The NBA has never faced anything quite like this gambling scandal. With big-name players allegedly involved, many believe this might just be the beginning — the opening of Pandora's box that started with the arrests of Chauncey Billups , Terry Rozier and others.
In the middle of the chaos, countless familiar voices have chimed in, offering their opinions and outrage over the state of the league. But while most chose to condemn, former player Matt Barnes decided to take it a step further — suggesting possible solutions to prevent this from ever happening again.
Barnes began by acknowledging the uncomfortable truth: gambling in sports is everywhere, whether we want to admit it or not. "All The Smoke," the podcast he co-hosts with Stephen Jackson , is itself partially sponsored by DraftKings, one of the biggest betting companies in the world. The former NBA forward understands the industry is now intertwined with professional sports, but he believes there are still small tweaks that could make a big difference in preserving basketball's integrity.
"Here are some ideas that the team and I came up with to possibly help bridge the gap," Barnes said in a recent episode of his podcast.
"We could change prop bets. Limit it to three or four stars on the team. Obviously, guys who have made a lot of money and have a reputation to uphold and franchises to carry. And you know they are not going to risk their livelihood and their legacy on gambling," he added.
Barnes' point hits particularly hard when you look at the case of Jontay Porter , the brother of NBA champion Michael Porter Jr . The younger Porter was just a "two-way guy" fighting for a spot on the roster, when he was accused of manipulating his own stats to impact betting lines. He wasn't a star, and that made him an easier target. Someone with little to lose and everything to gain by bending the rules.
That's exactly what Barnes wants to address. By restricting prop bets only to established, high-profile players — those who have more at stake financially and reputationally — the league could significantly reduce opportunities for manipulation. It wouldn't completely erase the problem, but it would certainly make it harder for "random" players to influence it.
On top of that, the former NBA Champion with the Golden State Warriors also suggested removing one specific betting category that he believes opens the most room for foul play.
"Removing the unders. Unders are something that can be affected by referees, by players. So, if you are able to possibly remove the unders, that could help," the former wing also pointed out.
There's no question this is tricky territory. Gambling has become a legalized, billion-dollar industry deeply embedded in sports culture. Players, fans, and even teams are exposed to it daily. The NBA, like other major leagues, has embraced the financial benefits of these partnerships, but as we're seeing now, it comes with consequences that threaten the league's credibility.
Barnes' ideas may not be perfect, far from it, but they might work. Whether the league will take action remains to be seen. But one thing's for sure — as long as money and competition coexist, temptation will always be part of the game. And there has to be some sort of balance between responsibly enjoying putting a side bet and shaking up the integrity of the whole organization.
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This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Oct 29, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
