Although the Knicks were not able to reach the Conference finals, they had one of their best seasons in years. And a major reason for the team’s success was the grit and effort of the Villanova boys Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo, and Jalen Brunson. As the three best friends were having the time of their lives playing together, another one of their college teammates, Mikal Bridges, was looking from a distance hoping to get in the mix. With all of them heading into the off-season, Josh Hart tried to lure Bridges out of Brooklyn once again, ignoring the league’s tampering rules.

With his season over early, Hart was seen in a new avatar during the ongoing finals as he made an appearance on ESPN’s NBA Countdown show as an analyst. Happy with his television appearance, Hart shared a few pictures from the show on Instagram writing, “Might quit my day job 🎙️.” This gave Mikal Bridges an opportunity to entice Hart with an exciting offer, “Come to the Nets?”

However, Hart didn’t seem too intrigued by the offer as he turned the tables on his former Villanova teammate and replied, “Are you ok? If they have you hostage just blink and we’ll save you.” While the trio of Hart, Brunson, and Donte has tasted immense success after joining the Knicks, Bridges has not been so lucky playing for the Nets.

Even missing the playoffs this season, Bridges has been on the receiving end of constant digs from his Villanova teammates. Back in March, when the Knicks faced the Nets, Hart made a hilarious comparison after seeing the small forward’s situation, “It’s like that SpongeBob meme when Squidward is looking out the window and he sees SpongeBob and Patrick having fun. [Mikal] is Squidward.” However, the fun and games could have some trouble attached.

What is the tampering rule in the NBA?

While the interaction between Hart and Bridges might have been just a friendly banter, it did leave the fans wondering if it was violating the league’s tampering rules with both trying to lure each other to their team. According to league rules, no team members, coaches or even executives are allowed to speak to players on opposite teams and lure them to joining a new team. More importantly, players cannot go around on social media or any other public platforms showing interest in other players or offering them a way to join their teams.

Failing this could lead to a hefty fine and several other major consequences. As per a three-year-old report by Adrian Wojnarowski, officials found guilty of violating the tampering rules could be fined up to a whopping $10 million and even lead to suspensions for the executives as well as the players. Moreover, the league can also take away their draft picks or void their trades and free agent signings. As part of investigation, league also has the authority to audit team executives’ phone records, e-mails and texts. With massive repercussions, we seldom see a case of tampering in the league these days.

However, Hart and Bridges might have to face some form of penalty for openly offering each other a place in their teams.

Before you go, do not forget to check out what Shaquille O’Neal’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato has to say about Caitlin Clark’s meteoric rise to stardom. Keep checking this space for more such updates.