Adam Silver: Joeta Porter could be banned from NBA if he's guilty of game-fixing
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says Toronto Raptors' Jontay Porter could be banned from the league for life if allegations of game-fixing are found to be true.
The league is currently investigating suspicious betting patterns related to two games in which Porter performed poorly earlier this year. After two games, players betting on Porter's 3-pointer were the biggest winners among all NBA prop bets, according to DraftKings.
"I have a tremendous amount of discipline at my disposal," Silver said during a meeting of the league's Board of Governors on Wednesday. "He's been accused of a mortal sin in the NBA. My ultimate option is to eject him from the game. That's the level of authority I have here because nothing can be more serious than this."
Point fixed probe
Silver did not provide an update on the investigation, saying only that it was "ongoing." The league is believed to be examining whether there is evidence of "live fixing", where players manipulate not the outcome of a game but aspects that could be used as props to place bets or exchange inside information for betting purposes.
The first game was against the Los Angeles Clippers on January 26, which the Raptors lost 127-107. After suffering a recurrence of his eye injury, Porter played four minutes in the game and had no points, three rebounds and one assist.
Game two came against the Sacramento Kings on March 20, and the Raptors lost again, 123-89. This time, Porter only played three minutes after complaining of physical discomfort, missed one shot and got two rebounds.
Porter averaged 14 minutes per game in 26 games, averaging 4.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists. He has not competed since the investigation began.
Silver bucks the trend
In a 2014 editorial in The New York Times, Silver became the first major league commissioner to express support for legal and regulated sports betting, breaking with decades of backlash based on integrity concerns. "Sports betting should be brought out of the underground and into the light of day, where it can be properly monitored and regulated," Silver wrote.
Today, sports betting is a big win for the NBA, which is expected to generate $167 million in gambling-related revenue this season through relationships with casinos and sportsbooks.
On Wednesday, Silver told the NBA Board of Governors that the Portner controversy had not shaken his belief in a regulated market.
"I mean, there's disgusting and even illegal behavior surrounding sports betting, that's nothing new," Silver said. "I think my point is that as long as it's out there, you're more likely to find it in a regulated environment than if all bets are being placed illegally."
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Source: www.casino.org
