BAD NEWS: Jontay Porter investigation finally reveals $100k perils of sports gambling to NBA

The NBA is investigating a Toronto Raptors two-way player with some highly sketchy absences that earned prop bettors big money.

The Golden State Warriors know all about gambling. Whether it’s spending the No. 2 pick in the draft on a raw teenager with limited on-court experience, or signing a long-term deal with the world’s shadiest cryptocurrency exchange, the Warriors are prepared to bet on risky outcomes. But not, you know, actually bet.

That may not be the case in Toronto, where two-way player Jontay Porter is under investigation by the NBA after a pattern of suspicious betting involving his games. To make a complex story short, there were two separate games where DraftKings saw heavy betting on the “under” side of Porter’s player props. And in those games, Porter left early for somewhat questionable reasons (eye injury, unnamed illness) that didn’t stop him from playing two days later.

"Once I turned $5k into $100k…"

–– Jontay Porter is active in social media about his options & crypto trading. He co-founded a firm that sells trading tips. On this 2021 podcast he talks about some of his best trades https://t.co/IDgp717Q90 pic.twitter.com/V1uOu0J3Ow

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) March 25, 2024

But the absences did ensure that Porter failed to reach any of his prop totals for those games. In both those games, DraftKings reported that Porter unders were the “No. 1 moneymaker of the night,” and another sportsbook insider said there were multiple accounts trying to bet five-figure sums on Porter unders.

This doesn’t look good for Porter, who is the brother of Denver Nuggets star Michael Porter, Jr. Jontay makes $415,000 on his two-way contract. Michael makes over $33 million. Maybe he was jealous of his brother? Or maybe he just likes scams.

Porter claims to be an investment whiz, detailing improbable accounts of turning $5K into $100K and increasing a $50K stake to $200K in “a couple of days.” He also bragged about his cryptocurrency expertise, even back in college. Porter also co-founded The Financial Cloud, which is essentially a site that sells stock tips.

Those are the the kind of side hustles where you might have to, say, some up with cash very quickly to cover a loss, perhaps by consorting with some dangerous characters who also love prop bets. Especially if your alt account (@TayTrades11) on X.com tweets about parlays and interacts with gambling accounts.

The NBA has opened themselves up to this kind of scandal by running to gambling companies with arms and pockets wide open. More than one NBA team has a sports book in their home area. Broadcast partner ESPN has its own sports book, and TNT telecasts now feature Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley giving gambling advice. Yes, a man who has admitted to losing over ten million dollars in unsuccessful betting is giving tips to America.

It was very predictable that this could lead to trouble. NBA stars are now constantly harassed on social media and even yelled at during games by fans who lost money on player-specific parlays. Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff told reporters he’s been threatened by gamblers. Is it a coincidence that Cleveland is one of those teams with a sports book?

It’s simply not a surprise that a player, especially one making a small amount by NBA standards, allegedly tried to profit off his own play, or in this case, his sitting out with dubious ailments. The question is how the NBA is going to deal with it going forward.

The other danger revealed by the Porter tale is that successful NBA stars need to keep on eye on their less-talented siblings. We’re not talking about Seth Curry, who has worked his way into some lucrative NBA contracts. The stakes that the Curry family bets on for golf involve jumping into Lake Tahoe; not public prop bets. But the Warriors wisely gave Klay Thompson’s brother Mychel a job on their coaching staff and drafted Mike Dunleavy’s brother’s client, Trayce Jackson-Davis, to keep family members on the straight and narrow.

Although even golf can be problematic when there’s too much betting involved. When Steph Curry won the American Century Golf Championship last summer, he was helped by a heckler who distracted Curry’s biggest competitor, Mardy Fish, on the final hole. Because he bet on Curry to win.

The integrity of basketball and the sanctity of Lake Tahoe golf courses are both at risk. Maybe that’s why Warriors legend Rick Barry switched to pickleball.