The NBA announced today in a press release that it has fined the Clippers $50K for violating the league’s anti-tampering policy. The penalty stems from comments made by head coach Doc Rivers about Raptors star Kawhi Leonard during a television appearance.
“(Leonard) is the most like (Michael) Jordan that we’ve seen,” Rivers said while participating in an ESPN panel earlier this week, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. “Like, there’s a lot of great players. LeBron (James) is phenomenal. KD (Kevin Durant) is phenomenal. Not like he is Jordan, or anything like that. But he’s the most like him. Big hands. Post game. Can finish. Great leaper. Great defender. In-between game. If you beat him to the spot – bumps you off. And then you add his 3-point shooting…”
The NBA generally doesn’t crack down as hard on potential tampering violations when players and coaches talk about rival players, preferring to limit its penalties to comments made or actions taken by executives and owners.
In this case though, the NBA may have been sensitive to the perception that the Clippers have been recruiting Leonard all year while he’s under contract with Toronto. The Raptors have reached out to the league multiple times this season when they’ve felt the Clippers have crossed tampering lines, according to Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter link).
Additionally, it’s not as if Rivers was simply a head coach discussing an opponent directly before or after playing him. The circumstances surrounding Rivers’ comments explain why the league was less willing to let them slide.
While it’s possible that Leonard’s NBA Finals run with the Raptors will help convince him to stay in Toronto when he reaches free agency in a month, the Clippers are still lurking in the shadows as his presumed top suitor, Amick wrote in a column before Game 1.
Marc Stein of The New York Times also provided some details this week on the lengths the Clippers are going to as they prepare their pitch for Leonard, reporting that the club explored the feasibility of buying a portion of the rights to Kawhi’s “Klaw” logo, which is still owned by Nike.
Wow Silver really clamped down on this one. As we all know comparing any player to Jordan is tantamount to offer him an under the table contract. Might want to fine the Warriors too I heard Kerr mention Kawhi’s name in postgame.
Cannot understand how a league that lets current/former exec’s and current players openly comment on which players they would like to recruit but chooses to fine the Clippers coach (and the parent of a player in the league) for completing Leonard’s skills … guess that’s what happens when you coach for the team the league promotes as Los Angeles’ “other team”.
the whole tampering rule is a little weird but why even levy a $50,000 fine. that’s not much of a punishment for any team.
Clippers are like that lil brother who thinks they can get away with something by being slick simply because everyone is focusing on the big brother (Lakers). From Doc’s brown-nosing of Kawhi in the media to reports of the Clippers trying to buy his signature logo, the fact is that this team is clearly trying to woo an impending free agent whiles he’s still playing on his current team……which is against the rules! Deal with it!
Took a page out of LeBron’s book.
They don’t need to tamper. Kawhi is headed there in July. Sorry Toronto
Ya well he’s leaving the Larry O’Brien trophy here when he goes….
Well in a way he’d be taking it with him too Raptor fans
Just like Paul George was for sure heading to the Lakers, amirite?
The tampering policy is stupid. What about reporters ask Steve Kerr how to stop Kawhi Leonard? His answer, he’s a great player. Does Kerr get fined for that? Nope. It’s a ridiculous policy
This clearly isn’t the same thing. The Warriors are in no position to sign Kawhi and are currently playing against him- the Clippers are considered one of the favorites and would satisfy the assumption he wants to play in LA. I think it’s a hard policy to enforce, but not a stupid one. You cant have teams basically dog whistling contract offers to players under contract. Sure, you can’t stop LeBron from texting him, but nobody wants to play with LeBron anyways
I agree with you that it’s not the same thing but is the same language. I think the whole tampering policy is ridiculous by itself. Granted, you can’t have Frank Vogel coming out saying, I can’t wait for it to be a free agent so we can be a Laker. That’s ridiculous as well.
Owners/execs WANT the restrictions on owners/execs. Players do NOT want the restrictions on players. Coaches are in between. The peanut gallery has their peanuts.
After watching that interview Magic set him up
Anti-tampering is sooo stupid. It shouldn’t exist, when a HC cannot say how good a player from another team is… then you know you got it all wrong. Get rid of tampering rules, let a free market flow freely & all will be happy & the league will have a better product to sell.
Soft
So, Doc suggests that Kawhi has Jordan like qualities, and that’s tampering? That seems stupid to me. God forbid that anyone can compliment anyone else in the League today.
Will he end up in LA, or stay in Toronto? If the Raps win the NBA Finals, stay or go how can you be mad.
What a joke.
LeBron can say whatever he wants though.
So can you.
Sounds more like a compliment then any tampering……