“League Hates Us”: After James Harden Gets the Clean Chit, 76ers Facing Hefty Consequences Does Not Sit Well With Knicks Critics

Philadelphia 76ers registered an emphatic 118-111 win over the Washington Wizards on the road. James Harden was the star of the game for the Sixers, as he scored 23 points and bagged 17 assists vs the Wizards. The Sixers are now 4-4 in the league with their 3rd consecutive win. However, Sixers fans would not be the happiest right now as the NBA has decided to punish the 76ers for tampering earlier this off-season.

The NBA, however, cleared the Sixers of any wrongdoing in James Harden’s huge pay cut in the summer. But their decision to make the free agency moves during the off-season has cost them 2nd round draft picks in 2023 and 2024.

The Philadelphia 76ers signed free agents P. J. Tucker and Danuel House Jr. in the off-season to bolster their roster. However, this was all made possible by James Harden, who took a huge $15 million pay cut. But the Sixers are not the only team being investigated, with New York Knicks’ investigation going on for Jalen Brunson.

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The NBA didn’t find any wrongdoing in Harden’s pay cut. But it punished them for having an early discussion with Tucker and House. The news of Sixers’ punishment hasn’t gone down well with their fans, who are particularly upset with the unfair treatment of the franchise.

Fans react to Sixers being punished by the NBA for tampering while James Harden gets cleared

Sixers fans surely didn’t like the NBA’s punishment. The Sixers, however, will still have a 2nd round pick in the 2023 Draft. This will be possible thanks to some of their earlier trades. But fans are upset with the NBA for its treatment of the Sixers.

Following are some of the reactions to the Sixers’ punishment news:

While Tucker was signed by midlevel exception, the Sixers signed House with its biannual exception. James Harden‘s pay cut made these moves possible. But the NBA took the franchise’s future 2nd round picks due to its discussions with the players “prior to the date when such discussions were permitted.”

This makes the Sixers, the fourth team in the past two years, to be hit with a punishment due to tampering. The Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, and Miami Heat are the other three to be punished by the NBA for violating tampering rules.

However, the NBA has mentioned in its statement that the Sixers coordinated with them during the investigation and have accepted the punishment. A similar investigation has been going on with the New York Knicks for signing Jalen Brunson. But the decision to the same is yet to come.

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What do you think of the NBA’s punishment of the Sixers? Let us know in the comment section below.