The Sacramento Bee’s Jason Jones reports a former Kings scout has been barred from NBA employment while his gambling history is being investigated.
The Kings in January fired Jack Mai, who was in his third season as the team’s assistant director of scouting. His dismissal was not related to gambling.
In a statement released Wednesday, the Kings said they had been informed that Mai participated in “improper wagering activities” while working for the team. The Kings added that they cooperated with the league’s investigation.
That the NBA responded in this manner is no surprise after gambling in the league became a major headline in recent years.
“The gambling thing, there’s zero tolerance for anybody that works in the NBA,” Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie said. “That’s the bottom line on that. We were totally supportive of their decision.”
Petrie’s bosses, Joe and Gavin Maloof, have a number of business interests besides an NBA franchise. Amongst the most high-profile and lucrative is their ownership of Las Vegas’ Palms Casino & Resort, and prior to that, the Fiesta. If there’s really zero tolerance for wagering in the NBA, when do the Charlotte Bobcats announce they’re disassociating themselves from Michael Jordan?