During the offseason, the Philadelphia 76ers upgraded their depth by signing free agents P.J. Tucker and Danuel House.
Tucker, in particular, should help the team with his defense, physicality, 3-point shooting and experience.
However, the Sixers may have been a little too eager to sign both men.
The NBA launched an investigation into the team and found that it had held discussions with both of them prior to the time that teams were allowed to start communicating with prospective free agents.
As a result, the league disciplined Philly by taking away two of its second-round draft picks, one in 2023 and the other in 2024.
The NBA announces the 76ers have lost their 2023 and 2024 second round picks as a result of the investigation into the signings of Danuel House and PJ Tucker this summer. pic.twitter.com/Lb84geQ67L
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) October 31, 2022
Needless to say, fans aren’t happy with the decision.
A Range Of Reactions
Dang! #Sixers losing 2 second round draft picks.
— BleedKellyGreen (@kpoll19) October 31, 2022
Wish the NBA would come up with more creative punishments for teams than to take draft night opportunities away from the young prospects. Seems like a shame the Sixers will pickup a UDFA, while 1 less player will hear his name on draft night. https://t.co/zQMOxBkSUi
— HoopsWill (@HoopsWill) October 31, 2022
The NBA has announced the #Sixers have lost second-round draft picks in both 2023 and 2024. This comes after the league’s investigations into early contact with P.J. Tucker and Danuel House Jr. during last offseason.
This ultimately serves as basically a slap on the wrist.
— Matt Gregan (@Gregan_Sports) October 31, 2022
#Sixers really aren’t making another draft pick in the Doc/Morey administration https://t.co/mW1OqXKXRE
— Great Escape (@GlennQSpoonerSt) October 31, 2022
Each year, teams are only allowed to start meeting or talking to any players who are free agents or not currently under contract with them on a certain date and time in early summer, which was June 30 at 6 p.m. New York time this past offseason.
Many feel that teams find ways to communicate with such players prior to that time through back channels, but the league seems to be cracking down on tampering violations of late.
In 2017, the NBA levied a huge fine on the Los Angeles Lakers for tampering with All-Star Paul George, who was soon to become a free agent, after then-president of basketball operations Magic Johnson talked about recruiting the forward on an episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and executive Rob Pelinka made illegal contact with his agent.
Right now, the league is also investigating the New York Knicks to see if there was anything amiss about their signing of Jalen Brunson this past summer.
NEXT: The 76ers Know They Upset Their Fanbase