Report: Sixers 'Likely' to be Investigated Over P.J. Tucker Signing
The Philadelphia 76ers might find themselves in some trouble after this offseason. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Sixers garnered some attention from the league and could be investigated for tampering after the signing of P.J. Tucker.
After the 76ers lost their Game 6 matchup in the second round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs, Sixers center Joel Embiid urged the front office to sign an enforcer-type of player. Embiid went on a post-game rant praising Heat veteran P.J. Tucker and made it clear that his team needed somebody like Tucker.
Fast forward a month later, and Tucker declined his player option for next season with Miami. That made it apparent that Tucker wanted to test the market. Considering Tucker brings two-way value, leadership, and championship experience, he was expected to garner attention from several contenders.
However, the race for Tucker seemingly wasn't close. As soon as Tucker was on pace to hit the free agency market, he was linked to the Sixers. Considering Tucker has familiarity with Sixers President Daryl Morey and their star guard James Harden, it seemed like the 76ers had a solid advantage to lure in Tucker via free agency.
When the free agency floodgates opened up a few weeks back, the Sixers expectedly inked Tucker to a three-year deal. Now, the Sixers are on the league's radar for tampering.
"I'm told that Philadelphia's signing of P.J. Tucker is also likely to be placed under the investigation microscope by the league office," Stein wrote on his SubStack page on Friday.
Earlier this week, it was speculated that the Sixers could face punishment for possible tampering regarding Tucker. As time goes on, it's becoming increasingly likely that will truly be the case.
Last season, the Chicago Bulls and the Miami Heat were in hot water for similar reasons. As the Bulls landed Lonzo Ball and the Heat snagged Kyle Lowry in the opening minutes of free agency last year, it was apparent that deals were ironed out early.
As a result, the Bulls and the Heat both lost a second-round draft pick. It's unclear if the Sixers will face the same kind of punishment, but it seems highly likely that the Tucker signing will at least be reviewed for possible tampering.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.
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