The NBA is perpetually trying to figure out what to do about tampering. Following a summer in which it seemed like players and teams tampered all over the place thanks to numerous deals coming to fruition prior to the start of the free agency period, the league wants to put forth reforms to prevent this sort of thing from happening again.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, these reforms could be coming sometime soon. The league reportedly circulated a memo among its 30 teams asking for more compliance with tampering rules, and as a potential deterrent, the league would increase the fines that teams and players would face if it’s determined that they tampered.
In an effort to prevent tampering, NBA sent memo to teams about improving compliance, @TheAthletic @Stadium has learned.
Memo proposes that a lead team ops member certify annually that it didn’t engage in impermissible free agency talks; max fine amounts raised significantly.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 14, 2019
Proposed increases in NBA’s maximum fine penalties for tampering and cap circumvention, @TheAthletic @Stadium has learned:
– Tampering with player/team personnel: $10M, up from $5M.
– Unauthorized agreements: $6M for team; $250K for player.— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 14, 2019
While the increased fines are the most eye-catching of the league’s reforms, it’s hardly the only thing the NBA would try to deter this practice.
Further proposed rules as NBA works to crack down on tampering: increased enforcement of existing rule prohibiting player-to-player tampering; require team governor to certify no unauthorized benefits were offered/provided; investigatory audits of 5 teams annually, at random.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 14, 2019
As part of potential new guidelines, NBA owners must personally certify that every contract complies with all rules, per sources. Teams would be required to report, within 24 hours, of a player/agent soliciting unauthorized benefits or contact regarding contract matters.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 14, 2019
As for whether they’ll be implemented, we’ll find out next week, as the league’s Board of Governors will hold a vote.
The NBA Board of Governors will vote on Sept. 20 to pass new action items that have been advised across the board, from committees and league office. https://t.co/qQjBPiprom
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 14, 2019
Of course, it’s really hard to know if any of these will work. For one, with how frequently players talk to one another, it’s almost impossible to crack all the way down on recruiting. Then you add in that there are ways for teams to, if so inclined, pass along messages to prospective players — their players under contract talking to potential free agents, conversations with the agents of players they have under contract who also represent free agents, etc. — and it’s unclear the extent to which any reforms will work as long as everyone involved can keep this stuff under wraps.
It seems unlikely that the league will ever give up this cause and allow widespread tampering, so instead, it’s turning to harsher punishments for those who break the rules. Perhaps these will get approved and reduce tampering, or maybe we’ll see ourselves in this same position in a year or so, trying to figure out what to do after these don’t accomplish what the league hopes.
