Earlier this offseason, it was indicated that the Philadelphia 76ers might be investigated due to the signing of P.J. Tucker. Now it appears that the NBA is going to be formally investigating the Sixers for the offseason moves, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
However, it’s not just the Tucker signing that will be investigated, but the free agent additions of James Harden and Danuel House Jr. will also be reviewed. Wojnarowski explained in the quote below what the crux of the investigation will be focused on.
“One of the central elements of the league’s inquiry includes questions on Harden’s decision to decline a $47.4 million player option for 2022-23 and take a pay cut on a new two-year, $68 million deal, sources said. Around the league, there have been questions about whether there is already a handshake agreement in place on a future contract — which would be in violation of collective bargaining rules.”
It will be interesting what the results of this investigation will be and the potential impact of it will be. However, the bigger issue that should make Sixers fans upset is the fact that Philly is the only franchise being investigated for tampering this offseason.
The Philadelphia 76ers are being singled out in the tampering investigation.
I’m not going to side one way or the other on whether or not the team should be investigated. However, if they are going to be investigated for tampering, then they shouldn’t be just focused on the Sixers in that investigation.
The New York Knicks’ signing of Jalen Brunson should also be investigated if the NBA is truly worried about tampering. The Knicks essentially scouted Brunson like a high school star when he was playing against the Utah Jazz in the postseason.
They also hired his father to the coaching staff. Let’s not forget the personal connections that Brunson has with Leon Rose who is the Knicks president. Rose use to represent Brunson as an agent before taking the job with New York.
If the NBA is going to investigate the 76ers, then it would be only fair that the Knicks were also investigated. The Knicks are just the most blatant example but their’s other teams that could be investigated too.
Whether it’s due to the Sixers’ intentional tanking known as “The Process” which started nearly a decade ago or it’s how Morey and Harden made their way from the Houston Rockets to Philly, it seems as if the NBA is treating the 76ers unfairly as the only team being investigated.
It’s fair to assume that Philadelphia 76ers fans would be able to accept this investigation if their team wasn’t singled out and other franchises were being investigated too. However, it can be presented in the light that the NBA is singling out the Sixers this offseason.
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