Could Jazz Players Be Recruited By Other NBA Players?
Feb 20, 2019, 7:14 PM | Updated: 7:14 pm
A view of Team USA's bench during the 2018 Mountain Dew Kickstart Rising Stars Game at Staples Center on February 16, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The NBA All-Star Weekend gives the top players the opportunity to renew and build friendships – and also the chance to make their teams better by “recruiting” other players. It’s something the NBA calls “tampering,” and it’s against league rules.
Every February, the top players come together for the weekend to celebrate the best of the league, prepare for an exhibition game with no defense.
It actually happened at the 2019 All-Star game with Washington Wizards’ Bradley Beal. He admitted to talking with other players about joining him in D.C. – would not name names, because he knows if he does a fine would be coming his way.
What a weekend. That’s a wrap for #NBAAllStar and another #StateFarmSaturday! pic.twitter.com/TMyN7f1kRB
— Bradley Beal (@RealDealBeal23) February 18, 2019
All-Star Weekend Provides A Time To Talk
Scott Mitchell of KSL’s Unrivaled calls the weekend the best time for players to tamper by trying to entice other players to team up.
“I finally figured out why guys (want to go to the All-Star game) because this is the All-Star tampering weekend is what this is all about,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell said there are signs of tampering happen throughout the league, especially when All-Stars end up on the same teams through trade or free agency.
Teams like the “Big Three” in Miami of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh ended up together starting the 2009-2010 season. Golden State had four All-Stars for their championship run during the 2017-2018 season.
These teams may not have come together due to tampering, but having several all-stars on one roster usually makes them an automatic contender.
“It has nothing to do with basketball. Why was Kevin Durant on Lebron James’ team? Because K.D. is going to L.A. I am telling you, Lebron sat down and said, ‘Look buddy, here is what we are going to do. I’ll bring you here to L.A. This is the Lakers.’”
Here is official rule 35A (e) on tampering from the NBA Constitution:
“Any Player who, directly or indirectly, entices, induces, persuades or attempts to entice, induce, or persuade any Player, Coach, Trainer, General Manager or any other person who is under contract to any other Member of the Association to enter into negotiations for or relating to his services or negotiates or contracts for such services shall, on being charged with such tampering. … The Commissioner shall have the power to suspend such Player for a definite or indefinite period, or to impose a fine not exceeding $50,000, or inflict both such suspension and fine upon any such Player.”
The problem with this rule is that it is not enforced on a consistent basis. There has been plenty of times where the league says it is a slap on the wrist and then sends out a memo to the league about how tampering is against the rules. The $50,000 fine or suspension is something that is not always handed down.
Could Jazz Players Be Recruited By Other Teams
If tampering is a big issue as some think at the All-Star weekend then the Utah Jazz should be glad to that no players from the team made the roster.
“Now that I think about it, I don’t want any of the Jazz going down to All-Star weekend next year,” co-host Alex Kirry said. “Rudy goes down and has so much of a chip on his shoulder for everything and no one is tampering with him. He is the only guy taking this seriously.
Man to even be in this photo is a blessing! Truly honored to have been apart of such an incredible night! #OneLastDance pic.twitter.com/Fo8c7nCqdq
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) February 15, 2019
“Donovan [Mitchell] will get tampered with. I don’t want Donovan to be an All-Star only because of Scott’s new theory that has to be true, because there is no way these guys aren’t tampering with each other.”
There is not much that can really be done during All-Star weekend with players talking about teaming up and being recruited while hanging out in the locker room. The only way to get busted for tampering is if a player slips up or decides to tell on another and that seems highly unlikely.
Tune into KSL’s Unrivaled every Monday through Friday, 7-9 p.m., or download the KSL NewsRadio app to subscribe to the podcast.
