Despite a strong start to the 2025-26 NBA season, the league is dealing with an increasingly massive problem, and it has nothing to do with the state of play. With the recent arrests of Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, former NBA player Damon Jones, and Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups, it's clear that the league has a gambling problem.
Those aren't the only NBA names that have been embroiled in gambling allegations. Former Toronto Raptors big man Jontay Porter was banned from the league in 2024 after he was allegedly caught up in a similar gambling situation.
Then there is also free agent guard Malik Beasley, who was under investigation by the FBI for similar alleged misconduct. That is four such instances in just two years and a growing problem for the NBA.
The NBA may have a gambling problem on its hands
It is fascinating that the NBA has had a much bigger problem than MLB or the NFL when it comes to players and gambling, and it comes at the worst possible time. The league is trying to globalize the game, taking full advantage of a league comprised of international stars.
That has led to talk of expansion, with Las Vegas being one of the two possible expansion cities. Of course, having a team in Las Vegas now would be a bad look considering what has occurred.
While expansion has lost steam in recent months, if it picks back up, the NBA may be forced to look elsewhere. After all, with the latest controversies surrounding the NBA, who's to say a much bigger one wouldn't emerge from having a team in Las Vegas?
The counterpoint is that Las Vegas already has an NFL team and, soon, an MLB team. Not to mention the NBA has had ties with Las Vegas for years, with NBA Summer League and the NBA Cup Finals being held there.
Still, the block might be too hot for the league to seriously consider an expansion team in Las Vegas. Backup options might include Montreal, Canada, or Mexico City, Mexico, which is the largest city in North America.
The NBA must deal with the repercussions of latest gambling scandal
The league's response to the gambling accusations has also drawn criticism, with ESPN's Brian Windhorst mentioning that the NBA knew about the Rozier allegations almost immediately after they happened back in March. The league opted to quietly suspend Rozier rather than face the situation head-on.
That came back to bite them once Rozier and Billups were arrested, marking yet another gambling scandal the league was left to confront. It's a bad look and could jeopardize the NBA's credibility if they can't find a way to stop their players from being wrapped up in gambling scandals.