Adam Silver cautions Jontay Porter on possible NBA lifetime ban

Published April 10, 2024 at 5:58 PM
By: KEVIN BARREAU

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Kevin Barreau
April 10, 2024 (5:58 PM)

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Adam Silver, NBA commissioner, stated Wednesday that Toronto Raptors' Jontay Porter faces potential permanent league ban due to ongoing betting irregularity investigations, terming it a "cardinal sin."

''I have enormous range of discipline available to me,'' Silver told reporters. ''It's cardinal sin what he's accused of in the NBA. The ultimate extreme option I have is to ban him from the game. That's the level of authority I have here because there's nothing more serious.''

After a two-day Board of Governors meeting, Silver didn't disclose details about Porter's investigation but confirmed its continuation. Porter hasn't played since the league started probing his on-court betting patterns.

ESPN's initial report on March 25 highlighted suspicions surrounding prop bets linked to Porter during games on Jan. 26 and March 20. DraftKings Sportsbook noted these bets as significant earners for each game. While the NBA has faced betting scandals before, like the infamous Tim Donaghy case in 2007, the issue has gained prominence as sports betting legalization spreads across states.

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Silver expressed a desire for a unified federal framework for sports betting rather than the current state-by-state approach. The NBA favors transparency to easily detect irregularities. However, Silver acknowledged the complexity of relationships among the NBA, other leagues, media, and gambling entities, hinting at a potential reassessment of these dynamics.

"At the end of the day, there's nothing more important than the integrity of the competition," Silver said. "And so, any issue raised around that is of great concern to me and to all commissioners, to all people who are safeguards, who are all people who are in a position and have a responsibility to safeguard the game. Again, this is a burgeoning industry in the United States. It's been legal in other places in the world for decades. There's lessons to be learned from the way that sports betting is monitored and regulated in other jurisdictions.

"And again, I think as these unfortunate examples come along, we may have to adjust our rules and our partner gaming companies and those companies that aren't our partners may have to adjust their behavior as well."

For the 10th consecutive game, Porter remained sidelined, attributed to personal reasons, as the Raptors faced the Nets in Brooklyn on Wednesday. The team will conclude the season with matchups in Miami on Friday and Sunday. Porter's absence coincided closely with the NBA's investigation into his game-related betting patterns.

Source ESPN : Adam Silver: Raptors' Jontay Porter could face permanent ban
Source CP24 : Adam Silver says gambling probe of Raptors' Jontay Porter could lead to banishment from NBA
Source New York Post : https://nypost.com/2024/04/10/sports/jontay-porter-facing-lifetime-nba-ban-adam-silver-warns/

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April 10 \| 20 answers Adam Silver cautions Jontay Porter on possible NBA lifetime ban Do you agree with the punishment on Jontay Porter if found guilty?
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