The New York Knicks wasted no time in getting the No. 1 free agent on their list last week as Jalen Brunson inked a four-year deal worth approximately $110 million.
After further review, though, it looks like their recruitment of the point guard was done so illegally.
According to The Athletic’s Fred Katz, the NBA is “expected” to hit the Knicks with tampering charges for communicating with Brunson before the legal period.
Such events reportedly “frustrated” Brunson’s old team, the Dallas Mavericks, as reports of a deal being done between the 25-year-old and New York leaked before they were even allowed to speak to each other.
That wasn’t all, though.
The Mavericks were also reportedly upset that the Knicks hired Brunson’s father, Rick, as an assistant coach.
Team president Leon Rose has been a longtime family friend of the Brunson family and his son, Sam, is the point guard’s agent.
There was also dissatisfaction that Knicks executives William Wesley and Allan Houston, along with forward Julius Randle, attended a Mavericks playoff game against the Utah Jazz during the spring.
The penalty for the Knicks could be a fine of as much as $10 million, a number that has been worked on in recent years by the NBA to deter such actions.
It obviously isn’t working as New York has come away with what they believe is their point guard of the future.
Brunson put together a career season in Dallas last year after turning down a four-year, $55.5 million contract extension from the Texas team.
In 79 games, the New Brunswick, NJ native posted 16.3 points and 4.8 assists per game — a significant jump from the 12.6 and 3.5 he posted in 2020-21.
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