New Suns coach Igor Kokoskov tampers with Clippers guard Milos Teodosic

Though the Clippers reportedly plan to drop Milos Teodosic, he’s still under contract with L.A. He opted in for next season, but even if he hadn’t, his contract still would have run for a couple more days.

So, new Suns coach Igor Kokoskov violated the Collective Bargaining Agreement’s tampering rules here.

Kokoskov, via Saša Ozmo of Sport Klub, as translated by Antonis Stroggylakis of Eurohoops.net:

“I think all the best about Milos, he is my friend and we had the opportunity to meet here. He is basketball legend. These are the names we take a look at when it comes to free agents, but of course, everything is far from a decision. What I can say is that Milos is absolutely an NBA player. He has done a lot both at the level of the (Serbian) national team and at the EuroLeague level, so his path now is the USA – he had a good season and certainly is one of the names we [Suns] discuss.”

This sounds similar to Mike Malone, who – upon getting hired by the Kings in 2013 – said Chris Paul would “look pretty good in a Sacramento Kings uniform.” That benign comment got the Kings fined.

Another first-time head coach, Kokoskov must get accustomed to the volume of interviews he’ll do and what he can and can’t say. This early slip will probably get the Suns fined, too.

Or not. Who knows with the NBA’s arbitrarily enforced tampering rules?