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The Miami Heat are under investigation for possibly tampering, or “gun jumping” with Kyle Lowry’s sign-and-trade deal. If found guilty, the Heat could be slapped with huge fines, loss of future draft picks, or worst-case scenerio, the trade gets overturned by the NBA.
ESPN analyst and former Nets executive Bobby Marks told the Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang earlier this week, “There was a team that complained, and now it’s the league’s job to investigate it.”
While it’s not been officially revealed as to who reported the Heat to the NBA, veteran guard J.J. Redick heavily hinted on his The Old Man and the Three podcast that it’s quite obvious which team made the call.
Redick heavily implies that his former team, the New Orleans Pelicans, not only reported the Heat but also called in the complaint about the Chicago Bulls, who are under investigation concerning the acquisition of Lonzo Ball.
The topic arose after the 37-year-old guard was asked why the NBA starts these kinds of investigations if it’s expected that no meaningful results will come to fruition
“It’s a little bit for show probably, I guess. I don’t know. I guess you would probably have to ask the guy who’s asking for the investigation,” Redick says. “Some teams cleared cap space to get Kyle and it didnt happen. And Lonzo leaving so you have to ask that guy, that guy complaining.”
The Pelicans Cleared Cap Space for Lowry & Wanted to Keep Ball
While Redick doesn’t explicitly name the Pelicans as being the culprit, the moves New Orleans made prior to the start of free agency seem to match up exactly with ESPN reporter Adrian Wojnarowski’s tweets on July 26.
Despite preparing to offer Ball the bag, the Pelicans lost him to the Bulls. After clearing cap space to acquire “a significant” point guard, and offering more money to Lowry than the Heat, the former Raptors star announced that he was taking his talents to South Beach.
While the Heat were long considered the frontrunners to sign Lowry, suspicion of tampering arose when the six-time All-Star confirmed on Twitter that he was heading to Miami at 6:38 p.m. Eastern time, just 38 minutes after the official start of free agency, 6 p.m. Eastern time on August 2.
The NBA is investigating whether or not the Heat contacted Lowry and/or his agent regarding a potential contract before 6 p.m. on Monday. The league is also concerned about the Bulls’ acquisition of Ball from the Pelicans, which was announced at 6:01 p.m.
“When the moratorium lifted, that was the first transaction,” Marks said. “So if you’re the league, you’re thinking wait a minute. A complicated sign-and-trade, how did this come about? So I think you just got to be smart about it.”
“Just wait an hour for it come out,” Marks continued.
Redick Has Serious Beef With the Pelicans’ Front Office
Redick, currently a free agent, has been vocal on his podcast about his distaste for the Pelicans’ front office, led by executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin and general manager Trajan Langdon.
Redick said he was told by Griffin and Langdon that they would trade him to a team closer to his family in Brooklyn, but then renigged on their offer, trading him to the Dallas Mavericks. So, Redick is not likely worried about throwing the Pelicans under the bus for these current free agency investigations.
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