Jordan Poole, Paolo Banchero & Magic: Tampering with Warriors?

What’s wrong with this picture? That depends on your - well, on the NBA’s - level of tampering-related sensitivity.

What’s wrong with a few of the fellas getting together to hoop?

That depends on your - well, on the NBA’s - level of tampering-related sensitivity.

It seems to have become a sort of open league secret that the Orlando Magic has some sort of connection or interest or something in Jordan Poole, who just happens to be employed by the world champion Golden State Warriors.

So Orlando maybe likes Poole. And Poole maybe likes Orlando.

So what?

So ... Poole is a player on the rise, the Magic might have $60 million in cap space for 2023, and over the weekend the Magic on Twitter shared a picture of rookie star Paolo Banchero working out in the gym, with participants that include ex-NBA guard Isaiah Thomas and ... Jordan Poole.

that SLOW grind 🏁

📸: @_JordanJimenez pic.twitter.com/ygu2L3ckNc

— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) August 14, 2022

The 6-4 Poole, 23, is coming off a breakout season with averages of 18.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 4.0 assists. He shot 36.4 percent from beyond the arc on an average of 7.6 attempts per game. He continued to offer timely contributions throughout the Warriors' NBA Finals run.

Add him as a free agent next year to a group that already features Banchero, Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr.? Interesting.

Is Banchero doing anything wrong here? Nah. Is Thomas? Nah. Is Poole? Nah.

But speaking of "interesting,'' the NBA might be bothered by anything official (even a Twitter account) coming from a team connecting itself in any way to a player who is under contract with another club.

Can that be construed as "tampering''?

Or does the Magic have nothing to really worry about inasmuch as we just learned that the New York Knicks will get at worst a wrist-slap if the league determines that Jalen Brunson was tampered with while still in the employ of the Dallas Mavs?