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A major factor coming out of the PR rubble with relation to the NBA's newborn crisis is when David Stern knew about Tim Donaghy's gambling problem.

The NBA has been quick to suggest (via surrogates) they knew nothing until the end of this season. The New York Times quotes two unnamed sources familiar with the investigation saying the same, that David Stern and pals weren't briefed until rather recently.

A team of New York Daily News reporters dug up a different tale. The paper quotes two of Donaghy's old Pennsylvania neighbors -- both which have unrelated beefs with the ref, we might add -- saying the NBA sent a private investigator a year ago to ask questions about Donaghy's gambling. One of the neighbor's answers, and the further implications of this development for the league, after the jump.

"[The private investigator] asked, 'Does he gamble?'" said Kit Anstey, 60, a real estate agent in West Chester, Pa. "I said, 'Yes.'"

Anstey told the investigator - who said she worked for a local firm hired by the NBA - that Donaghy bet on golf games, neighborhood poker games and at an Atlantic City casino.

The prober never asked Anstey whether Donaghy bet on pro basketball games.

In crisis management -- make no mistake, that's what the league is embroiled in -- the most important step is to stop the bleeding. The NBA can get nowhere if each development in the case continues to open a new wound. So you've really got to stop from stabbing yourself. Any apparent lies, at this point, deepen the cut. (Have I bled this metaphor to death yet? Good.) If the league were investigating Donaghy last summer, they need to say so. Based on Anstey's comments, the league wasn't asking around about whether Donaghy bet on games, just his overall gambling philosophy and history. A referee who gambles is a problem, but not necessarily a problem worthy of our undivided attention. A referee who gambles on games he works is a problem very worthy of our undivided attention. Being that Stern is not stupid, he would not have allowed Donaghy to work a full season and some very important playoff games if he suspected the ref was laying money on them.

If Stern knew Donaghy was a gambler but had no insight into what we've know been apprised to... well, that matter is gray. Players and other team officials (read: Jordan, Michael) certainly gamble, usually at the tables or on the links. Undoubtedly, referees play cards too. But if a referee's gambling career is worthy of a private investigator's attention, it would appear to be serious enough to seriously consider pulling said referee off games, right?

The story as it is today appears as so: The league heard Donaghy had a gambling problem. The league investigated. The league decided said gambling problem did not affect the integrity of Donaghy's work. The league was proved dead wrong. (That private investigator ends up in the Delaware with David Stern's bootprint on his forehead.) The federal government cleaned up the mess (a minor miracle at worst) and the league finds itself in a Mare Imbriumesque crater.

We (who care about the NBA) should hope dearly Donaghy's neighbors are mistaken.