We expected an investigation into the signing of Jalen Brunson, and finally, the NBA decided to open a procedure for “tampering” against the Sixers. “Tampering” is this practice, prohibited, which consists of entering into contact, or even negotiating, with a player under contract. Just talking about a contracted player in the press is tampering.
It was known that PJ Tucker’s arrival was suspicious since the announcement of his signing was announced a minute after the market opened, but the NBA decided to carry out a comprehensive investigation into James Harden’s contract extension, and the arrivals of Tucker therefore, but also of Danuel House.
Philly must deliver emails, telephone conversations…
What concerns the NBA is the choice of James Harden to decline his “player option” at 47 million dollars, then to accept a contract of 68 million dollars over two years, to allow the Sixers to sign Tucker then House, these two former teammates in Houston. If Harden had already committed to making this financial sacrifice, before the opening of the “free agency”, it is a violation of the collective agreement.
Sixers President Daryl Morey has already been heard by NBA investigators, and the league also wants to speak with other leaders, and recover emails and recordings of telephone conversations.
In the past, the NBA had sanctioned the Bucks for the Bogdan Bogdanovic episode, then the Heat and the Bulls for “tampering”, each time removing the franchises from a second round of the Draft. This is also why there were only 58 choices this year in the Draft, because Miami and Chicago had been deprived of their second round, following the signings of Kyle Lowry and Lonzo Ball in 2021.