Tampering Investigation Into Bulls’ Deal for Lonzo Ball Remains “Ongoing”

With the 2021-22 NBA season set to begin on Tuesday evening, Commissioner Adam Silver sat down with reporters to debate the place the league stands.

Throughout that dialog, it got here as no shock that Silver was requested in regards to the tampering investigation on the sign-and-trade offers for Lonzo Ball and Kyle Lowry. We first learned the Bulls would be investigated for his or her position within the Ball acquisition on August seventh. The deal – which was the primary free company information to drop on August 2nd – despatched Tomas Satoransky, Garrett Temple, and a second-round choose to the Pelicans for the appropriate to signal Ball to a four-year, $80 million deal.

Even supposing it has been practically three months for the reason that tampering investigation opened, Silver offered no updates on the findings or potential timeline for outcomes to be shared. As a substitute, he merely claimed that each the Ball and Lowry investigations stay “ongoing.”

NBA commissioner Adam Silver says the tampering investigations into sign-and-trades accomplished by Miami (Kyle Lowry) and Chicago (Lonzo Ball) are “ongoing.”

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) October 18, 2021

Adam Silver on Ball/Lowry tampering investigations: “These investigations are ongoing. No replace proper now.”

— Okay.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) October 18, 2021

Whereas I’m not shocked that Silver had little to say, I’m a bit shocked we’re nonetheless ready for any form of replace on the matter. The severity of this example may be heightened, however the NBA had a solution for the Milwaukee Bucks tampering investigation final offseason in a bit of over one month’s time. Does this elongated investigation imply that it has been tougher for the group to seek out the knowledge they search or is there merely extra content material there to scour by way of? In different phrases, does the longer this investigation go on make it roughly possible a serious penalty is coming the Chicago Bulls manner?

Cody Westerlund of 670 The Score did share again in September that some of us in NBA circles imagine the league might yank away a first-round draft choose from the Bulls. In fact, the potential for shedding extra draft capital and receiving a large financial advantageous can also be on the desk. The NBA might look to make an instance out of the Bulls within the hopes of discouraging tampering for good, however maybe debating whether or not or not that’s the method to take is what’s delaying this course of even longer.

For the sake of this group long-term, I actually hope the group receives nothing greater than a slap on the wrist. Whereas this entrance workplace put the group on a extra aggressive and constructive monitor this summer season, shedding future belongings is just going to make it that a lot tougher to maintain issues that manner down the street.

Watch Silver’s full media availability under:

LIVE: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver 2021-22 NBA Begin of Season Digital Media Availability. https://t.co/efid5gDGbV

— NBA (@NBA) October 18, 2021