The NBA will have to deal with some very unsavory headlines and stories in the coming weeks and months as it navigates a betting scandal that could easily be classified as one of the worst in league history.
The Lakers are indirectly involved in the scandal due to Damon Jones’ proximity to the team and the franchise while serving as LeBron James’ personal shooting coach. As a result, according to a story from The Athletic on Saturday, team employees are being asked to turn in their cell phones and phone records.
As a result of the charges filed against Damon Jones, a former NBA player and LeBron James’ former shooting coach who had special access to the Lakers, Wachtell investigators are expected to seek documents, including cell phones and phone records, from at least 10 Lakers employees, league sources told The Athletic. Per league sources, Lakers assistant trainer Mike Mancias and executive administrator Randy Mims are among the employees who are already cooperating and who voluntarily handed their cell phones over to investigators.
Both Mancias and Mims are employed by the Lakers because of their ties to James. The fresh scrutiny is expected to examine their relationship with Jones.
For now, there has been nothing to suggest anyone with the Lakers was involved with the scandal. There has also been no indication that LeBron was aware of Jones’ activity. As it stands, this appears to have been a rogue act by Jones.
Because of his relationship with LeBron, Jones worked in close proximity to the team, which enabled him to obtain the information he reportedly leaked to bettors, as the article as dives into.
Jones’ role as an unofficial coach with the Lakers was allowed because of his history with James as a teammate and friend. He was a popular presence in the locker room and on team planes despite having no official credentials. His participation in team card games even led to the group’s 3-point celebration — “the freeze” — mimicking how Jones would pretend to flash a badge as he said “Freeze, Miami Vice” before sweeping up a pot.
Jones’ unofficial role with the Lakers ended after one season.
This investigation is sure to uncover the facts behind this, ideally, and give answers to some questions. Hopefully, those answers how the Lakers remained innocent and unaware because, if not, this becomes a much different and much worse scandal.
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