his first NBA game.

Isaiah Stewart, C/PF, Detroit Pistons (21.3% rostered):Stewart is the backup center for the Pistons, but he should still get at least sixth-man minutes this season. Starter Jalen Duren tends to get into foul trouble on a regular basis, and Stewart already took advantage of extra minutes in his first game to drop a 20-point/10-rebound double-double.

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Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and former NBA guard Damon Jones were arrested Thursday as part of an FBI investigation into illegal sports betting and allegedly rigged poker games.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver was asked Friday night about Thursday’s arrests:

In a press conference on Thursday, FBI director Kash Patel announced the arrests of Rozier, Billups and Jones in relation to an “illegal gambling operation and sports-rigging operation that spanned the course of years.”

Billups and Rozier were placed on immediate leave, the NBA said in a statement. Tiago Splitter will assume coaching duties in Billups’ absence, the Blazers announced.

United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Joseph Nocella Jr. said that Rozier is a defendant in the NBA gambling case, which was an investigation the NBA cooperated with, while Billups is a defendant in the poker case. Jones is a defendant in both cases.

In total, six people have been charged in the alleged sports gambling scheme, while there are 31 defendants in the illegal poker case.

Regarding the NBA betting case, Nocella said bets were placed based on “inside, non-public information” such as when players would miss future games or when players would pull themselves out of games early due to injury or illness.

“The non-public information included when specific players would be sitting out future games, or when they would pull themselves out early for purported injuries or illnesses,” Nocella said, per CNN.

“They also misused information obtained through long-standing friendships that they had with NBA players and coaches, and in at least one instance, they got their information by threatening a current player—(Jontay) Porter—because of his preexisting gambling bets. Defendants used this non-public information to place hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent bets, mostly in the form of prop bets on individual player performance. The bets were placed through online sports books and also in person at casinos.”

Per CNN’s Mark Morales and Kara Scannell, FBI officials alleged that Rozier provided that type of information to sports bettors and faked an injury nine minutes into one game to benefit the betting ring.

New York police commissioner Jessica Tisch expanded on the allegation, noting that bettors involved with the case wagered more than $200,000 on the under for multiple statistical prop bets involving Rozier for a game between the Charlotte Hornets and New Orleans Pelicans:

“One example occurred on March 23, 2023, in Charlotte. Terry Rozier, an NBA player now with the Miami Heat, but at the time playing for the Hornets, allegedly let others close to him know that he planned to leave the game early with a supposed injury.

“Using that information, members of the group placed more than $200,000 in wagers on his ‘under’ statistics. Rozier exited the game after just nine minutes, and those bets paid out, generating tens of thousands of dollars in profit. The proceeds were later delivered to his home, where the group counted their cash. As the NBA season tips off, his career is already benched, not for injury, but for integrity.”

Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, released a statement to Morales and Scannell regarding his client’s arrest:

“We have represented Terry Rozier for over a year. A long time ago we reached out to these prosecutors to tell them we should have an open line of communication. They characterized Terry as a subject, not a target, but at 6 a.m. this morning they called to tell me FBI agents were trying to arrest him in a hotel.

“[Authorities] appear to be taking the word of spectacularly incredible sources rather than relying on actual evidence of wrongdoing. Terry was cleared by the NBA and these prosecutors revived that non-case. Terry is not a gambler, but he is not afraid of a fight, and he looks forward to winning this fight.”

Billups’ attorney Chris Heywood also released a statement, stating they will be fighting the FBI’s charges:

With regard to the poker case in which Billups and Jones were named, Nocella said the defendants “orchestrated a scheme to use wireless cheating technology” to run rigged poker games in the Hamptons, Las Vegas, Miami and Manhattan.

Per CNN’s Kyle Feldscher, Nocella further explained the alleged operation, saying Billups was utilized as a “face card,” which is a professional athlete who would sit alongside players and use their star power in order to distract them from the game.

Aside from the alleged victims, Nocella said, everyone was in on the plan, including the dealer, other players and the face cards, resulting in the victims losing “tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars per game.”

Nocella continued by saying there were other tactics allegedly used by the defendants, such as rigged shuffling machines and other forms of technology:

“For example, they used off-the-shelf shuffling machines that had been secretly altered in order to read the cards in the deck, predict which player at the table had the best poker hand, and relay that information to an off-site operator. The off-site operator sent the information via cellphone back to a co-conspirator at the table, and that person at the table was known as the quarterback.

“The quarterback then signaled secretly the information he had received from others to others at the table, and together, they use that information in order to win their games and to cheat the victims. Defendants used other cheating technologies such as poker chip tray analyzers, which is a poker chip tray that secretly reads cards using a hidden camera, special contact lenses or eyeglasses that could read pre-marked cards and an X-ray table that could read cards face down on the table.”

The NBA has been attempting to crack down on suspicious gambling ever since handing down a lifetime ban to Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter last year.

A league investigation determined that Porter illegally disclosed health information to a bettor before a game, prompting an $80,000 parlay to be placed on Porter’s statistical props.

