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Everything you need to know about the Paul George tampering case

By Tony East

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 20: Paul George #13 of the Indiana Pacers shoots the ball against the Los Angeles Lakers on January 20, 2017 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 20: Paul George #13 of the Indiana Pacers shoots the ball against the Los Angeles Lakers on January 20, 2017 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Herb Simon believes Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers are doing something against the rules to hurt the Indiana Pacers.

Peter Vecsey (who follows me on twitter for some reason) broke the news on his blog Saturday that the Pacers were filling tampering charges against the Lakers.

The investigation centers around the proposition that Magic Johnson had contact with former Pacer Paul George and the two parties discussed joining the Lakers when his current contract expires.

Though no specific rule violation was identified in the NBA’s statement, it would appear that the Pacers believe the Los Angeles Lakers are in violation of Article XIII section 2a of the NBA collective bargaining agreement, which stats: “At no time shall there be any agreements or transactions of any kind…  between a player (or any person or entity controlled by, related to, or acting with authority on behalf of, such player) and any Team… concerning any future Renegotiation, Extension, or other amendment of an existing Player Contract, or entry into a new Player Contract”

What it means in the grand scheme of things

Basically, the thought from the Pacers is that Magic Johnson has had contact with Paul George, and his Jimmy Kimmel appearance would suggest that fact is possible. However, if Magic actually did anything that constitutes tampering is unknown, and is much harder to prove.

Even contact with Georges agent, Aaron Mintz, is not enough to prove any tampering occurred. Unless said discussions are proven to be about Paul George specifically, they are legal discussions. Proving any wrong doing occurred will be challenging, and likely this investigation will have no findings of tampering.

What it means for the Lakers

It depends on the findings. If illegal conduct is discovered, then the Lakers could have punishments ranging from a fine (up to $5 million per ESPN) to being unable to sign Paul George. The severity of the tampering likely determines the severity of the punishment.

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If no wrongdoing is found, Paul George is expected to join his hometown team next offseason, as has been expected for some time now.

The Lakers issued this statement regarding the investigation: “As the NBA statement made clear, we cannot comment on the specifics of any ongoing investigation. We can confirm, however, that we are cooperating fully with the NBA in the hope of clearing our name as soon as possible.”

What it means for the Pacers

Basically, nothing. The Pacers involvement in this story is solely because they filed the actual lawsuit. They can’t get Paul George back, they can’t receive any compensation from the Lakers for tampering, and they can’t re-do a Paul George trade. The only thing the Pacers would get is credit for finally taking a stand against tampering since everyone knows it happens anyway.

Herb Simon rightfully has negative feelings about Mintz putting the team in an awkward situation going forward. The Pacers lost one of the franchise’s five best players of all time. This tampering charge, however, can’t change that.

Next: Previewing every game of the Pacers 2017-18 season

Maybe nothing will happen and this whole thing will blow over in a few weeks. Regardless, the Pacers involvement in the story is noteworthy and should be monitored going forward.

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