The biggest mystery in the recent NBA gambling scandal is why a player like Terry Rozier, earning $24 million a year, would risk everything for a small prop bet payoff. For months, fans couldn’t understand how a high-profile player could get involved in something that seemed so beneath him. But now, the FBI’s investigation has revealed what led to his downfall — and what the NBA did afterward might be even worse.

At first, people compared Rozier’s case to that of Jontay Porter, another player caught in a gambling scandal, who was earning a fraction of Rozier’s salary. With Porter, the motive was easy to see — he was making about $400,000 a year and might have been tempted by quick cash. But Rozier’s involvement shocked everyone. According to the FBI, his partner in crime was a childhood friend named Dairo Lester. The two grew up together playing sports, and one day Lester approached Rozier with a favor.

Lester told Rozier that a man had offered him $100,000 if he could get insider information from an NBA player. Rozier, perhaps thinking it was harmless, agreed to help. It was late March, the Hornets were out of playoff contention, and he figured that sitting out a meaningless game wouldn’t hurt anyone. That one bad decision would change everything.

Lester passed the information to a shady gambler named Marvis Bailey, who then set off a network of illegal bets across the country. Within hours, over $200,000 had been wagered on Rozier’s “unders” for that game. The FBI later tracked multiple co-conspirators — some betting $61,000, others $40,000 or more. It was an unusually large amount for a Thursday Hornets game, and the suspicious betting pattern immediately raised red flags.

Despite reports claiming Rozier made $200,000, investigators clarified that he never received anywhere near that amount. Lester was promised $100,000 but ultimately received only around $20,000, a small cut of the total gambling pot. Whether Rozier ever accepted any of that money is unclear. Sources say he may have even refused payment, but the damage was already done.

That one fake injury — leaving the court mid-game clutching his ankle — was enough to destroy his reputation. Rozier was later arrested, handcuffed at both wrists and ankles, and forced to put his house up for collateral to make bail. It’s a harsh reminder that even a single lapse in judgment can ruin a career.

But the scandal doesn’t end there. What’s worse is what the NBA itself did after learning about the situation. According to official statements, the league was alerted in March 2023 when sportsbooks reported unusual betting activity related to Rozier. The NBA conducted its own investigation and claimed it found no violation of league rules, but they were aware that federal authorities had launched a criminal probe.

The shocking part? The league kept it secret for 22 months. They pulled Rozier from the rest of the 2023 season — officially citing an injury — but said nothing publicly. Even more surprising, they allowed him to be traded to the Miami Heat without disclosing the ongoing investigation. That decision has infuriated Miami fans and executives alike, who now argue they might deserve compensation or the reversal of the trade.

When asked about it, Commissioner Adam Silver defended the league, saying the NBA doesn’t have subpoena power and could only conduct limited internal reviews. Still, the decision not to inform the Heat raises serious ethical questions. Many believe Silver may have intentionally covered up the scandal to protect the NBA’s image during critical negotiations for its $75 billion media rights deal, finalized in July 2024 — just months after the Rozier incident.

Although there’s no proof of that motive, the timeline suggests the league may have prioritized business over transparency. Now, both the NBA and Silver are facing intense scrutiny for their handling of the case.

Meanwhile, the FBI’s investigation has expanded beyond Rozier. Reports suggest that Chauncey Billups and several former athletes were involved in rigged poker games organized by mafia-linked groups. According to federal agents, these games defrauded participants of around $7 million. Some sources even claim Kevin Garnett attended these games, though there’s no evidence he knew they were fixed.

The investigation also revealed that former assistant coach Damon Jones had allegedly been selling inside information to gamblers, further deepening the league’s image crisis.

In the end, this scandal is one of the most damaging moments for the NBA in recent memory. Fans already suspicious of game integrity now have more reason to question whether the sport they love is truly clean. As the FBI continues to uncover more, Commissioner Adam Silver faces immense pressure to restore trust — before another scandal makes things even worse.