NBA investigation found Milwaukee Bucks began talks about sign-and-trade deal involving Bogdan Bogdanovic 'prior to the date when such discussions were permitted'; Bogdanovic since signed for the Atlanta Hawks
Monday 21 December 2020 18:42, UK
The NBA has docked the Milwaukee Bucks their 2022 second-round pick for holding free agency discussions ahead of the permitted time period, the league announced on Monday.
The league found the Bucks began discussions with Bogdan Bogdanovic and/or his agent "prior to the date when such discussions were permitted."
Reports surfaced in the days leading to the start of last month's free agency period the Bucks had agreed on a sign-and-trade that would have brought Bogdanovic and Justin James to Milwaukee while sending Donte DiVincenzo, D.J. Wilson and Ersan Ilyasova to the Sacramento Kings.
The trade fizzled out as the NBA announced it was investigating whether the move had been agreed upon earlier than league rules allow.
Bogdanovic, a restricted free agent, ended up signing with Atlanta when Sacramento chose to not match the Hawks' four-year, $72m offer sheet. Ilyasova was waived, but DiVincenzo and Wilson remain with the Bucks.
"The penalty took into account the Bucks' cooperation with the investigation, the absence of evidence of any impermissible early agreement on the terms of a contract between the Bucks and Bogdanovic, and the fact that the team ultimately did not sign Bogdanovic," the league said in a statement.
Bogdanovic, 28, averaged 15.1 points per game last season for the Kings.
