The NBA’s ongoing investigation into gambling activity has widened, and the Los Angeles Lakers are now among several teams asked to provide electronic records as part of the league’s internal probe. According to multiple reports, league investigators have contacted several organizations associated with the federal cases involving betting schemes involving player information.
Amid these developments, betting interest in the Lakers has surged in recent weeks, driven by the team’s promising start to the season and the expected return of LeBron James, who is anticipated to resume practicing with the team this week. That momentum has also spilled over into platforms like Quick Win Casino, where wagering action on the Lakers has been particularly active as fans and bettors adjust to the team’s early success and improving health outlook.
Lakers Staff Part of the Review
The firm leading the NBA’s inquiry, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, has requested access to cell phones and related communications from Lakers personnel. The move follows federal indictments of former NBA players Damon Jones and Terry Rozier, as well as ongoing scrutiny involving Trail Blazers coach and Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups.
Sources told The Athletic that as many as 10 Lakers employees have been asked to hand over their devices. Assistant trainer Mike Mancias and executive administrator Randy Mims have already voluntarily cooperated with the inquiry. Both have long-standing ties to LeBron James — Mancias serves as his personal trainer, and Mims has been part of the star’s inner circle for years.
To this point, James, Mancias, and Mims have not been accused of wrongdoing or named in any federal documents. The focus of investigators appears to center on what, if anything, these individuals knew about Damon Jones’ alleged sale of insider information to gamblers. Jones, who spent years in and around the NBA and once worked closely with James, is alleged to have provided privileged health details about top players to betting contacts.
League-Wide Investigation
The Lakers are not the only franchise under review. League investigators have also contacted several other organizations that appeared in connection with the federal court filings. Those references reportedly include multiple teams whose player personnel or staff had relationships with the individuals now charged.
At least two front-office executives outside Los Angeles have acknowledged receiving notification from the league about the expanded investigation. While the Orlando Magic’s name surfaced in early reports, The Athletic indicated they are not one of the franchises currently under league review. Nevertheless, the Magic had previously been linked to allegations that a former player provided gamblers with advance knowledge of lineup plans before a late-season game against Cleveland in April 2023. The Magic later clarified that the player in question is no longer part of their organization.
Federal Charges Spark NBA Reforms
Damon Jones’ arrest intensified attention on how players’ health and availability data are managed and shared within teams. Prosecutors allege that inside information about player injuries was exchanged for cash, triggering strict scrutiny of how teams handle sensitive details.
In response, the NBA is now considering stricter rules on injury disclosures to prevent the misuse of inside information. The league office is expected to introduce revised reporting requirements designed to create more transparency and reduce opportunities for data leaks related to player status.
Teams have long treated injury details with caution. Coaches and executives often prefer to keep player conditions vague, labeling them “day-to-day” for weeks or waiting until game time to confirm participation. That approach allows flexibility in game planning and forces opponents to prepare for multiple scenarios. Yet, this same discretion can also create vulnerabilities when inside knowledge is misused.
By tightening the reporting window and requiring earlier notice of status changes, the league hopes to prevent exploitation of that information by outside parties. These reforms could resemble the standards already established in other professional sports, where injury designations must be submitted within fixed time frames before games.
The Next Steps
Sources have indicated that the NBA’s legal team could issue additional record requests as investigators work to map the full extent of communication between individuals tied to the charges and team employees. While league officials have avoided publicly identifying which franchises received inquiries, the Lakers’ inclusion underscores the investigation’s reach and the league’s commitment to addressing potential integrity risks.
The NBA has emphasized that its cooperation with law enforcement remains ongoing and that its own review will operate in parallel. Once investigators collect and evaluate the requested materials, the league is expected to determine whether any personnel violated policies on gambling, confidentiality, or reporting obligations.
For the Lakers, the development arrives as the team continues its solid early-season form. With James nearing a return and the roster essentially healthy, the organization’s focus remains on the court, even as off-court questions linger about how far-reaching the probe could become.
The broader implications for the league could be significant. Enhanced injury-reporting rules and new monitoring measures would mark one of the most sweeping policy overhauls in recent NBA history. While still pending, those changes now appear almost inevitable as the league works to restore complete confidence in the integrity of its competition and betting relationships.
The investigation is ongoing, and no timetable has been provided for its conclusion. What remains clear is that the NBA intends to take a more aggressive stance in policing potential leaks, ensuring that the intersection of sports and betting — a growing part of the league’s ecosystem — operates under stricter safeguards moving forward.
