Update: Lakers investigation centered around Magic-George contact
By Jason Reed
The Los Angeles Lakers are in the midst of an investigation regarding potential tampering of Paul George.
NBA Insider Peter Vecsey first broke the news of an investigation on the Los Angeles Lakers yesterday. Los Angeles allegedly tampered with Paul George while he was under contract with the Indiana Pacers. Whether that was direct contact with George, or merely admitting that they were interested, was yet to be seen.
However, that news has changed, as further reports have come out this morning. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who is well-known for breaking big NBA news, reported that the Pacers filed the report due to direct contact between Magic Johnson and Paul George.
In case you missed it, Magic previously made a not so subtle hint to Paul George on Live with Jimmy Kimmel.
Pacers file charges against Lakers for tampering with Paul George, per @PeterVecsey1: https://t.co/0hP1g7DnIm
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) August 20, 2017
Remember Magic's "wink wink?" pic.twitter.com/Y4mtAvgcK1
The pot was further thickened when Mike Bass, the NBA’s Executive Vice President of Operations, released the following statement from the NBA.
"At the request of the Indiana Pacers, the NBA opened an investigation into alleged tampering by the Los Angeles Lakers. The independent investigation is being conducted by the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen and Katz. The Lakers have been cooperative and, at this point, no findings have been made. We have asked both teams to refrain from commenting while the investigation is ongoing."
Los Angeles responded, following the NBA’s directions to not comment on the investigation. However, the Lakers did confirm that they are “cooperating fully with the NBA”.
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For now, Laker fans may want to hold their breath regarding the investigation. While nothing has been found yet, Los Angeles could face harsh punishment if they are found guilty of tampering with George.
Back in 2013, the NBA fined three teams an undisclosed amount for tampering with players. One of the teams, the Atlanta Hawks, was fined due to an email sent out to season ticket holders. In the email, the Hawks proclaimed that they had a chance to sign Chris Paul and Dwight Howard to create something special.
Obviously, this situation is far more serious than a representative from the team sending out an email to the fans. If it is true that Magic had direct contact with George, we could see a very hefty fine placed on the Lakers. However, it is possible that the team could even lose draft picks as well as losing the right to acquire George at all.
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Further news should break on the investigation in the coming days. As it does, make sure LA Sports Hub is your destination for the latest news, rumors and more around the Los Angeles Lakers.