Maybe we shouldn't speculate about a kid doing wrong when there is zero indication that he has done anything wrong. Guilt by association is terribly unfair.
A tweet by a basketball writer mentioned that it COULD impact a player on our team. If the same writer wrote something that COULD be a positive for a player on our team or recruit should we also not speculate either? I mean that would only be fair right?
No. They are not equal. Once you unfairly associate a person with a shameful act they are branded. Without even getting into simple, common decency, In a court of law one form of falsehood/lie/untruth is called slander and it has legal consequences both civil and criminal. Another form is called "puffing" (exaggerating in a positive way) which is legal in NY state law for example when selling real estate.