PJ Tucker was the significant free agent acquisition for the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason. After Joel Embiid stated in the post-game press conference following their playoff elimination that the team needed tough guys like Tucker, the team fulfilled his wish by landing the veteran forward.
It was rumored to be a done deal even before free agency began, and it looks like the Sixers might have been just a bit too eager to ensure they landed Tucker, which might end up landing them in some trouble with the NBA. Mark Stein stated in his Substack newsletter that the team is likely to come under investigation from the league office for tampering.
“On top of the NBA’s expected examination of the Knicks’ now-official signing of Jalen Brunson in free agency, I’m told that Philadelphia’s signing of P.J. Tucker is also likely to be placed under the investigation microscope by the league office,”
NBA executives believed that the Knicks would be penalized for tampering to sign Jalen Brunson, and it looks like the Sixers are next in line. This whole tampering issue came to light during the last offseason when the Heat and Bulls were penalized for their early pursuits of Kyle Lowry and Lonzo Ball, respectively. Both teams lost one second-round pick, which might end up being the punishment here as well.
It is just a slap on the wrist for gaining an advantage like this, and considering how lenient the league was when it came to punishing teams last season, it should come as no surprise that more of them are resorting to this. The potential of losing a second-round pick is a price many would be willing to pay if that gives them a better chance at landing their top free agent target. The Knicks and Sixers, in this case, ended up getting who they desperately wanted, and for them, that’s all that matters.