Porter left the game after only three minutes of action because of illness, but due to the circumstances, the parlay was frozen and not paid out.

Porter later pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy in connection to the gambling case.

During an appearance Tuesday on the Pat McAfee Show (h/t ESPN’s Doug Greenberg and David Purdum), NBA commissioner Adam Silver expressed his desire for more regulation of sports betting, particularly from the federal government.

“I think, probably, there should be more regulation, frankly,” Silver said. “I wish there was federal legislation rather than state by state. I think you’ve got to monitor the amount of promotion, the amount of advertising around it.”

Rozier, 31, is in his 11th NBA season and his third as a member of the Heat after they acquired him in a trade with the Hornets during the 2023-24 season.

Originally selected 16th overall by the Boston Celtics in the 2015 NBA draft out of Louisville, Rozier has appeared in 665 career regular-season games, averaging 13.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per contest.

Per Spotrac, Rozier has earned just over $160 million during his playing career.

In 64 games with the Heat last season, Rozier averaged 10.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists.

Despite dressing for the game, Rozier did not play in the Heat’s 125-121, season-opening loss to the Orlando Magic on Wednesday.

Billups, 49, has been the Blazers’ head coach since 2021, posting a 117-212 record with no playoff appearances.

He is best known for his Hall of Fame playing career with the Celtics, Raptors, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers from 1997 to 2014.

Nicknamed “Mr. Big Shot” due to his penchant for coming through in the clutch, Billups was a five-time All-Star, and he was named NBA Finals MVP in 2004 when he led the Pistons to a championship.

Billups earned nearly $107 million during his playing career, according to Spotrac, and he signed a multiyear coaching contract extension with the Blazers in April.

On Wednesday, Billups coached the Blazers to a 118-114, season-opening loss to the T-Wolves.

The 49-year-old Jones was an NBA guard for 11 seasons from 1998 to 2009, playing for the New Jersey Nets, Celtics, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, Vancouver Grizzlies, Pistons, Sacramento Kings, Milwaukee Bucks, Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers and Milwaukee Bucks.

Jones also served as an assistant coach with the Cavs from 2016 to 2018, winning an NBA championship during that tenure. In 657 regular-season games played, Jones averaged 6.6 points, 2.7 assists and 1.6 rebounds per contest.

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San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has been ruled out for his team’s Week 8 matchup against the Houston Texans amid his recovery from turf toe.

Mac Jones will make his sixth start of the season and will earn another $100,000 in incentives if he leads the 49ers to a win, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. He has earned $400,000 in incentives since taking over for Purdy.

The 49ers are set to kick off against the Texans this Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.

Purdy has been limited by a lingering turf toe injury to just two games this season.

The quarterback initially suffered a toe injury alongside a left shoulder injury during a Week 1 win at the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 7.

After sitting out two games, Purdy returned on Sept. 28 to start a Week 4 loss to the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars.

Although he finished out the loss, head coach Kyle Shanahan said Purdy reported toe soreness afterward.

Shanahan later confirmed that Purdy had “reaggravated” his toe injury, and that he was considered “week to week” heading into Week 6.

Purdy has since been listed as a limited participant in the last two weeks of 49ers practices, although David Lombardi of the San Francisco Standard reported Thursday the Niners were “pleased” with his progress.

The Niners have turned to Jones in Purdy’s absence. Jones has led the 49ers to a 4-1 record without Purdy, although he was most recently held to just 152 passing yards with no touchdown and an interception as Christian McCaffrey powered the team to a Week 7 win over the visiting Atlanta Falcons.

Getting Purdy back under center could allow Shanahan to turn his focus on the passing game and take some of the pressure off McCaffrey, who is coming off an injury-riddled 2024 campaign.

But with Purdy unable to play against the Texans, the 49ers are likely to once more saddle McCaffrey with a heavy workload in Houston.

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The Dallas Cowboys have once more been connected to a potential trade for a defender ahead of the Nov. 4 trade deadline.

NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported Thursday that Jones “has been making phone calls” to test the market for a defensive player.

The Athletic’s Dianna Russini wrote last weekend that the Cowboys “have let the league know they are open for business” and were “looking for defensive help.”

Trey Wingo reported earlier this week the Cowboys had “made inquiries” regarding Las Vegas Raiders star defensive end Maxx Crosby, although NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero wrote the same day that the Raiders had met with Crosby to tell him he wouldn’t be traded.

The Cowboys ranked 28th in the NFL by allowing 355 yards against per game last season.

That has only worsened since the team traded star pass rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers. Dallas is the only defense in the NFL that has allowed more than 401 yards per game through Week 7.

That’s part of the reason the Cowboys are 3-3-1 despite the efforts of quarterback Dak Prescott, who has so far bounced back from last year’s injury-limited campaign to post a career-high 71.4 passing percentage. He is also leading the NFL through Week 7 with 185 completions while ranking second with 1,881 passing yards.

