Broncos Trade Proposal Lands Former Ravens Draft Pick to Help Bo Nix
The Denver Broncos are in an interesting spot, sitting at 6-2 and atop the AFC West entering Week 9 with the trade deadline less than one week away, but a move that helps quarterback
ESPN’s staff put together a trade deadline breakdown, and Ben Solak suggested the Broncos attempt to trade for former Baltimore Ravens starter
Cleveland could help the Broncos tread water until they get their starter, Ben Powers, back.
Broncos Urged to Trade for Ravens OG Ben Cleveland
GettyBen Cleveland #66 of the Baltimore Ravens looks on during training camp.
The Broncos lost starting left guard Ben Powers to injured reserve with a torn biceps, and replacement Matt Peart followed him. The Broncos got by with Alex Palczewski against the
That is where Cleveland could be of service to the Broncos after falling out of favor with the Ravens, who drafted him with the 94th overall pick of the 2021 draft.
This Heavy Sports Broncos trade pitch sends a late-round pick to the Ravens for Cleveland.
Broncos get:
- Ben Cleveland
Ravens get:
- 2026 sixth-round draft pick
“The Broncos could be looking for depth at guard following the injury to Ben Powers, whom they signed from Baltimore two years ago,”
Cleveland, 27, has appeared in 61 games for the Ravens in his career, but he has seven starts and has never drawn more than four in a single season. That came during his rookie campaign, making Cleveland a risky trade target for the Broncos or any other team looking for help.
Broncos Alex Palczewski Gets Strong Endorsement
The Broncos could be inclined to stand pat at the deadline, given head coach Sean Payton’s strong praise for Palczewski. A former undrafted free agent,
“He’s doing well,” Payton told reporters on October 29. “He doesn’t look like a throw-in left guard. He’s smart. He’s tough. It’s good to see him playing. It’s good when you look at some of the guys we were able to get after the draft and late. That’s like gold, getting those type of players. And we had, that first year, we hit on a number of linemen.”
Palczewski and the Broncos will face the Houston Texans in Week 9. Their strength is off the edges and in the secondary.
The Las Vegas Raiders are also stronger off the edges than they are up the middle.
That matchup is after the deadline anyway. Moreover, Chris Jones and the Kansas City Chiefs loom large in Week 11 and again in Week 17. Powers could return to the field by then, but that remains uncertain.
Skill positions could be enticing, but the Broncos have stocked their cupboards with young, ascending talent behind veterans Courtland Sutton, Evan Engram, and J.K. Dobbins.
Nix avoids sacks well, but a trade for an upgrade at guard could help him and the Broncos.
Ex-Celtics Guard Hires Trump Lawyer to Fight NBA Gambling Charges
Former Boston Celtics guard and Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups has hired one of the nation’s most prominent defense attorneys to battle federal gambling charges that have rocked the NBA — and tied three former Celtics to the league’s biggest integrity scandal in years.
According to The Athletic, Billups has hired Marc Mukasey, a high-profile trial lawyer who has represented former U.S. President Donald Trump, to handle his defense against wire-fraud and money-laundering conspiracy charges.
Billups Turns to Prominent White-Collar Defense Attorney
Mukasey, a former federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York and the son of ex-U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey, is widely regarded as one of America’s top courtroom strategists in financial and corporate cases.
According to The Athletic report, Mukasey previously defended Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher, who was acquitted of murder in 2019, and FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried during sentencing in his multibillion-dollar fraud case. Mukasey also served as a legal adviser to Rudy Giuliani’s 2007 presidential campaign and represented Joe Sanberg, co-founder of fintech firm Aspiration, in an NBA-related salary-cap case involving Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers. Sanberg later pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud after admitting to defrauding investors of $248 million.
Now, Mukasey is representing Billups — the 2004 NBA Finals MVP and current Portland Trail Blazers head coach — as he faces potentially career-defining criminal charges.
Federal Allegations and Celtics Connection
In the indictments reviewed by
The 49-year-old coach, arrested in Oregon, has been placed on administrative leave by the Trail Blazers while the case proceeds. His former attorney, Chris Heywood, said last week that Billups “would not jeopardize” his Hall-of-Fame legacy, his reputation and freedom.
Two other former Celtics — Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and former NBA player Damon Jones — are also implicated in the widening probe. Prosecutors allege Rozier shared private injury information with a friend who then profited from insider bets, while Jones allegedly helped facilitate the illegal gambling ring.
From Boston Lottery Pick to Hall of Fame Player
Getty 25 Jun 1997: Guard Chauncey Billups of the Boston Celtics shakes hands with NBA Commissioner David Stern during the NBA Draft at the Charlotte Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Billups began his NBA career in Boston, drafted third overall by the Celtics in 1997, before going on to win a championship with the Detroit Pistons and earning the nickname “Mr. Big Shot.” He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield in 2024, a crowning moment for one of the league’s most respected figures.
Rozier, beloved by Celtics fans from 2015 to 2019, helped Boston reach the 2018 Eastern Conference Finals, while Jones had a brief stint with the franchise during the 1998–99 season. Their shared ties to Boston have given the scandal an unsettling familiarity for local fans.
Badminton Betting Ban Mirrors NBA Investigation
The NBA’s ongoing gambling scandal comes as other global sports face similar integrity challenges. The Badminton World Federation (BWF) recently banned former Danish player and coach Joachim Persson for four years after he was filmed placing live bets courtside during a 2023 Japan Open match, according to
The similarities between the two cases are striking. Both involve allegations that individuals used insider access and confidential information for betting purposes. The incidents highlight the mounting challenge of maintaining sports integrity amid the rapid expansion of legalized gambling worldwide.
A Hall-of-Fame Legacy Under Scrutiny
For Billups, who spent part of his formative NBA years in Boston, the charges threaten to overshadow a Hall-of-Fame career defined by leadership and professionalism.
If convicted, Billups could face up to 20 years in prison per count, along with the potential loss of his coaching position and damage to his legacy.
The NBA continues to cooperate with federal authorities as the investigation broadens — with Boston fans watching uneasily as three familiar names fight to protect their reputations.
