Tampering and The Heat

[e0y2e3]

Figure this is going to become somewhat of a story over the next few weeks, w/ Cuban already pushing that it was tampering and now this:

wallacesports: Owners meeting Monday to include concerns over Heat's path to landing LeBron, Bosh and Wade.

[CP]

Assuming the league agrees, what would even begin to rectify the situation? Fines just aren't going to cut it.

[FUDU]

Unless the FBI is involved (or should it be are involved?) in any of the events of this summer nothing will happen.

[hermanfontenot]

Miami has already been pretty much strip-mined of first-round picks. Not sure where anyone could go from there.

[aoxo1]

Miami has already been pretty much strip-mined of first-round picks. Not sure where anyone could go from there.

Not really. They still have their picks in all the even numbered years, thanks to the Stepien rule.

Could Cavs end up with Heat picks in 2012 and 2014 in addition to 2013 and 2015? Maybe.

[furls]

Personally, I think the penalty for tampering should be that you lose the money under the cap that the parties involved were signed for, or in this case about 30mill per year. This would be an extreme example (obviously), but in most cases you are talking about tampering at the MLE level, and that punishment seems appropriate.

[smalls1129]

When the tampering angle first started rolling I was thinking what of significance could the league do? Granted it is over the top and a PIPE DREAM but this is what I came up with; the Heat are striped of all of their draft picks for the next 5 years. The actual terms of the sign and trade are erased (although the contracts and the language within are allowed to stand). The Cavs and Raptors are awarded 'compensation' picks for the next 3-5 years (IOW, they'll own two firsts). This is where it gets real tricky and probably overboard; but for these compensation picks to even come close to having the effect that the tampering had on the teams, each of the compensation picks will be in the lottery (2 extra lottery picks). To determine where they will pick (you can't just outright screw the team with the worst record) each the Cavs and Raptors would have the same amount of ping-pong balls has the team with the 5th worst record, 10th worst record, somewhere around there.

[Triple-S]

It would be hilarious if the NBA enacted their own version of the Death Penalty, it'll never happen, but can you imagine if it did. I envision something to the effect of the three banned from the league for 2 years, and the Heat being not allowed to play any games for 1 year. The Cavs, Raptors receiving compensation in the form of lottery picks.

so much for my fantasy and continuing on, it should be interesting to see how much leverage that Gilbert and Cuban would have. Are they generally respected in the league? And don't forget, The Russian and Dolan may not exactly be happy with this whole charade as well.

[ajunior148]

Maybe they can take away the first round picks they have remaining for the next 5 years and take away all mid level exemptions (and bi annual) they'll be eligible for for the next 5 years. Would be nice to see Riley have to add on to his super team year after year with only the vet min to work with.

Will never happen though. It'll probably end up being a pretty minor fine and a mean look from Stern.

[aoxo1]

There's not going to be anything. Cavs and Raptors aren't asking for a probe.

[swerb]

There's not going to be anything. Cavs and Raptors aren't asking for a probe.

Don't you see that as moot though aoxo? Cavs and Raps know Stern is gonna conduct a probe (even if its under the radar) ... so they can afford to just sit back and wait for it to happen and take the high road outwardly.

[FUDU]

Good point, besides Gilbert can let the already often misaligned Cuban do his kicking and screaming for him, word is that is Cuban's plan.

[e0y2e3]

http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/07/11/1 ... -heat.html

5 Teams have made tampering accusations already.

[aoxo1]

There's not going to be anything. Cavs and Raptors aren't asking for a probe.

Don't you see that as moot though aoxo? Cavs and Raps know Stern is gonna conduct a probe (even if its under the radar) ... so they can afford to just sit back and wait for it to happen and take the high road outwardly.

I was just parroting Mark Stein http://twitter.com/STEIN_LINE_HQ

[OldDawg]

Ban them from the playoffs for 6 years. Like in the NCAA. That would be ironic poetic justice!!

