Welcome to the Athletic NBA show, Monday through Friday.

On the Athletic Podcast Network.

Tamper with you.

Welcome to tampering.

We're this beautiful game of basketball that we all love and talk about every single day.

Sam Pan.

To be able to bring people together.

Reportedly at the center of an NBA investigation into tampering accusations.

And the message to...

Decutative in the league is not talking about players on other teams.

What did I do?

The charges filed.

Impermissible contact.

Right or wrong?

Tampering charges are really difficult to prove. You know me, I talk. It's not awkward to even talk about. Can't he mention Deans anymore? Ask me what I like to play with Cameron to Graham. Trial your one with the room. They're always ahead of the rules. Is that right your side? Hey, man, we don't have to have to have tamper with the guys. I didn't tell you what happened. I'm just telling you what happened. I'm just telling you what happened.

Hello, and welcome to the tampering podcast.

Part of the Athletic NBA Show Network.

I'm here as always, here as always, Sam Amick, NBA National Writer, at the Athletic

with my guys, both sides of the coast, rep here, Anthony Slater out west, Fred Katz, out east gentleman. What's going on today? I'm doing well, Sam, Amic. How are you? We got to, no, this is way too mellow. Get your coffee, get your juice, get your energy. Come on, Slater. Don't be a jackass. I, oh, man. Right off the bat. Shout out Timmy. Timmy Good Times at ESPN. I love you, my friend. You too, Mr. Winhorst. That's an inside NBA media joke that people probably understand. All right, guys, let me dive in. Here's what we got on the show this week. We're getting closer to the playoffs. It's kind of the time of year where we analyze everything. We've had the, you know, kind of lie detector episode a couple weeks ago. But there's still plenty of kind of meat left on the bone. Here's what we're going to do. We are going to throw out quite a few. We're going to attempt eight. We'll see how far we get. Quite a few, we will call them hot takes from our fine super producer, Andrew Schlect, who provided the commentary here. But we're going to decide, you know, kind of where we land on these topics. Nick Leokic, even with the Jamal Murray injury, should be the MVP. Now, I think, you know, people think he's the frontrunner, but we're going to get into

that.

How's the Murray injury impact things?

Number two, right up Anthony Slater's alley.

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