Fake Trade Rumors? Coach George Karl Says It Happens All The Time

Have you been paying attention to some of the trade rumors going around? According to various sources, Josh Smith could be leaving Atlanta, Kevin Garnett could be leaving Boston, and Dwight Howard could be leaving Los Angeles. But, according to NBA head coach George Karl, fake trade rumors get spread around all the time.

The NBA trade deadline is less than 10 days away, which means that there is plenty of anxiety in basketball locker rooms. Players are trying to negotiate bigger contracts, teams are trying to make big deals, and the media is trying to move faster than the news. Karl said that he’s spread a few fake rumors in his day to screw with the media.

Karl said, “We tell fibs and lies … We make up some trade that never was proposed in 100 years and suddenly it’s on ESPN.”

According to the Ball Don’t Lie, Karl and a group of unnamed associates once held a contest to see who could get the most outlandish fake rumor into the press. Karl didn’t say who won.

Karl also didn’t say if the players were informed of the rumor before hand. Making up a lie to screw with the press is one thing. A reporter isn’t going to lose his or her job for talking about a rumor. Some people make a good living doing that. The players, on the other hand, have a lot more on the line. Will they have to move their family? Will they be able to sign a new contract? Will they have to say goodbye to their teammates?

Karl told Cleveland.com:

“There’s this solid anxiety to this period of time for players … So, how I can calm that and make them feel like, ‘Yeah, a trade could happen, but it’s a small, small percentage.'”

What do you think of George Karl’s admission that fake rumors get spread all the time in the NBA?