The unfolding investigation, which has also implicated former player Damon Jones and several members of New York’s organised crime families, has raised serious concerns about the league’s growing relationship with legalised betting.

The NBA has been rocked by a massive scandal following the arrests of Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier in connection with a federal gambling probe. The unfolding investigation, which has also implicated former player Damon Jones and several members of New York’s organised crime families, has raised serious concerns about the league’s growing relationship with legalised betting.

On Friday night, during Amazon Prime Video’s broadcast of the Celtics–Knicks game, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver publicly responded to the shocking development. “My initial reaction was I was deeply disturbed,” Silver said. “There’s nothing more important to the league and its fans than the integrity of the competition. I had a pit in my stomach. It was very upsetting.”

Silver confirmed that both Billups and Rozier have been placed on administrative leave while the NBA cooperates fully with federal authorities. He said,“I apologize to our fans that we are all dealing with this situation,” .

The commissioner also revealed that the league previously investigated Rozier’s betting activity in 2023 but found insufficient evidence to act. Silver explained, “We frankly couldn’t find anything. Terry at the time cooperated. He gave the league office his phone. He sat down for an interview. And we ultimately concluded that there was insufficient evidence despite that aberrational behavior to move forward. He still hasn’t been convicted of anything, in fairness to Terry. Obviously, it doesn’t look good. But he’s now been put on administrative leave. There’s a balance here of protecting people’s rights and investigating.”

NBA gambling scandal

Federal investigators allege that Rozier conspired with associates to manipulate betting outcomes by leaking insider information and intentionally underperforming. In one case from March 2023, Rozier allegedly told associates he would exit a Charlotte Hornets game early with a fake injury, enabling bettors to win over $200,000 in wagers.

Meanwhile, Billups is accused of participating in an underground poker ring backed by organized crime. According to investigators, the games featured x-ray tables and pre-marked cards that defrauded players out of millions. The FBI said the operation was tied to the Bonanno, Gambino, Lucchese, and Genovese crime families.