Magic Johnson took over as President of Basketball Operations in L.A. six months ago and things looked to be on an upward trajectory for the organization. But now, the Los Angeles Lakers in the middle of controversy surrounding impermissible contact between Paul George and Magic (remember what he told Jimmy Kimmel on national TV?).
The Indiana Pacers have filed tampering charges with the NBA and the league has started investigating the alleged incident.
Of course, the Lakers deny all allegations and say their name will be cleared in all of this. If they are found to have tampered with PG13, they could lose draft picks, get fined up to $5 million dollars and possibly miss out on signing the All-Star when he hits free agency next season.
“As the NBA’s statement made clear, we cannot comment about the specifics of any ongoing investigation. We can confirm, however, that we are cooperating fully with the NBA in the hope of clearing our name as soon as possible.”
It’ll be hard to prove any side deals were happening prior to his trade to the Oklahoma City Thunder, but at the least, it opens the eyes of the league to any future potential wink wink deals that violate league rules.
OS REWIND: Magic Johnson Hints At Summer Plans with Los Angeles Lakers