Rip City Project
Fansided

A pre-Labor Day recap of happenings around the NBA

By Isaiah De los Santos

BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 1: Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward get introduced as Boston Celtics on September 1, 2017 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 1: Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward get introduced as Boston Celtics on September 1, 2017 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Lakers got in trouble, the Cavs and Celtics made a trade, Kristaps Porzingis seems unhappy in New York. The NBA never sleeps.

Portland’s offseason hasn’t been quiet necessarily, but it pales in comparison to the news around the NBA.

Some of the biggest Blazer news this offseason came Aug. 31 when Portland kept Pat Connaughton, guaranteeing the last year on his deal.

The move is small potatoes compared to the rest of the league, but it’s all Blazer fans really have in terms of intriguing storylines.

Meanwhile, the rest of the league is busy getting in trouble, executing major trades or upsetting their franchise cornerstone. Let’s get into the mess that is the NBA.

Lakers fined $500,000 for tampering

You had to know this was coming. Not the tampering part — I can’t say I’m surprised, though — but the part about the Lakers being involved in some big story, with controversy surrounding them.

A warning came after team president Magic Johnson made a comment about Paul George on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in April.

While this comment wasn’t the subject of a tampering investigation by the league, it certainly foreshadowed it.

So the story goes: new GM Rob Pelinka made “impermissible contact” with George — who is under contract with another team — which is tampering, and a hefty fine came.

Of course, this comes after George already let the Pacers know he wasn’t re-signing, and had L.A. in mind for his next stop.

Could Pelinka’s contact really have made an impact on George? Maybe. More likely, his sights were already set on the Lakers, and Pelinka’s interest confirmed them as his lead choice when free agency arrives.

Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer made a strong case about the NBA dropping the ball in their punishment, which is worth checking out.

Cavs, Celtics complete swap of star point guards

A minor revision to a major trade seals another deal involving stars this NBA offseason.

The trade sends Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, Brooklyn’s 2018 first-round pick and now a 2020 second-round pick to Cleveland for Kyrie Irving.

After a stalemate over Thomas’ hip injury, Boston sent a second-rounder to sweeten the deal.

There’s really no walking back after trying to your star player, so incentive for Boston to make the trade sweeter is apparent.

At least Irving didn’t come to the Western Conference.

Kristaps Porzingis skips exit meeting with head coach

Jeff Hornacek, current Knicks head coach, did enough last season to make Kristaps Porzingis skip his exit meeting.

He used some obscene language targeted at Porzingis in a conversation with Knicks center Willy Hernangomez.

Next: Blazer fandom explained by Blazer fans

When Porzingis caught wind, he shut out Hornacek and skipped their exit meeting.

They’re back on speaking terms now according to the report, but you’ll have to wonder if The Unicorn stays with the inability New York has shown to help him grow.