I've always been concerned about Tilman post Harden. We're about to become the Knicks or Hornets lol.
I don't think it's tampering to discuss another player who is available for trade. It's tampering to "entice or induce" a player under contract to sign with your team as a pending free agent. Butler isn't making a free agent decision, so it isn't tampering. In the end, Minnesota's front office owns the decision. Fixed
They are both tampering. Ever since Magic tampered with George before last season, League has such a quick trigger finger against Magic, they fined him again for merely praising Giannis as any analyst would. So, Here’s the rule Thou Shall Not Openly Covet Another Man’s Assets. Free agent status (or even pending free agent) is not an issue; otherwise, Morey wouldn’t constantly say he can’t speak to situations. He even did it again on Media Day, saying he couldn’t speak directly about Butler. Teams have no business talking about other players in the media...pending free agent or not. Same applies to talking about coaches or GMs. Talking openly can breed discontent. So since you have zero reason to openly covet another man’s wife, the league says ‘no comment’ is the only acceptable answer when the media asks you about any man’s assets.
Tampering at its strictest interpretation was originally having an undisclosed deal or wink-wink with someone you aren't currently under contract with. More recently it has evolved to enticing free agents. I'm not saying you're wrong but I'd appreciate you providing a source that saying you'd like to acquire a player via trade is tampering. EDIT: I just found this https://basketball.realgm.com/article/246574/CBA-Encyclopedia-Tampering The rule clauses themselves don't seem to strictly cover this, but what do you know, RealGM does say that "Public comments made by a member of front office or coaching staff about a player on another team" are prohibited tampering. Huh. How about that. Also, that's stupid. Hope Tilman has his pocket book handy. And good thing I don't have media following me around. Here's probably the most similar case: - The league fined Phil Jackson $25,000 in 2014 when he spoke about the Knicks’ interest in hiring Derek Fisher as head coach while Fisher was still under a Uniform Player Contract with the Thunder. Fisher was still hired by the Knicks a few days later. Also worth noting: - The NBA will typically wait for teams to file a complaint before launching an investigation, though they will intervene in obvious cases where comments were made publicly.
Dude,you're talking about one form of tampering "wink-wink deals", and trying to say that's the only form. It's not, and that’s why Morey never talks. However, generally nothing happens without a victim team lodging a complaint. You don’t need to quote sources or examples for me...the realgm link is from the League Constitution and Bylaws...I have it downloaded. Just look up Magic tampering and Giannis Cover what? Are you trying to focus this specifically on talking about your willingness to trade for a disgruntled player? The League Constitution and Bylaws is more broad than that, for a reason. There are common faults in reading the CBA and Bylaws as documents of "strict" definitions of DON'Ts like Penal Codes. You seem to be trying to read a specific interpretation of what you can't do into those Tampering clauses. Read the precedence about Magic and Giannis, and try to find where that is covered in those general and broad terms.
