The Knicks landed their coveted point guard in free agency last week, but it reportedly has likely come at a cause.
According to Fred Katz of The Athletic, New York is expected to be hit with a tampering penalty, and that the Mavericks are “quite frustrated” with how the Knicks handled the signing of Jalen Brunson.
The Knicks reportedly signed Brunson to a four-year, $104 million deal almost immediately after free agency opened on Thursday, and the team had begun shedding salary as early as the night of the NBA Draft, presumably to clear space for Brunson. New York trade away Kemba Walker, then both Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel just two days before free agency opened, while Dallas reportedly didn’t get a meeting with Brunson, as he had already decided he wanted to play for the Knicks.
Dallas was already frustrated with New York after team brass attended a Mavericks playoff game to seemingly get a look at their hopeful point guard of the future.
The NBA announced stricter penalties for tampering back in 2019, including a maximum fine of $10 million, while draft picks can be stripped away and team executives could serve suspensions.
Previous tampering fines include a $50,000 and $75,000 fine to 76ers president Daryl Morey for two separate offenses, and last year, the Bulls were forced to forfeit a second-round draft pick after determining that he team had contact with Lonzo Ball before free agency opened.
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
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