With March Madness upon us, the NBA is cracking down on loose-lipped team executives who can't help but talk about -- or to the families of -- Greg Oden or Kevin Durant, the likely top picks in this year's draft.According to a memo dispersed to all GMs and team counsel Friday by NBA general counsel Rick Buchanan, three teams were fined a total of $60,000:? The Boston Celtics were fined $30,000 as a result of contact that took place between executive director Danny Ainge and family members of Durant at a Big 12 tournament game on March 10.? The Charlotte Bobcats were fined $15,000 for public comments made by minority owner Michael Jordan regarding Durant in an interview posted on the Charlotte Observer's Web site on March 14.? Golden State was fined $15,000 for public comments made by coach Don Nelson regarding Oden and Durant in an interview posted on SI.com on March 9.Ainge was seen sitting with Durant's mother at the Big 12 tournament. He was later quoted as saying that he was seated next to her by accident and that he had no control over his ticket location.But that argument holds no water with the NBA."We recognize that team personnel occasionally have unanticipated encounters with players or their representatives or family members at games or other events,'' Buchanan wrote. "Team personnel are of course permitted to exchange greetings with players or their representatives or family members in these circumstances to the extent required by social courtesy. However, team personnel should not initiate such exchanges and should take appropriate steps to ensure that the duration of any such exchanges is kept to a minimum.''http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/bask...ines/index.htmlLame..
I dont understand why they would get fined for this....Just for talking to Durant's mother? Its not like they can recruit players to play for their teams or anything like that. This is retarted.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ballerman2112 @ Mar 16 2007, 06:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>This is retarted.</div> :HAHAHA: I agree though, it is pretty stupid. It's not like a college recruiting players, Ainge has no power over how the lottery turns out. It's ridiculous. Also, the Warriors and Bobcats fined for talking ABOUT them in an interview? Give me a break, that is just absurd.
I don't have a problem with this. I can see why the NBA would do this to try and prevent team officials to try and persuade the players or whoever to turn pro or things of that nature. Obviously I don't know what the subject of Danny Ainge's conversation with Durant's mother was, but I have no problem with the NBA implementing this "rule."
They have these rules for a reason. College basketball doesn't want NBA personal hanging around players or teams. It's just a distraction. NBA personal should stay out of it until a player has decided to enter the draft. It's a good rule in my book.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticBalla32 @ Mar 16 2007, 07:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>:HAHAHA:</div>sh*t. haha...I suck at spelling.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BrewCityBuck @ Mar 16 2007, 08:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>They have these rules for a reason. College basketball doesn't want NBA personal hanging around players or teams. It's just a distraction. NBA personal should stay out of it until a player has decided to enter the draft. It's a good rule in my book.</div> I understand that aspect of it, but I'm mostly pissed about the NBA fining the Cats and Warriors for talking ABOUT these college prospects in an interview. That makes no sense to me. Ainge sitting next to and talking to Durant's mother? Yes, understandable. But team executives being asked about them and talking about them? Give me a break.
This sounds like fines the NFL would make. I agree with the Ainge fine, I mean he had the balls to come out and say he randomly got paired up next to Durant's mom? C'mon Danny, how dumb do you think we are? I don't really agree with what Ainge did talking to her in the college atmosphere. I sorta agree with BCB. Another reason why this pisses me off is it just further proves the point that all Ainge cares about is drafting young talent.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (WELCOMEtotheJUNGLE @ Mar 19 2007, 09:48 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>This sounds like fines the NFL would make. I agree with the Ainge fine, I mean he had the balls to come out and say he randomly got paired up next to Durant's mom? C'mon Danny, how dumb do you think we are? I don't really agree with what Ainge did talking to her in the college atmosphere. I sorta agree with BCB. Another reason why this pisses me off is it just further proves the point that all Ainge cares about is drafting young talent.</div> Yeah, I can understand the Ainge fine, but do you think the other fines were fair? The Bobcats and Warriors talked ABOUT them in an interview, and they get fined? I personally think that is absurd.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>but do you think the other fines were fair? The Bobcats and Warriors talked ABOUT them in an interview, and they get fined? I personally think that is absurd.</div>Not at all. I agree with you those other fines are retarded (haha). That's why I called them NFL fines. Those fines for the Bobcats reminded me of when Chad Johnson was fined for having Carson Palmer rip Ocho Cinco off his back before a game. It's just pointless and the league is trying to act tough on something that isn't a big deal.