The defense is likely hoping the pending return of linebacker DeMarvion Overshown will provide a boost. Overshown, who suffered a season-ending knee injury last December, opened his 21-day window to return to the active roster by rejoining the Cowboys for Wednesday’s practice.

The Cowboys also opened the practice windows for starting center Cooper Beebe, raising the possibility that Dallas could soon be able to field a fully healthy offensive line for the first time since Week 2.

Jones could be hoping a healthy o-line and a deeper defense will help the Cowboys bounce back from what has so far been an up-and-down start to the 2025 campaign.

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Former UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones posted a moving tribute to his late brother, former NFL defensive tackle Arthur Jones.

“Arthur was not just a Super Bowl champion but a father, spouse, son, brother, everyone’s best friend, a gentle giant whose kindness and generosity knew no bounds,” Jon wrote in his caption of a remembrance video on Instagram.

Arthur Jones died at the age of 39 on Oct. 3. He played seven seasons in the NFL and was a part of the Baltimore Ravens’ Super Bowl win during the 2012 campaign.

Jon wrote about Arthur’s “love for the outdoors,” his involvement in charities and how he gave back to his community. The 38-year-old said his brother “brought pure joy, warmth and laughter to every moment spent around him.”

“His legacy inspires me every day. Our dad Arthur Jones Jr, me, Chandler, Arthur Jones IV, and the rest of the family are committed to moving forward striving to be the best versions of ourselves, just as he would have wanted,” Jon wrote.

Their younger brother, Chandler Jones, also played 11 seasons in the NFL and won the Super Bowl with the New England Patriots in 2014. The brothers were frequently seen supporting Jon throughout his UFC career, and they were in attendance for his last fight at UFC 309 last November.

“King Arthur will truly be missed, he’s gone way too soon, but his spirit will live on in our hearts forever,” Jon wrote at the end of his caption. “Rest easy, big bro, you deserve it, you did amazing.”

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Spencer Jones finished second in the minor leagues with 35 home runs. He also placed second with 179 strikeouts.

It was something of a mixed bag of a season for the 6-foot-7, 240-pound center fielder, whom the Yankees drafted out of Vanderbilt in the first round in 2019.

Despite the highs and lows, the 24-year-old Jones’ output represented a vast improvement from his 2024 season, and it was at Double-A Somerset where things started to trend upward.

Jones adjusted his hitting setup by using a much more open stance that allows his hips to be in a better position to start, but it turns out that the aesthetic changes were mostly just that.

“Itâ€s funny, it looks very different, but it wasnâ€t that much different,†first-year Somerset hitting coach Mike Fransoso said.

“When you really dive into the how his swing was actually unfolding, it wasnâ€t a ton different from where it really was in spring, to where it was those first few weeks here, when he really opened up, which made it look incredibly different.

“It wasnâ€t a new swing. The setup added a level of comfort . . . it allowed the swing he has naturally to unfold. A lot of people got caught up in what it looks like to the eye before he starts moving.â€

Regardless, it was in Somerset where Jones was finally able to unlock his in-game power, hitting 16 home runs in just 49 games before a late-June promotion to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Jones hit 19 more homers in 67 International League games, using lessons learned in swing mechanics and also in finally mastering Double-A after spending all of 2024 at the level.

“Sure, there were some tweaks within the swing and maybe flattening a little and not as uphill,†Fransoso said, “but the setup was the main part. Finding one he was comfortable with and then once he loads, making sure itâ€s free so he can go.â€

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Alex Pereira lobbied to fight Jon Jones at the White House following his stunning TKO victory over Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320 on Saturday.

Speaking through an interpreter, the newly crowned light heavyweight champion said he wants to move up to the heavyweight division for his next bout. He cited Jones in the nation’s capital as his ideal opponent and location:

Pereira needed just 80 seconds to avenge his March loss to Ankalaev. He caught the champ with a right cross, which allowed him to get on top. From there, Pereira laid in a series of punches and elbows before referee Herb Dean called for the bell.

Rather than challenging Jones inside the Octagon immediately after the fight ended, the Brazilian asked the T-Mobile crowd to have a moment of silence for Jones’ brother, Arthur, who died this week.

The gesture didn’t go unnoticed, with Jones thanking Pereira on social media:

Pereira improved his record to 13-3 at UFC 320 and reclaimed his spot atop the light heavyweight division. Pitting him against Jones would be a matchup worthy of the White House card.

UFC president Dana White has downplayed the likelihood of fighting on that occasion, though.

“Let me ask you, what do you think Jon would do in the next couple of months that would make me trust putting him on the White House card?” he said in August during his post-UFC 319 press conference. “… So I already said that I don’t trust him, and you’re asking me what could he do for me to trust him in the next three months? You don’t trust him! I don’t talk to him, either. I haven’t talked to him at all. If I had to make odds, it’s a billion to one that I put Jon Jones on the White House card.”

There’s still a lot of time between now and next July, when the UFC has earmarked its White House event, but White was pretty unequivocal about Jones’ status.

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