Three NBA teams have been fined for tampering, according to an internal league memo obtained by USA TODAY Sports.
A person familiar with the fine said that one of the teams is the Atlanta Hawks. The person spoke on on the condition of anonymity because the fines haven't been made public.
The Atlanta Hawks sent a statement to USA TODAY Sports saying: "We fully understand and respect the NBA's decision."
The memo says the teams were fined because "The conduct at issue involved statements by a team employee to the media, a team email to prospective season ticket purchasers, and articles posted online on a team website, each related to players who are currently under contract to other teams but who will become free agents this summer."
That line refers to a recent letter sent by a Hawks employee to season ticket holders that mentioned Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul and Lakers center Dwight Howard as possible signees.
And this tweet from Marc Stein regarding the Houston Rockets:
No teams or fines were listed in league memo. But Hawks fined for letter to season-ticket holders. Rockets fined for stories on team website
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) June 10, 2013
Dan Feldman of NBC Sports believes that the third team fined by the League could be the Sacramento Kings because of Mike Malone's comment saying that Chris Paul would "look pretty good in a Sacramento Kings uniform."