Toronto Raptors’ Jontay Porter could face ban amid betting allegations

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said that he could be left with no other option than to expel Toronto Raptors’ Jontay Porter from the NBA if the gambling-related accusations against him are proven true.

As reported by the Associated Press, Silver did not disclose any specifics about the investigation into Porter, other than to note the probe was ongoing.

The 24-year-old has not played for the Raptors since the allegations were reported by ESPN at the end of March over betting irregularities relating to prop markets on Porter.

The probe relates to matches that involved Porter between January 26 and March 20. The sports broadcaster said at the time that it had multiple sources of the player’s alleged involvement. 

The accusations related to specific prop bets made on Porter during matches against the LA Clippers and the Sacramento Kings. 

In the days after the Clippers game, DraftKings confirmed that the under prop bet on Porter’s three-pointers was “the biggest money winner for bettors of any NBA player prop bets from games that evening.”

Speaking about the allegations, Silver said that if true, Porter had committed a “cardinal sin” in the sport. 

Silver said: “I have enormous range of discipline available to me. 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.”

Silver added: “I mean, this is not new that there’s unsavory behaviour, even illegal behaviour, around sports betting. I guess my point is that to the extent it’s going to exist, if you have a regulated environment, you’re going to have a better chance of detecting it than you would if all the bets were placed illegally.”

Following the revelation of the probe into Porter, his brother, Michael Porter Jr, said that his brother would not risk his career by gambling.