Report: Lonzo Ball, Kyle Lowry Sign-and-Trades Investigated by NBA for Tampering

AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File

The NBA is reportedly investigating the sign-and-trade deals involving Lonzo Ball and Kyle Lowry for potential tampering, according to ESPN‘s Ramona Shelburne and Adrian Wojnarowski.

Wojnarowski added that the “NBA is expected to examine early contact” regarding those trades that may have happened before free agency opened at 6 p.m. ET Monday.

The New Orleans Pelicans sent Ball to the Chicago Bulls as part of a sign-and-trade that netted guard Tomas Satoransky, wing Garrett Temple and a second-round pick. Ball signed a four-year, $85 million contract as part of the move.

Lowry signed a three-year, $90 million contract and was traded from the Toronto Raptors to the Miami Heat for forward Precious Achiuwa and guard Goran Dragic.

Since both the Ball and Lowry transactions were reported shortly after free agency began, it led to speculation that early talks were held, in violation of league rules.

Per Wojnarowski, the NBA made several changes to its tampering rules two years ago, including raising the maximum fine to $10 million and allowing for the voiding of contracts, forfeiture of draft picks and suspension of executives.

In December, the NBA took away the Milwaukee Bucks’ second-round pick in 2022 in relation to a sign-and-trade negotiation with the Sacramento Kings involving Bogdan Bogdanovic. The sign-and-trade fell through and Bogdanovic went to the Atlanta Hawks instead.

Under league tampering rules, the NBA has the right to examine the phone call records, texts and emails of executives to determine if any regulations were broken.

Assuming the Ball and Lowry deals still go through, both moves should help both the Bulls and Heat in their attempts to vie for Eastern Conference supremacy.

The Bulls have not reached the playoffs since 2017, but with a potential starting lineup of Ball, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Patrick Williams and Nikola Vucevic, that drought could end in 2021-22.

Meanwhile, the Heat now have a “Big Three” of Lowry, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo and are just over one year removed from a trip to the NBA Finals, meaning they should once again be a top contender next season.