Rumors

As federal prosecutors continue to investigate possible illegal sports gambling on NBA games, they are looking into additional games beyond the seven contests named in a Department of Justice indictment this fall.

New York Times

“The government has ongoing investigations,” David Berman, an assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District, said in court last week. “And our understanding is the defendant has conducted himself in similar manners in other instances as well.” It is not known how many games are being investigated, or if there are other NBA players who may be implicated.

New York Times

Timothy McCormack, a self-proclaimed gambling addict, received a two-year prison sentence Wednesday as he became the first defendant to be sentenced for his role in a sweeping conspiracy involving NBA players Terry Rozier and Jontay Porter.

ESPN

Barry Jackson: Per source, one reason why the NBA hasn't terminated Rozier contract and given Miami cap space (unlike what it did with J. Porter) is the league has not been given access to whatever evidence the feds have in their charges against Rozier. So NBA has no evidence to overturn its previous conclusion that Rozier did nothing wrong. Heat operating under belief it can trade him as a cap facilitator.

x.com

Kalshi yanked affiliate badges after accounts tied to the platform circulated antisemitic posts — including a graphic that slapped NBA Commissioner Adam Silver’s face onto Adolf Hitler’s body. The posts spread on X, where several meme-style accounts displaying Kalshi affiliate badges shared or amplified the content, triggering outrage and dragging the prediction-market startup into a reputational firestorm.

New York Post

In a legal document made public Tuesday, Jim Trusty, Rozier's attorney, argues that the federal government failed to clearly state Rozier's offense in the indictment and is trying to "enforce its view of integrity in sports wagering." "The government has billed this case as involving 'insider betting' and 'rigging' professional basketball games," Trusty, a partner at Ifrah Law, wrote. "But the indictment alleges something less headline-worthy: that some bettors broke certain sportsbooks' terms of use."

ESPN

We're going to get to the excitement in just a moment, but I do want to ask you first about this gambling scandal that's rocked the NBA. Of course, the NBA isn't the only league that’s been dealing with this — other sports as well. But what is your message to fans who may worry about the game's integrity right now? Adam Silver: My message is: the integrity is absolutely solid. So, the scandal, as you called it, is an incident from two and a half years ago involving one player who allegedly tipped other accomplices that he was going to be coming out of a game early because he was injured. But to me, that’s an isolated incident. That said, we take it absolutely seriously. I understand from a fan standpoint that there's nothing more important than the integrity of the game.

YouTube

MrBuckBuck: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver message to fans worried about the game's integrity: “My message is the integrity is absolutely solid… I understand from a fan's standpoint that there is nothing more important than the integrity of the game.”

x.com

Shams Charania: The NBA is enacting several sports betting policies to its 30 teams, including changing injury reporting rules: Teams now will be required to resubmit injury listings on game day between 11 am and 1 pm local time and update public reports every 15 minutes, sources tell ESPN.

x.com

Shams Charania: NBA is also pushing gaming companies for changes to prop bets involving individual players, such as: - limiting maximum amount that can be bet - limitations on "unders" - limiting population of players - eliminating problematic bet types, like bets on an action on a single play

x.com

MrBuckBuck: Jalen Brunson on whether he prefers blackjack, poker, or roulette: “I don't gamble. It’s probably a good thing I don’t gamble right? Probably shouldn't say anything about gambling."

x.com

At his introductory news conference, Jones bragged: "Not to be arrogant at all, I think I'm one of the top-five shooters in the world. [The top 5] are me as a rookie. Me in Years 2-4. Me in Year 5. Me in Year 7." He was also a gambler. Jones was a regular in card games after practices, on team flights and around tables in hotel suites on road trips. "Sometimes he won, sometimes he lost. He always talked," one former teammate says. "Most of the time he was a good hang. He was mostly harmless." Perhaps not anymore.

ESPN

"There are probably some people out there pretty worried about Damon right now," one longtime league executive who used to have Jones on his roster said. "He has nothing to lose and nothing to bargain with -- other than rolling over on other people."

ESPN

His penchant for overspending never dimmed, either, despite no longer earning an NBA salary. Multiple friends and former co-workers say Jones routinely asked them for loans after his playing career ended. During his time as a coach in Cleveland, Jones often stayed in the guest room of another of the team's coaches, sources said. "Honestly, I started to try to avoid him," one former NBA player said. "Because I didn't want to have money conversations."

ESPN