"He was tampering the whole time" - NBA fans freak out as Damian Lillard's jersey instantly surfaces online after just 1 day of signing with Bucks

Damian Lillard nearly broke the internet when news surfaced that the Olympic gold medalist and NBA superstar was being traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. The situation was quick to spread like wildfire as fans, analysts and Lillard's peers all weighed in on the move. While there's plenty of excitement to see how things play out with the duo of Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo, reports of tampering have emerged.

Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler was quick to take to social media, alleging that the NBA should investigate the Bucks for tampering. The allegations split the NBA community, with some of the mindset that Butler and the Heat were simply "salty" regarding Lillard landing in Milwaukee.

On the flip side, many were quick to allege that where there's smoke there's fire. As fans dug through the Bucks past, and the penalties they've incurred for past tampering allegations, photos emerged of Damian Lillard Milwaukee Bucks jerseys. The photos poured fuel on the metaphorical fire regarding the tampering allegations.

While rappers Cam'ron and Mase clowned Butler for throwing out tampering allegations, fans chimed in with their reactions. Of course, the quick turnaround from the time of the trade announcement to the jerseys hitting stores left had already bolstered the argument of those who cried foul.

Looking at Jimmy Butler's accusation of tampering in Damian Lillard's trade

In the wake of the trade, Jimmy Butler was quick to call attention to the Lillard trade, hinting that he heard some rumors through the grapevine. In a video posted to his Instagram account, he called on the NBA to look into things. The video drew the attention of Tyler Herro as well who reposted the clip, where Butler states:

"Yo NBA, y’all need to look into the Bucks for tampering. Y’all do… I’m just going to put that out there . . . Y’all didn’t hear it from me. But I heard through somebody. Y’all look at them for tampering.”

This wouldn't be the first time Milwaukee has been connected to tampering allegations. In December of 2020, the NBA chose to strip the Bucks of their 2022 second-round pick due to violating tampering rules during a failed sign-and-trade.

In addition, Back in 2019, the Bucks were also hit with a $50,000 fine from the NBA after it was deemed they violated tampering rules regarding their own player: Giannis Antetokounmpo. At the time, The Greek Freak was fresh off his 2018-19 MVP season, and GM Jon Horst violated anti-tampering policy by stating,

“First of all, the answer for right now is we can’t talk and negotiate anything. So Giannis, basically, a year from now, will be eligible for a supermax extension. At that time, of course, he will be offered a supermax extension.”

The comments came during a media scrum, however, they still landed the Bucks a $50,000 fine. While many feel as though it was undeserved, it still marked the Bucks' second tampering violation, meaning the next penalty could be more severe if true.