At the beginning of August, the NBA launched investigations into two separate sign-and-trade deals; one that sent Lonzo Ball from the Pelicans to the Bulls, and a second that sent Kyle Lowry from the Raptors to the Heat.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, those investigations into potential tampering or gun-jumping are nearing a conclusion, and rulings could be imminent.
It’s no secret that teams and agents begin discussing free agent deals prior to the officially listed starting time and date, but both of these cases are a little more blatant in that Lowry was reportedly on the move a few hours before the window opened, and Ball’s deal with Chicago was reported literally the minute free agency opened.
Sign-and-trades typically receive even more scrutiny since they’re more complex and typically require more time to complete than a typical free agent negotiation.
Last year, for instance, an alleged sign-and-trade agreement involving the Bucks, Kings, and Bogdan Bogdanovic was reported several days before free agency officially began. The league ended up taking away Milwaukee’s 2022 second-round pick after investigating that situation, while Bogdanovic – who claimed he never agreed to terms with the Bucks – landed in Atlanta instead.
Woj relays that the NBA took into consideration that Bogdanovic ultimately didn’t end up in Milwaukee in that situation, so the penalties could be steeper for these two investigations, depending on the league’s findings.
As Woj notes, the NBA increased tampering penalties a couple of years ago, giving the league the power to fine teams for up to $10MM, suspend executives, take away draft picks, or even void deals altogether if proof of tampering is found. Voiding the contracts is considered extremely unlikely, but all of the other options could be on the table.
The Bulls have become unstoppable due to their blatant cheating. They must be stopped! The only fair way to resolve this and restore parity to the league is to give Lonzo to the Lakers.
Tom emansk1 > good morning mr lebron james..
The Lakers invented tampering.
Lol the bulls should have to give every player on their roster away for half of their values and then pay each team 25 million, unreal the bulls did what every team does every year, who do they think they are
Warriors 119 >>>> Bulls 93
Ball – 5 pts, 3 ast, 3 reb
Truly !!!!!!!! Truly ……..
This is so dumb, why does anyone care about tampering? The players were gonna end up there anyways. Some team isn’t gonna swing in and steal Lowry from the Heat
Initially read this headline thinking Lowry had been accused of tampering basketballs.
Ha. I switched it to include their full names.
How about that run-on sentence? Your third paragraph is also your third sentence.
Tap on the wrists for all clubs involved.
Who cares. Lowry did his part and won a championship for the Raptors. His number will go to the rafters. At least they got something for him and I bet Masai has something planned for Dragic come December or January 15
David Griffin cares, apparently
The league should care. They negotiated CBA rules that set how and when the FA market opens. If teams can ignore them with impunity, then why have them? If they’re not going to enforce them, then repeal them and dispense with the notion that there’s a common FA start time. Let all teams start negotiations with all rising FAs as soon as their season is over.
Sounds good to me.
What’s the reasoning behind this rule?
To pretend fairness exists?
I dont really understand the point of all this tho. Like I get that it’s partly there to protect the smaller market teams, but ultimately your team has to be a destination where players want to go, and players themselves decide that. For years Bulls were flush with cap space and couldnt get an impact FA signing to save their life. They work hard, draft/build/develop the roster into a FA destination finally and they’re about to be penalized for it? It was an open secret that Ball was leaving NO anyways, so idk what all the fuss is about, same with Lowry. Like, unless Ball and/or Lowry didn’t want to go to the team they ultimately ended up with, then what does it matter?
If there was no reason to break the rule, why break the rule at all?
Bucks are pretty happy that Bogdan was a punk.
The HEAT had been going after Lowry since before the trade deadline of last season ……. it shouldn’t be a surprise to many, including David Griffin & Adam Silver, that Lowry signed with the HEAT during this pre-season.
I will be shocked if there is any evidence the Heat front office tampered. Do I think Butler and Bam talked to him a billion times before FA? Absolutely… did Lowry know the Heat were chasing him since 2013? Absolutely…. But if there is actual evidence the Heat brass themselves talked to him pre FA.. I will be completely shocked. No idea about the Bulls.. but their front office has a long history of shady chit dating back to the Jordan era.