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Friday 01 of November 2024

NBA says no rules broken in Simmons-Johnson meeting request


FILE - At left, in a Jan. 2, 2019, file photo, Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons is shown in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns, in Phoenix. At right, in a March 8, 2018, file photo, Magic Johnson attends an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 men's tournament, in Las Vegas. The NBA is going to investigate whether league rules were broken when Philadelphia's Ben Simmons inquired about meeting with Los Angeles Lakers president Magic Johnson for playing tips. League spokesman Mike Bass said Monday, Feb. 11, 2019, that the NBA will look at the matter. (AP Photo/File),FILE - At left, in a Jan. 2, 2019, file photo, Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons is shown in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns, in Phoenix. At right, in a March 8, 2018, file photo, Magic Johnson attends an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 men's tournament, in Las Vegas. The NBA is going to investigate whether league rules were broken when Philadelphia's Ben Simmons inquired about meeting with Los Angeles Lakers president Magic Johnson for playing tips. League spokesman Mike Bass said Monday, Feb. 11, 2019, that the NBA will look at the matter. (AP Photo/File)
FILE - At left, in a Jan. 2, 2019, file photo, Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons is shown in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns, in Phoenix. At right, in a March 8, 2018, file photo, Magic Johnson attends an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 men's tournament, in Las Vegas. The NBA is going to investigate whether league rules were broken when Philadelphia's Ben Simmons inquired about meeting with Los Angeles Lakers president Magic Johnson for playing tips. League spokesman Mike Bass said Monday, Feb. 11, 2019, that the NBA will look at the matter. (AP Photo/File),FILE - At left, in a Jan. 2, 2019, file photo, Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons is shown in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns, in Phoenix. At right, in a March 8, 2018, file photo, Magic Johnson attends an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 men's tournament, in Las Vegas. The NBA is going to investigate whether league rules were broken when Philadelphia's Ben Simmons inquired about meeting with Los Angeles Lakers president Magic Johnson for playing tips. League spokesman Mike Bass said Monday, Feb. 11, 2019, that the NBA will look at the matter. (AP Photo/File)

NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA says Los Angeles Lakers president Magic Johnson did not break any league tampering rules when he spoke about Philadelphia 76ers point guard Ben Simmons earlier this week.

The NBA’s relatively quick-moving investigation was initiated after it was revealed that Simmons wanted to meet with Johnson to talk about the art of being an elite point guard. Johnson complimented Simmons publicly on Sunday.

“I love his game. I love his vision,” Johnson said.

But since that was in response to a media inquiry, the NBA says Johnson was permitted to make such comments.

The Lakers have been fined for tampering violations twice since 2017, those violations costing the team a combined $550,000.

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