The Los Angeles Lakers are among several NBA franchises asked to preserve documents and digital records as part of the league's ongoing investigation into illegal gambling operations, according to multiple reports.
Reports suggest assistant trainer Mike Mancias and executive administrator Randy Mims are among roughly a dozen Lakers employees contacted. As part of standard evidence-preservation steps, some team personnel were asked to provide access to their mobile phones so investigators could secure relevant communications and data.
An NBA spokesperson said the league hired an independent law firm to review the allegations as soon as last month's federal indictment became public, noting that "all parties have been fully cooperative" and emphasizing that these requests do not imply wrongdoing.
The Lakers have drawn attention due to their connection to LeBron James, now in his seventh season with the organization.
The federal indictment, unsealed last month, led to multiple arrests, including former player and assistant coach Damon Jones, a longtime friend of James, who allegedly attempted to sell non-public information that James would miss a 2022-23 game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The enforcement action has also implicated Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, who is accused of participating in rigged poker games, and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, who allegedly informed friend Deniro Laster that he planned to exit a Charlotte Hornets game early by feigning an injury.
Prosecutors say Laster and others used that information to place more than $200,000 in prop bets predicting Rozier's unders.
The NBA said its integrity protocols call for external legal review when potential violations surface. Several teams and league personnel have therefore been asked to retain documentation and surrender electronic communications while investigators assess whether non-public player information was used to facilitate illicit betting activity.
The case underscores the growing operational and compliance challenges for US sports leagues as legal wagering expands. Insider information about player availability continues to represent a major integrity risk, prompting closer coordination between leagues, regulators and federal authorities.
The FBI initially arrested 31 people in two related federal cases involving insider betting schemes and rigged poker operations, tied to current and former NBA figures
