The Indiana Pacers have filed tampering charges against the Lakers and Magic Johnson over Paul George. We may never know if Magic tampered with George or not, but we know that he wanted George to come to the Lakers. The NBA is now left to determine what happened, and it could mean trouble for the Lakers. A team that was run perfectly early on will have problems going forward if it is found guilty of tampering with a free agent.
Tampering is serious
There is permissible and impermissible contact that teams may have with players. Some calendars are to be used to speak with players, and agents are often used to reach into the back channels to speak to someone.
Magic may have gone outside of this norm to speak to George, and that would leave in violation of league rules. The penalties could mean trouble for the Lakers, but is there a reason that the Pacers are so upset?
Be angry with George
Paul George is the one who didn't want to be in Indiana, and he is the one that said he would not sign again. There are plenty of people who have no problem with him leaving, but there are others who think he is the franchise's only chance to remain relevant. They saw him fall into their lap, and now he is leaving for the glitz of LA. The Pacers should be upset with Paul George, and they should have given him more reasons to stay with the team. Implicating the Lakers at this point does nothing to help them.
George has been clear
The Pacers had more than enough warning, and it may be the reason why they have suspicions. They may believe that the Lakers have been talking to George for some time, and that could have spurned their disgust with the Lakers. The Lakers do not need any help finding players, and they could attract LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, and Carmelo Anthony in another year.
Tampering with George makes no sense.
Magic is a big personality
Magic Johnson is one of the most prominent figures in all of the sports, and he has been famous since he was a freshman in college. There is no reason to believe that he will change as he runs the Lakers, and he could have overstepped his bounds in some way. He is a talker who once had his talk show, and he may have believed he could convince George to come to LA regardless of where he was traded.
This sort of belief is what made him one of the best players in the history of the league, and it may have bitten him in a tampering investigation that could see the Lakers fined, losing draft picks, or censured.
