Since October 2025, a gambling scandal has hung over the NBA, testing its own modern ambitions: a sports business that welcomed betting money, betting partnerships, and betting visibility, only to find itself confronting allegations that confidential NBA information and allegedly manipulated outcomes may have helped fuel an underground gambling network.
The following is a timeline of the case.
Damon Jones to Change Plea
The NBA gambling controversy may have reached its first true turning point. According to ESPN, Damon Jones, the former NBA guard and assistant coach charged in two federal gambling cases, is expected to plead guilty after previously denying the allegations that he provided insider information about the health status of LeBron James and Anthony Davis used to make illegal sports bets. Jones is the first defendant in the case to publicly move toward a plea deal, shifting the story from accusation to consequence.
Heat Waives Rozier
Terry Rozier is waived by the Miami Heat after a season derailed by the federal gambling case. The Associated Press reported he had been sidelined the entire season after his October 2025 arrest.
Prosecutors Set Trial Date
Prosecutors say they expect to extend plea offers to multiple defendants in the poker case, while also setting a November 2, 2026, trial date for Sophia Wei, Chauncey Billups, Damon Jones, and others who continue to contest the charges.
NBA Hires Law Firm
The NBA confirms it has hired an independent law firm to investigate the allegations and has sought records from individuals and teams.
Damon Jones Pleads Not Guilty
Damon Jones pleads not guilty in both cases. At the time, his lawyer acknowledged that plea negotiations could still happen. Jones was released on bail.
Federal Prosecutors Arrests
Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn announce sweeping arrests tied to alleged insider betting and mob-linked, rigged poker games, naming Damon Jones, Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups among the basketball figures caught up in the case. Prosecutors say the sports-betting conspiracy ran from December 2022 to March 2024.
NBA rules prohibit players, coaches, and team personnel from providing “confidential information” that can be used for betting.