Jontay Porter, a Toronto player and younger brother of Denver player Michael Porter, was banned for life following serious charges of illegal gambling. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver issued a scathing statement against Porter that read: "There is nothing more important than maintaining the integrity of NBA games for the fans, the teams, and everyone involved in our sport.
"The investigation against the player focused on two games last January, in which the 24-year-old Porter left a few minutes later and allegedly helped gamblers rake in handsome sums after betting on his game statistics. The official reason for Porter's exit from the games was an injury in one of the games and an illness in the second; it is not clear if it was caused. The gambling phenomenon has been disturbing the rest of the NBA leaders in recent weeks. It began with remarks from Indiana star Tyrese Halliburton, who claimed the players "are just pawns in something much bigger," continued with Cleveland coach JB Bickerstaff's revelation that he received threats from gamblers who approached him personally.