The Clippers got fined for tampering, because Clippers coach Doc Rivers compared Raptors star Kawhi Leonard to Michael Jordan.
Rivers’ comments seemed innocent enough, coming while working as a TV analyst and without himself bringing up Leonard.
Apparently this not the only time the Clippers were tampering.
Josh Lewenberg of TSN:
The Raptors have reached out to the league multiple times this season when they’ve felt the Clippers have crossed a line in their not-so-subtle pursuit of Leonard, I’m told. Would imagine today’s $50K anti-tampering fine had as much to do with those incidents as Doc’s comments
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) May 31, 2019
So the fine was more about a pattern of behavior of tampering.
Maybe Doc did deserve a fine for tampering. Here’s a memo the NBA released a few years ago regarding tampering.
“Teams should be aware that the scope of the anti-tampering rule is broad, and its application in any given case is based on all facts and circumstances,” the memo said. “Accordingly, conduct that doesn’t violate the rule in any single instance may nevertheless constitute a violation if it becomes repeated or part of a broader collection of improper actions.
“Teams should therefore refrain from any conduct — including public statements — that could be viewed as targeting or expressing interest in another team’s player.”
The Clippers want Kawhi, and they don’t care who knows about it.
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