Sixers lose two 2nd-round picks after investigation

The Philadelphia 76ers volition person their second-round picks successful the 2023 and 2024 NBA drafts taken distant from them arsenic a effect of violating escaped bureau rules by having aboriginal discussions with forwards P.J. Tucker and Danuel House Jr, the NBA announced Monday afternoon.

In its announcement, the league said the draught picks were taken distant due to the fact that the 76ers engaged successful discussions with some players "prior to the day erstwhile specified discussions were permitted."

"The Philadelphia 76ers afloat cooperated with the NBA's probe and admit the league's ruling," the squad said successful a connection successful the aftermath of the league's announcement of the punishment. "We're moving forward, focused connected the play ahead."

Philadelphia volition inactive person a second-round prime successful the 2023 NBA draft, arsenic the 76ers volition person the astir favorable prime of the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets oregon Charlotte Hornets arsenic portion of earlier trades.

The league had been investigating the 76ers since the summer, erstwhile Philadelphia signed Tucker with its midlevel objection and House with its biannual objection -- moves made imaginable aft James Harden took a important wage chopped of astir $15 cardinal aft turning down his subordinate enactment for the 2022-23 play and re-signing with the franchise that traded for him backmost successful February.

Sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that a akin probe into the New York Knicks signing defender Jalen Brunson distant from the Dallas Mavericks was inactive ongoing.

Sources besides told Wojnarowski that the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association are expected to sermon the rules governing punishments for teams for having discussions with subordinate agents astir pending escaped agents up of the commencement of escaped agency.

Even with the ongoing probe into the Knicks aside, Philadelphia becomes the 4th squad successful the past 2 years to beryllium deed with a punishment for immoderate usurpation of these rules, joining the Milwaukee Bucks, Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls.

Milwaukee mislaid a second-round prime implicit an effort to implicit a sign-and-trade with the Sacramento Kings for Bogdan Bogdanovic, portion the Heat and Bulls each mislaid a second-round prime due to the fact that of aboriginal discussions astir sign-and-trade deals that were yet completed for Kyle Lowry and Lonzo Ball, respectively.