The New York Knicks, unwilling to overlook comments made by Miami Heat executives concerning their interest in hiring Pat Riley, have filed tampering charges.
Team president Dave Checketts said the Knicks filed charges with NBA commissioner David Stern on Thursday after reading newspaper quotes from Heat owner Micky Arison and Dave Wohl, the team's executive vice president."This may be the most blatant example of tampering I have seen in 12 years in the NBA," Checketts said. "Whether there were behind-the-scenes discussions or not, the Heat's public statements, on their own, constitute tampering.
"I can't understand why no one contacted us prior to going into the newspapers."
"I feel very comfortable we haven't tampered," Wohl said in today's editions of The Palm Beach Post. "But because I haven't seen the statement or had a chance to sit with our attorneys, I won't have any further comment."
Riley resigned as coach of the Knicks on June 15 with one year left on his contract after four seasons with the team.
League officials did not return phone calls seeking comment. Riley returned this week from Greece, where he had been vacationing and holding clinics in conjunction with the European Championships. Riley is exploring a breach of contract suit against the Knicks.
The maximum fine under NBA bylaws for tampering is $1 million. Checketts, who said all NBA teams were officially notified to contact the Knicks if interested in hiring Riley, would not comment on pursuing another recourse to a fine, and said he wouldn't settle the matter and move on.
"We're way past that," he said. "I'm not going to comment on what we will do if we're asked for compensation.
"It's the way business is done. . . . We have never been contacted by any member of the Heat ownership or organization. So how else can we deal with this?"
However, Checketts refused to rule out the possibility of Riley coaching the Heat next season.
"It would not be safe to say that," he said.
Checketts said the first example of the alleged tampering came from Wohl, who said June 19, "Pat is the priority and everything else is on hold."
During a conference call Thursday, Checketts said Arison's comments were stronger.
"Micky Arison is quoted as saying we can put together a good package," he said.
In Thursday's editions of The Palm Beach Post, Arison said, "If he is the best candidate possible, and I believe he is, we will do what we have to do."