Jontay Porter is not the final NBA player to be implicated in a purported sports betting scandal.

March 27, 2024

Jontay Porter is not the final NBA player to be implicated in a purported sports betting scandal.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver has advocated for the growth of legalized sports betting since the start of his leadership and is now confronting a crucial turning point.

In 2014, just a few months into his role as NBA commissioner, Adam Silver penned an opinion piece for The New York Times advocating for the expansion of legalized sports gambling. Silver argued that the nation required "a different approach," pointing to the increasing demand among sports enthusiasts and acknowledging that people were already engaging in gambling activities regardless. He contended that sports betting ought to be brought out of clandestine channels and into the open, where it could be effectively supervised and regulated.

A decade later, Adam Silver's vision has materialized into actuality. Currently, approximately 38 states, along with the District of Columbia, have enacted laws legalizing various forms of sports gambling, with 29 permitting online betting. Major sports leagues, including the NBA, have enthusiastically embraced this surge in gambling activity, striking lucrative agreements with casinos and online betting platforms. These deals are anticipated to yield around $167 million in revenue for the NBA during the current season.

It was a surge, and the NBA rode it. However, a downturn was inevitable. The signs began earlier this month, with Indiana Pacers All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton expressing frustration that many fans see him merely as an object, and Cleveland Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff disclosing that he had received threatening messages from bettors so severe that he brought them to the league's attention. Then, on Monday, ESPN revealed that Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter was under scrutiny after several instances of "betting irregularities" over the past few months.

According to ESPN, these anomalies are linked to unusual betting patterns on prop bets during two Toronto Raptors games: one on January 26 against the Los Angeles Clippers and another on March 20 against the Sacramento Kings. In the game against the Clippers, Porter played for four minutes before exiting due to an alleged eye injury. He ended the game with no points, three rebounds, and one assist. The prop bets for Porter in that game were set at approximately 5.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists, with an over/under for his made 3-pointers set at 0.5. Porter fell below the set thresholds in all categories.

On March 20, Porter participated for three minutes before exiting the game due to a purported illness. He did not score and secured two rebounds. Sportsbooks established Porter's over/unders at approximately 7.5 points and 5.5 rebounds. DraftKings reported that Porter's prop bets were the top money earners of the night in the NBA.

The NBA has stated that it is investigating the irregularities.

If the accusations prove to be accurate, Porter's future in the league is jeopardized. The NBA possesses broad authority to impose penalties in such instances, including fines, suspensions, or contract termination. Expulsion remains the most severe possibility. In 2007, Tim Donaghy, a seasoned NBA referee, was discovered providing insider information to bookmakers. He was subsequently dismissed from his position and ultimately pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges related to wire fraud and transmitting betting information across state lines.

The Porter case carries significant gravity. Despite not being a prominent player, Porter, who is the sibling of Denver Nuggets standout Michael Porter Jr., has appeared in just 37 NBA games across two seasons. This season, he averaged 13.8 minutes per game over 26 appearances with Toronto. However, the player's stature in the league is irrelevant in this context. If the allegations hold true, Porter would have manipulated game outcomes. In his op-ed, Silver emphasized his duty "to protect the integrity of professional basketball and preserve public confidence in the league and our sport." Porter's actions would have undermined that responsibility.

Porter is a convenient target for setting an example. Prior to this week, he was relatively unknown, having spent four years shuttling between the NBA and the G League, and this season playing on a two-way contract. The NBA has the authority—and is likely to exercise it—to administer severe punishment. It's probable that the league will impose its harshest penalties on Porter, showcasing him as a warning to any player who compromises the game's integrity.

As one high-ranking team official remarked, "If this stuff is true, [the discipline] will be an easy decision."

However, what about the NBA itself? Can a league that prominently features FanDuel advertisements during national TV broadcasts and encourages viewers to engage in in-game betting bear any responsibility? While the NBA may not have been able to prevent the floodgates of sports gambling from opening, some argue that it could have been more cautious in its embrace of it. League officials might argue that their monitoring mechanisms effectively detected Porter's alleged actions swiftly. Nevertheless, the notion that Porter is the sole player engaging in such behavior seems doubtful.

"Adam pushed for gambling for years," remarked another team executive. "Now we will deal with ramifications. He had to know stuff like this would happen."

And indeed, it is likely to occur again. This time, it allegedly involves a lesser-known player manipulating his own statistics in relatively inconsequential regular-season games. However, next time, it could involve a more prominent player affecting the outcome of a playoff game. While sports gambling has enriched both the NBA and its players, the risks to the game's integrity are palpable. Jontay Porter might be the first to yield to temptation, but he certainly won't be the last.

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