NBA opening investigation of Simmons-Johnson meeting request

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 that the NBA will look at the matter. Johnson revealed over the weekend that Simmons expressed a desire to meet, through an intermediary, and indicated that he would be willing to partake in such a session with the 76ers’ starting point guard if all parties involved granted permission.

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. | AP photo

76ers general manager Elton Brand, however, told Philadelphia radio station WPEN that when the request was made about a month ago, he declined. Brand said it was presented by members of Simmons’ inner circle as a way last season’s rookie of the year could raise his game by learning from various greats, and Johnson’s name was on their list.

Brand also told the radio station that Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka asked if such a meeting could take place.

“Rob Pelinka called me and said ‘Hey, we’re hearing Ben wants to talk to Hall of Famers, championship-level players, and Magic’s on the list. We need authorization for him to meet up,‘” Brand told the radio station. “And I said ‘No.’ This is over a month ago, so I said no. … We didn’t sign off on whatever they’re talking about.”

The Lakers responded Monday by saying the notion of Simmons meeting with Johnson was first raised in November in an email. The Lakers also confirmed that Pelinka reached out to Brand.

“That was the end of the matter,” the Lakers said in a statement.

Johnson said Sunday that when Simmons reached out in an indirect way about getting together, he responded by saying that the NBA, the 76ers and the Lakers would all have to sign off on such a meeting before one could be scheduled.

“If everybody doesn’t sign off, then we can’t get together,” Johnson said.

Brand told the station that he may be willing to permit the meeting if he was present.

The NBA is taking tampering concerns particularly seriously of late, and the Lakers have been on the league’s radar before. They were fined $50,000 last year when Johnson commented to ESPN about Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo. And in 2017, the Lakers were fined $500,000 when the league found Pelinka had been communicating with Paul George’s agent while George was with the Indiana Pacers.

Like Simmons, Johnson was bigger-than-most point guard. Johnson is 6-foot-9, Simmons is listed at 6-10.

“I love his game. I love his vision,” Johnson said Sunday. “I love also, too, in terms of basketball IQ … he’s very high basketball IQ. And look at him now. The East better watch out.”

Said Simmons, when asked later Sunday about Johnson: “To learn from somebody like that would be huge.”

Brand didn’t sound worried that Simmons has any desire to change teams soon.

“He’s really happy here in Philadelphia,” Brand told the radio station.

Simmons is represented by Rich Paul, the agent that also represents Lakers star LeBron James, among others.