By John Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Ahead of the 2019-20 NBA regular season, the league informed the 30 participating teams in advance that maximum-fine levels could be raised, according to the memo obtained by ESPN. NBA previously launched an investigation on organizations possibly tampering with free agents ahead of the official launch of Free Agency each June 30th at 6 p.m. Eastern Time.
The memo addresses tampering and timing of free-agency negotiations or discussions noting that there is a “widespread perception that many of the league’s rules are being broken on a frequent basis”. NBA is reportedly considering a $10 million fine for teams committing tampering, $6 million for an unauthorized deal and $250,000 for any player involved among other penalties.
On unauthorized benefits, NBA proposes to the board of governors that the team must provide a report within 24 hours when an agent or player representative asks for a benefit not allowed under the salary cap or collective bargaining agreement.
Other proposals include that teams preserve communications with players and their agents for one year, make new channels for teams and team employees to anonymously report rules violations or tampering, forbidding players from inducing players under contracts to request trades and to conduct random investigatory audits of five selected teams each year to assess compliance with rules.
In addition, teams will have to require top representatives to certify annually that they did not talk to free agents or their representatives before the league rules allow demonstrating that no rules were broken in any player contract signed.