How to CHEAT in the NBA

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Cheating in the NBA is often seen as a mix of ethical gray areas and clear rule-breaking, with tampering being one of the most prevalent forms. Tampering typically involves teams communicating with players or agents before free agency officially begins, giving them an unfair advantage. High-profile cases include the Phoenix Suns with Drew Eubanks and the Milwaukee Bucks with Bogdan Bogdanović, both of which resulted in fines or lost draft picks. These incidents were often exposed by NBA insiders like Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania, who unintentionally revealed tampering through their breaking news reports.

Another common form of cheating is the public expression of interest in players by NBA executives and coaches, which violates league rules. Instances like Magic Johnson praising Giannis Antetokounmpo or Daryl Morey tweeting about James Harden have led to significant fines. These rules exist to prevent executives from influencing player decisions or making promises outside of formal negotiations. It highlights the fine line NBA executives must walk when speaking about players publicly to avoid penalties.

Performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) have also surfaced in the NBA, although they are less common compared to other sports. Players like Deandre Ayton, Wilson Chandler, and John Collins were suspended for testing positive for banned substances, though their cases have largely faded from public memory. The perception is that these players weren't prominent enough for the scandals to have long-lasting impact, unlike major scandals in other sports such as baseball’s steroid era.

Flopping and dirty plays are another form of on-court cheating. Manu Ginobili is often considered the king of flopping, an exaggerated reaction to contact to draw fouls, while John Stockton is regarded as one of the dirtiest players, retaliating off-ball to avoid detection. Both of these tactics are ways players manipulate the game, with flopping being more about deceiving referees and dirty plays being about getting physical advantages without being caught.

One of the most infamous cheating scandals in the NBA involved salary cap manipulation. The Minnesota Timberwolves’ secret deal with Joe Smith in the early 2000s resulted in the team losing five first-round draft picks and receiving the largest fine in NBA history. The Timberwolves had promised Smith a future max contract if he agreed to sign below-market deals for several seasons, which violated league rules. The exposure of this contract hurt the team’s long-term prospects, particularly during Kevin Garnett’s tenure.