Clippers fined for tampering because of Doc Rivers' analysis

[femurov]

Clippers fined $50K for Rivers' Kawhi comments

"He is the most like Jordan that we've seen," Rivers said after Magic Johnson, the Lakers' former president of basketball operations, talked about Leonard on Tuesday's preview show. "Like, there's a lot of great players. LeBron [James] is phenomenal. KD [Kevin Durant] is phenomenal. But he is 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. Then you add his 3-point shooting. I never get into who's the best player. Magic is the best player, Michael Jordan is the best player, LeBron. But it's that same group."



I think there is a huge difference in giving your opinion of a player as an analyst at a pre-game show on ESPN and tampering. If they don't want that kind of talk, then they shouldn't even allow current coaches and players to be on TV.

 

[gob]

Yeah, that was stupid.

 

[Bart]

Clippers fined $50K for Rivers' Kawhi comments

"He is the most like Jordan that we've seen," Rivers said after Magic Johnson, the Lakers' former president of basketball operations, talked about Leonard on Tuesday's preview show. "Like, there's a lot of great players. LeBron [James] is phenomenal. KD [Kevin Durant] is phenomenal. But he is 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. Then you add his 3-point shooting. I never get into who's the best player. Magic is the best player, Michael Jordan is the best player, LeBron. But it's that same group."



I think there is a huge difference in giving your opinion of a player as an analyst at a pre-game show on ESPN and tampering. If they don't want that kind of talk, then they shouldn't even allow current coaches and players to be on TV.

I agree with you but Doc was trying to indirectly recruit Kawhi with that analysis. I never liked Rivers.

 

[bksballer89]

What did he do wrong?

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Clippers fined $50K for Rivers' Kawhi comments

"He is the most like Jordan that we've seen," Rivers said after Magic Johnson, the Lakers' former president of basketball operations, talked about Leonard on Tuesday's preview show. "Like, there's a lot of great players. LeBron [James] is phenomenal. KD [Kevin Durant] is phenomenal. But he is 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. Then you add his 3-point shooting. I never get into who's the best player. Magic is the best player, Michael Jordan is the best player, LeBron. But it's that same group."



I think there is a huge difference in giving your opinion of a player as an analyst at a pre-game show on ESPN and tampering. If they don't want that kind of talk, then they shouldn't even allow current coaches and players to be on TV.

It was the right call to fine him though because Magic Johnson said much less and he was fined big time. In essence, Doc Rivers was letting the player discussed that the Clippers were interested in him and that was player tampering

 

[True Lakers Fan]

What did he do wrong?

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The NBA fined the LA Clippers $50,000 on Friday for tampering because of comments head coach Doc Rivers made about Toronto Raptors star Kawhi Leonard earlier this week.

The league did not specify which comments violated the anti-tampering rule.

Rivers compared Leonard to Michael Jordan while breaking down the Raptors' matchup with the Golden State Warriors on ESPN's NBA Finals preview show.

"He is the most like Jordan that we've seen," Rivers said after Magic Johnson, the Lakers' former president of basketball operations, talked about Leonard on Tuesday's preview show. "Like, there's a lot of great players. LeBron [James] is phenomenal. KD [Kevin Durant] is phenomenal. But he is 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. Then you add his 3-point shooting. I never get into who's the best player. Magic is the best player, Michael Jordan is the best player, LeBron. But it's that same group."

Leonard will be a free agent this summer.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Rivers "crossed a bright line" when asked what the Clippers coach should do when he appears on a show that would require his analysis of other teams' players

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I agree with you but Doc was trying to indirectly recruit Kawhi with that analysis. I never liked Rivers.

Exactly - and Rivers knew exactly what he was doing and he knew he would get fined for it, that 50,000 dollars is small compared to Magic Johnson having to pay $500,000 and now Leonard knows that the Clippers are willing to pay to get him. That fine was well worth it to have a shot at Leonard

 

[gob]

Exactly - and Rivers knew exactly what he was doing and he knew he would get fined for it, that 50,000 dollars is small compared to Magic Johnson having to pay $500,000 and now Leonard knows that the Clippers are willing to pay to get him. That fine was well worth it to have a shot at Leonard

One of the bigger free agents in the league needed that to know a team was interested in him?

 

[wildturkey]

How are you gonna fine him for that but not fine the Clippers for basically stalking Kawhi the entire season? That's not a joke either. They've sent people associated with the franchise to a bunch of his games

 

[broncosmitty]

Magic should go around the TV circuit and cry for him for a few months.

 

[broncosmitty]

How are you gonna fine him for that but not fine the Clippers for basically stalking Kawhi the entire season? That's not a joke either. They've sent people associated with the franchise to a bunch of his games

Scouts?

 

[True Lakers Fan]

One of the bigger free agents in the league needed that to know a team was interested in him?

He had his reasons, Rivers isnt stupid, but I agree that existing coaches shouldn't be allowed to go on national TV like that

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Magic should go around the TV circuit and cry for him for a few months.

With friends like Magic, the Lakers dont need more enemies

 

[broncosmitty]

With friends like Magic, the Lakers dont need more enemies

Atleast he can help Ben Simmons now.

 

[broncosmitty]

He had his reasons, Rivers isnt stupid, but I agree that existing coaches shouldn't be allowed to go on national TV like that

Worth 50K.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Worth 50K.

Of course - it was worth it for him - That's why he did it -

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Atleast he can help Ben Simmons now.

Im not so sure about that

 

[broncosmitty]

Im not so sure about that

Yeah, me either.

Ben is a great dibbler.

And his smile seems just fine.

 

[trojanfan12]

What did he do wrong?

That's what I'd like now.

A coach can't compliment an opposing player now?

While I thought that the Lakers warning and then fine for tampering were barely deserved (Magic went a little past just complimenting a player). Fining the Clippers for this is ridiculous.

Either allow a coach to give an honest analysis of a player when asked, or stop having them do interviews and fining them if they don't want to be interviewed.

Seems like the NBA's tampering rule is somewhat arbitrary and not very clearly defined.

 

[trojanfan12]

It was the right call to fine him though because Magic Johnson said much less and he was fined big time.

Actually, Magic said more. What Doc said was basically an analysis of Kawhi's game. The Lakers were warned after Magic's comments about PG on the Kimmel show. Then, he complimented Giannis' game so the league fined him.

It's pretty weak that they got fined for Magic assessing Giannis' game and saying he deserved to be an all-star...but the Lakers had already been warned.