The NBA is conducting an investigation into the timing of deals reached in free agency this summer, according to ESPN.
Some of the league's owners brought up concerns over some early deals in their annual board of governors meeting. Many of the deals were agreed upon minutes into the official start of free agency, which brought concern to owners that they were agreed upon too early.
While the NBA could find teams or punish them, it could end up having more of a league-wide effect and changing the way free agency is handled in the future.
From ESPN:
After hearing concerns from owners and fielding inquiries from top agents over the past several weeks, the NBA has opened an investigation into how free agency operated this summer, multiple league sources told ESPN.
The scope of the investigation is still being determined, but sources say it will likely focus on some of the earliest reported deals on June 30 -- the first day teams and representatives for free agents are technically allowed to speak. League officials are expected to begin scheduling interviews in the coming days as they seek to gather information, sources said. There is no timetable for its completion.
More than a billion dollars in contracts were agreed to in the first 24 hours of the new league year, making it likely that negotiations had begun and in numerous cases were finalized well before the official opening of free agency.
