Lakers’ Coach Phil Jackson fined US$75,000 for unauthorised lock-out comments in public: NBA Update
The National Basketball Association (NBA) took yet another step towards maintaining the discipline in the league. This time the Los Angeles Lakers’ legendary Head Coach was chosen for accountability as he was found guilty against the NBA’s code of conduct
and immediately fined US$75,000 for his alleged public speaking on his retirement. The NBA also fined the Los Angeles Lakers’ management US$75,000 separately for collective bargaining and also bringing into the public.
Jackson told the number of reporters on 7 April as to why he decided to leave the game after this season. Jackson told some of the reporters about his reservations on NBA’s on-going labour problems which could certainly result in a possible lock-out.
Jackson said, “It was really about the fact that there's going to be a lockout. It's the perfect time to help the organization cover a gap if there's a lockout. My staff, all those guys who work with me. All those things played into it. I felt like an obligation.
Who knows what the NBA is going to look like next year? It's going to take on a whole different proportion. How long is it going to last? I think there are some people who are pretty convinced there are not going to be a year next year.”
On Friday night number of reporters asked him about the fine as how he perceives it. But Phil Jackson remained cautious and did not answer the question with complete satisfaction.
Jackson said, “I'm not going to answer that question due to [the fact that] anything I answer will probably be another fine, So, I'll just lay that out there. I don't think I said anything wrong or incorrect. I believe the question led in to the statement
I made and I used the wrong term. So, that's all I'll say about that, but no one feels good about the action that pursued ... except [commissioner] David Stern, probably.”
This Thursday would not be considered the best day in the Lakers’ history as their two most famous personalities were penalised with heavy fines in two consecutive days. Earlier on Wednesday the Lakers’ superstar, Kobe Bryant, was the man in news when he
was fined US$100,000 by the NBA commissioner, David Stern, for his abusive slur against the referee, Bennie Adams, in a game against the San Antonio Spurs. Now this very incident certainly deteriorated the popularity of Lakers’ head coach Phil Jackson.
When the World Sports Summit concluded on 31 March 2011, the labour related issues were also raised as how to the labour woes will affect this beautiful game if not solved timely. Phil Jackson might be right raising his concerns and reservations, but he
also has a responsibility to show some respect for the NBA’s code of conduct as what to say in public and where to say.
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