According to multiple current and former NBA executives, they experienced rival teams attempt to sneak extra picks into deals during trade calls with the league office in the early 2000s.
“We’re shaking our heads like, no, no, no, that’s not what we agreed to,” longtime exec Courtney Witte said.
“We’re gonna have to call you back,” a former assistant GM recounted.
The practice, however, has disappeared this decade.
After a trade is made official, the CBA mandates the league must then email a summary of the terms to the Players Association and draft a trade memo for distribution to all 30 teams.