NBA Insider with Ken Berger

Federal prosecutors filed papers last Friday asserting that Donaghy admitted to betting on more than 100 games he worked from 2003 to 2006. Yesterday, Donaghy’s attorney, John Lauro, filed pre-sentencing documents with several damning yet unsubstantiated claims. Among them, Lauro alleged that the outcomes of NBA games were influenced by relationships among referees, players, and coaches. The court filing did not provide specifics.

Nor did Lauro provide specifics about two more sensational allegations:
1) That the NBA somehow pressured federal prosecutors into “shutting down this prosecution to avoid the disclosure of information unrelated to Tim’s conduct.”
2) That in one instance, confidential information that may have affected the outcome of a game was passed from a referee to a coach. The identity of the referee and coach were not disclosed.

Joel Litvin, the NBA’s president for league and basketball operations, rejected Donaghy’s claims in a statement.

“The letter is the desperate act of a convicted felon who is hoping to avoid prison time,” Litvin said, without addressing any specific allegations. “And the only thing it proves is that Mr. Donaghy is no more trustworthy today than he was when he was breaking the law by betting on N.B.A. games.”

Donaghy pleaded guilty last August to two felonies related to receiving payments for providing confidential information about NBA games to gamblers who were wagering on them. He faces up to 25 years in prison and a $500,000 fine when he is sentenced July 14 by U.S. District Judge Carol B. Amon.

Donaghy’s accomplices, James Battista and Thomas Martino, who also pleaded guilty, face less jail time despite not having cooperated with federal prosecutors. Battista faces 10-16 months in prison, while Martino faces 12-18 months.

Some observations: You have to take Donaghy’s court pleadings for what they are worth. His allegations cannot be separated from his desire to receive a more lenient sentence, and the fact that he provides no specifics to back his claims makes them suspect.

His assertion that other refs were involved with gambling activity is old news. Last October, David Stern acknowledged that more than half of the league’s 56 refs violated NBA rules by engaging in casino-type wagering. The refs were not punished; instead, Stern said he was leaning toward relaxing the rules and allowing refs to wager in casinos during the offseason.

The idea that the outcome of NBA games is influenced by relationships among the participants doesn’t pass the “duh” test. Any sporting activity involving humans is subject to human impulse, and split-second decisions by referees or umpires are always – subconsciously, at least – influenced by the relationships between the official and the player.

Having said that, the heat is not off Stern or the league by any stretch of the imagination until Donaghy and his co-thugs finally are sentenced and the league can prove that it thoroughly vetted all of his allegations. Stern can dodge the Donaghy questions tonight if he wants to, opting to direct the media’s attention instead to the conference finals and glorious excitement of the lottery – not to mention the prime rib carving stations and bacchanalian dessert table.

But he can’t avoid bringing closure to the Donaghy scandal forever. Once Donaghy and his cohorts are sentenced, Stern has to come forward with the full disclosure that he promised on the day he first addressed the scandal. Anything less would make the cloud of suspicion a permanent companion for his sport.