Orlando considering tampering charges

[BadNewsBarnes]

Per Sam Amick's twitter....via david aldridge.

New Jersey and Houston are cited as the potential targets.

[Marcus13]

I was hoping LA was one...but oh well, someone needs to be held responsible for this

[barefacedmonk]

The Orlando Magic are contemplating filing tampering charges against two unnamed NBA teams for illegal contact with its franchise center, Dwight Howard, according to a league source.

The Magic believe at least one of the teams have had contact with Howard -- who reportedly wants to be traded -- as recently as Thursday. If the team substantiates that belief, it will immediately file charges with the league, the source said.

The Magic, the source said, will not allow a repeat of the Shaquille O'Neal departure from Orlando to Los Angeles in 1996, when O'Neal walked as a free agent and the Magic were left with nothing. If the organization ultimately decides it has no choice but to trade Howard, it will do so. But the Magic will decide where he goes. The source said a reported proposed package by the Nets of center Brook Lopez and Draft picks for Howard is not at all interesting to the Magic.

The Magic, the source said, will not let Howard dictate the terms of where he wants to go.

"This will not be another Shaq situation," the source said. The Magic will "do what's in the best interests of the organization" and will not be left with nothing.

And more on that vetoed deal:

A source directly involved in those talks said Friday morning that the Hornets were not planning to appeal the nixing of the deal, as ESPN reported Friday. Rather, the Hornets will try to see if sweetening the current deal in some way would make it more acceptable to the league, which currently owns the Hornets while it seeks a permanent owner who will keep the team in New Orleans. The Hornets also have several other possible deals on the table for Paul, and could go forward with one of those if teams involved in those deals make enhancements to their offers, the source said.

New Orleans' management, the source said, is determined to make a deal for Paul, who reportedly was not going to show up for the first day of the Hornets' camp

Link

[BadNewsBarnes]

More from Amick:

The root of it on the Nets side, according to two sources, is alleged meeting between Dwight and Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov on Thursday.


The alleged Proky-Dwight meeting, according to source who spoke with the Magic about the situation, is believed to have happened in Miami.

[barefacedmonk]

Oops, I didn't notice this thread. Maybe merge the two.

http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=51063.msg1081896#msg1081896

[BadNewsBarnes]

Yeah, should be merged.  Who can do that the mods?

[Fafnir]

If they can prove a meeting with an owner for another team actually happened, that's first round pick being taken penalty (maybe multiples) and millions of dollars in fines.

[wdleehi]

If they can prove a meeting with an owner for another team actually happened, that's first round pick being taken penalty (maybe multiples) and millions of dollars in fines.

Wow.

That will kill NJ's offer. 

[clover]

It's possible that Danny will 'effort' and luck his way into a rebuilt franchise.

[fairweatherfan]

They apparently met with Dwight Howard and some of his representatives last night to talk about Howard demanding a trade to New Jersey.  Prokhorov and King were both present.  If it's true, that's blatant tampering - NJ will be in for some big penalties and possibly will be prohibited from getting Howard at all. 

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/story/_/id/7335641/sources-new-jersey-nets-meet-dwight-howard-tampering

I don't know what Stern will do with this, but this is a lot bigger than Joe Smith in my opinion, and that cost Minnesota what - 3 picks and $3 million?

EDIT: Oops didn't see the other thread.  Feel free to merge.

[CDawg834]

If they can prove a meeting with an owner for another team actually happened, that's first round pick being taken penalty (maybe multiples) and millions of dollars in fines.

This league is in shambles.  Hate to say it, but at this point they may have been better off cancelling the whole season.

[Marcus13]

This is going to cripple NJ.

D-Will WILL BE LEAVING if they get these picks stripped from them like Minnesota did.  Count on that.

[fairweatherfan]

Since I can't imagine he's dumb enough to not realize the meeting was against the rules, Prokhorov must be furious right now that Orlando found out and apparently has evidence.  Somebody might be washing ashore before the weekend's out. 

[Who]

I don't know what Stern will do with this, but this is a lot bigger than Joe Smith in my opinion, and that cost Minnesota what - 3 picks and $3 million?

I think it was 4 first round picks in 5 years.

[greenmainer]

this is a huge case of tampering.  an owner and a gm meet with another team's contracted player without consent to discuss how to manipulate a trade.  wow!  the magic should pursue tampering and the nets should be hit hard in penalties for it.  The league can not let this go with a soft penalty.