Today is officially the first day that teams can sign free agents. Prior to today, everything was speculative and only in principle. Also, prior to today, teams were not allowed to comment on any of their pending move during the moratorium period. That’s why there were so many anonymous sources quotes.
The Houston Rockets were reminded of this the hard way as they were fined $15oK for talking too much and too soon about acquiring Dwight Howard.
A league spokesman confirms the team and its personnel were fined $150,000 by the NBA for comments made about the All-Star center during the moratorium period.
Howard committed to leave the Los Angeles Lakers and join the Rockets on Friday, and Rockets general manager Daryl Morey gave an interview later that night with Comcast SportsNet Houston in which he talked about the recruitment and landing of him. Coach Kevin McHale also discussed Howard over the weekend at the Orlando Summer League.
H/T: CSN Houston