[CP]

Better chance of them just stripping them of the draft picks vs. giving them to Cleveland and Toronto, which would be fine with me, assuming a hard cap is put into place in the next CBA. I'm not sure I'm necessarily of the hard cap, by the way. I can't claim to know much about hockey's system; I was a casual observer who lost all interest after last lockout.

[Madre Hill, Superstar]

There's not going to be anything. Stern has his 2011 playoffs plot and lockout ammo.

Had to make a correction there.

[aoxo1]

Better chance of them just stripping them of the draft picks vs. giving them to Cleveland and Toronto, which would be fine with me, assuming a hard cap is put into place in the next CBA. I'm not sure I'm necessarily of the hard cap, by the way. I can't claim to know much about hockey's system; I was a casual observer who lost all interest after last lockout.

When Riley left the Knicks for the Heat, there was a serious tampering allegation that resulted in $1m and a first round pick going to the Knicks.

[CP]

Riley got dinged over Juwan Howard too, didn't he?

[dmiles]

You know I was bumping around last night and can't remember if I saw this in a journalists' article or a just some internet poster, but...

Wasn't the timing of Lebron's announcement about retiring Jordan's number at the same time the Heat were in town? Incidentally if other teams are making the tampering accusation, does the league still blow it off because of the Cavs/Raptors S&T? I just mean common wisdom seemed to be the S&T negated either team's ability to push Stern, but the Mavs still can (just an example). Certainly NY writers might want to pounce as well.

[aoxo1]

Cavs played in Miami the night they retired 23, then after the game LBJ announced he was switching.

It's also a fact that he had a meeting with Riley leading up to that.

[davemanddd]

at what point does this simply become "sour grapes"??? the cavs are gonna get 4 draft picks outta this debacle anyway, so why don't they just cut bait and move on??? i really don't see miami winning the title with these 3 bastards anyway and when (not if) wade and/or bosh get hurt, that will just make the cavs picks that much better. we can only hope. go cavs!!!

[Cease]

Mark Cuban having Gilbert's back after the comic sans letter to fans was him elbowing his way into the conversation. Cuban got slapped with 100k fine for mentioning LeBron too soon and I think he wants to get his money' worth. http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2010/07/mavericks_mark_cuban_urges_nba.html

The notion of the NBA being a "player's league" isn't new. The younger owners (Cuban and Gilbert among them) have refitted their organizations around the premise of catering to players. Upgraded facilities, no-show jobs for the entourages, public statements to protect players in regards to officiating- these are all fairly new tactics made to placate players.

The young owners may now be feeling that the power has swung to the point that players are rigging the free agent game. The pool of NBA owners out for blood in the next CBA is growing. The players are in for an extended lockout, as the owners take out their frustrations.

[Hi Oktane]

There's not going to be anything. Cavs and Raptors aren't asking for a probe.

Don't you see that as moot though aoxo? Cavs and Raps know Stern is gonna conduct a probe (even if its under the radar) ... so they can afford to just sit back and wait for it to happen and take the high road outwardly.

I was just parroting Mark Stein http://twitter.com/STEIN_LINE_HQ

Lazy by Stein, IMO. The obvious issue with this justification is that the Heat had no risk in creating said space. The Knicks, Bulls, Nets, etc. were clearing space, betting on the come, the Heat were playing with a stacked deck....aledgedly.

[waborat]

Cavs and Raps know Stern is gonna conduct a probe (even if its under the radar)

The same "probe" as KG to beantown & Gasol to lala "probe"?

Stern's hands are just as dirty with the cap increase epiphany...

Lift rug, sweep under

[OffBase]

Unless the FBI is involved (or should it be are involved?) in any of the events of this summer nothing will happen.

Kucinich calling for a congressional investigation might work.

[mattvan1]

Cavs and Raps know Stern is gonna conduct a probe (even if its under the radar)

The same "probe" as KG to beantown & Gasol to lala "probe"?

Stern's hands are just as dirty with the cap increase epiphany...

Lift rug, sweep under

This X 1,000,000. Stern loves the fact that LeBron and Bosh are in Miami. Had to see what Riley was up to long ago. He could give 2 shits about the Cavs or the city of Cleveland.