Los Angeles Lakers fined for violating NBA anti-tampering rule

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 09: Magic Johnson attends a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Sacramento Kings at Staples Center on January 9, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 09: Magic Johnson attends a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Sacramento Kings at Staples Center on January 9, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)

The Los Angeles Lakers have been fined, again, by the NBA for violating the league’s anti-tampering rule.

When will the Los Angeles Lakers, namely Magic Johnson, learn his lesson? The Lakers were fined once again for violating the NBA’s anti-tampering rule. Los Angeles was fined $50,000 for the violation.

This time, the Lakers were fined because of things that Magic Johnson said in an interview with ESPN. In the interview, Johnson was very complimentary of Milwaukee Bucks star, Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Johnson spoke highly of Antetokounpo’s play and said that he would one day lead the Bucks to a championship. A source at ESPN said that the fine from the NBA came because of the comments made in that article.

Here is part of what Johnson said when asked if he saw any similarities to Antetokoumpo’s game and his own.

"“Oh yeah,” Johnson told ESPN recently. “With his ball-handling skills and his passing ability. He plays above the rim I never could do that. But in his understanding of the game, his basketball IQ, his creativity of shots for his teammates. That’s where we [have the] same thing. Can bring it down, make a pass, make a play. I’m just happy he’s starting in the All-Star game because he deserves that. And he’s going to be like an MVP, a champion, this dude he’s going to put Milwaukee on the map. And I think he’s going to bring them a championship one day.”"

The Bucks even put out a photo on their Instagram with the quote from Johnson.

This seems harmless. He was asked a question in an interview and provided an answer. Being fined for that seems ludicrous, but the NBA has rules in place and Johnson didn’t follow them.

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Johnson has to remember, however, that he is part of an NBA front office now and cannot comment on players the way he did as an analyst. He and general manager Rob Pelinka are learning the hard way how seriously the NBA takes these rules, as it is the second time that they have been fined.

Back at the end of August, the NBA handed down a fine to the Lakers for violating the anti-tampering rules. This one stemmed from Johnson making an appearance on the Jimmy Kimmel Show.

Johnson made an appearance on the show, discussing how he had a lot to learn about being a team president. He was also asked about Indiana Pacers forward Paul George, whom the Lakers had missed out on earlier in the offseason. The Lakers tried to acquire George via trade, but the Pacers traded him to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Johnson was fined because of what he said if he happened to run into George.

That fine made a little more sense. George is someone that the Lakers are hoping to land in free agency this summer. Speaking about it is in violation of the rules, no matter how tongue in cheek the comment was meant to be on a late-night show.

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Hopefully, Johnson will learn his lesson this time around. If he violates the rules again, the NBA could come down harder next time as it would be the third offense.