Jalen Brunson and the Knicks is the Latest Reason the NBA Needs to Change Tampering Rules
The New York Knicks are likely to be fined for tampering during their recruitment of Jalen Brunson. The Athletic's Tim Cato and Fred Katz discussed the possibility, as well as the circumstances surrounding Brunson leaving Dallas for New York. Here's Katz on how the Mavericks are feeling via The Athletic:
From what I’ve gathered, the Mavericks are quite frustrated with the Knicks — and not just because reports of a finished deal came out before New York was even allowed to speak with Brunson (though I am not sure how tampering rules account for father-son relationships, and this situation involves two of those). Dallas wasn’t thrilled about Knicks executive William “World Wide Wes” Wesley showing up courtside to a Mavs-Jazz playoff game, either.
Look, the Mavericks should be disappointed that Brunson got away, but it's not like they didn't have a chance to pitch him on a long term future with the franchise since he's been on their team, in their locker room, for four years. If you can't convince him there's a brighter future in Dallas than there is with the Knicks, like just about everyone else in the world believes there is, then that's your own fault. Or it's not because Brunson wanted to play for his father or in New York and there was nothing you ever could have done. Is that fair? It's either completely the Mavericks' fault or not their fault at all. Yeah, that covers it.
Anyway, the whining about tampering is hilarious. Everyone does it. If the shoe was on the other foot and the Mavericks were the ones not-so-secretly negotiating with an impending free agent, they wouldn't be so frustrated. You know, like they might have done leading into the whole DeAndre Jordan debacle a few years back. Here are some media tweets referencing owner Mark Cuban's personal relationship with agent Dan Fegan.
Parsons is the lead recruiter, but the underlying Mark Cuban-Dan Fegan (agent) relationship is obviously key here.
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) July 3, 2015
Feeling within DJ’s family is that Dan Fegan was pushing DJ to sign with Mavs. Fegan also represents Parsons and is tight with Cuban.
— Michael Eaves (@michaeleaves) July 8, 2015
Fegan also reps Dwight Howard, who Cuban expected to get last summer. Belief is that Fegan was trying to do a makeup for Mavs with DJ.
— Michael Eaves (@michaeleaves) July 8, 2015
Cuban was also fined $100,000 for comments he made when LeBron was a free agent back in 2010. Tampering happens, whether it is intentional or not and that's why the NBA needs to change their rules on tampering. It's ridiculous to think that everyone isn't talking all the time and it just looks silly when you're fining the Knicks when there are dozens of other signings are announced at 12:01am as if the teams are waiting until midnight, texting "u up?" and the players are running over to sign like the follow-up message says the new team's parents aren't home.
Maybe the NBA should just rent out the Disney bubble after the Finals end every year and have NBA TamperFest. Let the players conspire. Let free agents talk to teams like they're speed dating. Everyone waits in line for rides together. Then start free agency at the end of the weekend and before the NBA Draft.
Whatever they do, the current tampering rules are a joke that no one pays attention to until they lose a free agent. So drop, fix, or revamp the rules so we no longer have to laugh at how dumb they are.