NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter could face banishment from basketball if gambling allegations against him turn out to be true.
Porter, the younger brother of Denver Nuggets star Michael Porter Jr., is under investigation by the NBA following reports of suspicious betting patterns in games he was involved in.
The 24-year-old has not played since March 22, just before an ESPN report gave details of alleged irregularities in games that Porter played.
Speaking in New York after an NBA owners meeting on Wednesday, Silver warned that the consequences for Porter could be “very severe” if the league’s investigation uncovered wrongdoing.
“It’s a cardinal sin what he’s accused of in the NBA and the ultimate extreme option I have is to ban him from the game,” Silver said in remarks to several media outlets.
“That’s the level of authority I have here because there’s nothing more serious around this league when it comes to gambling and betting on our games – and that is a direct player involvement.
“And so the investigation is ongoing, but the consequences could be very severe.”
NBA players are forbidden from wagering on NBA games under league rules. Those found to have gambled on NBA games risk a fine, suspension or life ban from the sport.
“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.”
