According to prosecutors, Jones sold or attempted to sell non-public information to bettors that LeBron James was injured and wouldn't be playing in a Feb. 9, 2023, game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Serving as the Lakers' shooting coach at the time, Jones knew before the public that James would not be playing that night due to injury.
Prosecutors allege Jones texted an unnamed co-conspirator to place a big bet on Milwaukee before the information became public. James wasn't listed on the Lakers' injury report at the time of the text message, but was later ruled out of the game because of a lower body injury. Jones allegedly texted an un-named co-conspirator in February of 2023 to instruct the individual to place a big bet on the Milwaukee Bucks beating the Lakers.
Prosecutors claim Jones was selling inside information dating back to December of 2022. On Jan. 15, 2024, prosecutors said sports bettor Marves Fairley paid Jones approximately $2,500 for a tip that Anthony Davis would see limited playing time against the Oklahoma City Thunder because of an injury.
Fairley then placed a $100,000 bet on the Thunder to win, but the tip was wrong. Davis played his usual minutes, scored 27 points and collected 15 rebounds in a 112-105 Lakers win, prompting Fairley to demand a refund of his $2,500 fee. Jones is further alleged to have sold similar health information about another Lakers player in January of 2024.
may be engaging in plea negotiations.
According to prosecutors, that information was provided to other gamblers, who wagered around $100,000 on the Lakers to lose that night as well. Jones earned more than $20 million playing for 10 teams in 11 seasons from 1999 to 2009. Jones and LeBron James played together in Cleveland from 2005 to 2008.
Jones served as an unofficial assistant coach for James' Los Angeles Lakers during the 2022-2023 season. In the poker scheme, according to prosecutors, Jones was among former NBA players used to lure unwitting players into poker games that were rigged using altered shuffling machines, hidden cameras, and special sunglasses. Jones was arrested last October along with Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, and others.
Jones was charged along with NBA guard Terry Rozier, who is also accused of aiding a group of gamblers to make wagers on private injury information. Rozier has pleaded not guilty in that case. Jones previously denied guilt on separate indictments.
Jones previously denied providing non-public injury information to gamblers, including LeBron James' game stats. Jones remains free on bail. Jones was one of three people charged in both the poker and sports betting schemes.
The specific charges Jones will plead guilty to have not been disclosed, and the potential sentence or penalties he faces upon pleading guilty remain unclear. The current status of other defendants in the gambling investigation, such as Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier, is also not fully known, nor is the total number of defendants involved in the widespread investigation. According to The Independent - Sport, Kenneth Montgomery, attorney for Damon Jones, described that his client may be engaging in plea negotiations.