Raptors center facing NBA investigation over prop-bet irregularities

Oct 28, 2019; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A general view of the Toronto Raptors court logo before a game against the Orlando Magic at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

As Major League Baseball deals with a gambling scandal involving Ippei Mizuhara and Shohei Ohtani, the NBA may now have one of their own.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported Monday that Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter is currently out of the lineup as he faces an NBA investigation. The investigation is reportedly centered around alleged irregularities with prop bets involving Porter.

Wojnarowski notes that games that Porter played for the Raptors on Jan. 26 against the LA Clippers and March 20 against the Sacramento Kings are at issue. There was reportedly increased betting interest on Porter’s under props for those games. He played just four minutes against the Clippers, finishing with zero points, three rebounds, and one assist before leaving with a re-aggravation of an eye injury he suffered several games prior. Against the Kings, Porter played three minutes before exiting due to a reported illness (finishing with zero points and two rebounds).

You can read Wojnarowski’s full reporting on the situation here.

The 24-year-old Porter, the younger brother of Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., played his college ball at Missouri and signed with the Memphis Grizzlies as an undrafted free agent in 2020. After making 11 appearances for the Grizzlies, Porter was waived and spent the next several seasons in the NBA G League. He then got a two-way deal from the Raptors last December and has averaged 4.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game over 26 total appearances for Toronto this season.

Porter last suited up for Toronto on March 22 but sat out their March 23 game due to personal reasons. He was also listed as out for Monday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets, and we now know it is because of an ongoing NBA investigation.