Jones, the former de facto assistant coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. Federal prosecutors have indicted Jones. They claim that he peddled sensitive, non-public injury info regarding Lakers players to gamblers throughout the 2022-23 and 2023-24 NBA seasons. This news is shocking and deeply troubling in terms of integrity in professional sports. Yet it illustrates the consequences that can result from using insider information to bet on outcomes.
The charges allege that Jones received sensitive information from a team trainer in at least one incident. He then used this information to better inform his co-defendant, Eric Earnest as to what the government had. At Marves’ request, Earnest shared the information with Marves Fairley, a legendary gambler. Betrayed by this insider knowledge, Fairley supposedly then made an entirely legal $100,000 bet to lose on the Lakers.
Jones has entered a not guilty plea to wire fraud and money laundering charges during arraignment in federal court in Brooklyn. The case has garnered significant attention as it unravels a web of alleged misconduct involving multiple individuals connected to the Lakers organization.
In what became a frightening situation, Lakers guard Terry Rozier was carried off the floor later that quarter. He suffered a foot injury after playing only nine-plus minutes. Despite Rozier not being listed on the Hornets’ injury report prior to the game, bettors armed with insider information reportedly placed over $263,000 in bets on the under regarding Rozier’s statistics.
Rozier probably told his childhood friend Deniro Laster about his plans to leave in advance of the March 23, 2023, game, the investigation found. It appears this communication was made before his departure. He is set for arraignment on December 8 in Brooklyn, where he continues to be presumed innocent by the statement of his attorney.
“The NBA strongly supports the integrity and fairness of our game,” said an NBA spokesperson. As is typical in these types of investigations, several current and former officials and entities were instructed to hold on to certain documents and records. Everyone has been fully cooperative.
More information has surfaced about how deeply Lakers personnel were involved in that investigation. Special trainer Mike Mancias and executive administrator Randy Mims are on board with the probe. They are just the latest in a group of a dozen employees from the now blacklisted team to speak out. This joint effort is desperately needed as federal prosecutors continue looking into the scope of the alleged wrongdoing.
Chauncey Billups has been indicted on charges related to running fixed poker games. This is just the latest example to underscore the real and persistent integrity threat from sports gambling.
Yet the NBA’s current investigation into these practices demonstrates a burgeoning anxiety about the consequences of the convergence between professional sports and gambling. With gambling ever more enmeshed in the sports culture, keeping transparency and integrity first and foremost is more critical than ever.
Leave a Reply