Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter has reportedly been removed from the lineup for Monday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets after being designated as the subject of a gambling investigation by the NBA.
According to ESPN Adrian Wojnarowski, David Purdum and Brian Windhorstthe league is investigating “prop betting irregularities involving” Porter in recent months.
Several sources have said ESPN that the league reported prop bets involving Porter during the January 26 and March 20 games. Porter has appeared in 26 games with five starts this season and is averaging 4.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 13.8 minutes of action.
During Toronto’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers on January 26, there was reportedly “increased interest in betting on the unders for Porter’s props”, set at 5.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1, 5 assists. There was also a set plus/minus at 0.5 for Porter’s three-pointers.
Porter played just four minutes in that game before being forced out for what the Raptors called a reaggravation of an eye injury he suffered four days earlier, so the undershot on each prop bet. DraftKings Sportsbook reported the next day that the under on Porter’s three-pointer was the biggest money-maker of any player prop in the NBA during that night’s games.
Porter’s prop bets were once again the most lucrative on the night of March 20 when he played just three minutes before going out with what the team called an illness. His over/unders were set at around 7.5 points and 5.5 rebounds, and he didn’t score and only pulled down two rebounds.
Porter, the brother of Denver Nuggets star Michael Porter Jr., signed a two-way contract with the Raptors in December. He missed Saturday’s game against the Washington Wizards for “personal reasons,” the team said. He was scratched with the same designation for Monday’s game against the Nets.
NBA players and all other league employees are prohibited from participating in any form of play at league events. Penalties for violating the league’s gaming policy include fines, suspensions and possible contract terminations, among other possible consequences.
