NBA rumors: Knicks more likely to get KAT than Embiid, Suns investigated for tampering, Smart blindsided by trade
- NBA rumors are linking Joel Embiid to the Knicks, but one insider says KAT is the star to watch
- Reports are that the NBA is close to finishing an investigation into the Suns for free-agency tampering violations
- Marcus Smart spoke about getting traded from the Boston Celtics and what it felt like to leave the only NBA team he's ever known
NBA rules: Suns break the rules for a free agent
According to Marc Stein, the Suns are being investigated for tampering and early contact with Drew Eubanks during free agency last offseason. Of course, the first reaction that any NBA fan will have is why were the Suns tampering for a player who is a role player at best? Eubanks is a talented basketball player but breaking for a player who is a bench player can seem very strange to any NBA fan.
To be quite honest, it was probably extremely smart for the Suns to go early after Eubanks. This is a team that clearly doesn't value draft picks at all and needs role players to fill out their roster. The veteran does fit Frank Vogel system which is probably why the team targeted him so hard.
While he probably wouldn't have gotten offers a lot bigger than $4 million, getting in early ensured the Suns could get him and get him at a reasonable price.
While it will be in the news cycle for the next couple of days due to the fact that the team also employs Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, the Suns will most likely be docked a second-round pick at worst for their offense. We can have the entire tampering conversion another day but this honestly was a smart thing done by the Suns due to the fact that everyone in the league commits some version of tampering and rule-bending when it comes to getting free agents.