NBA fans knew a fine was coming after Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green told Phoenix Suns Guard Devin Booker to “get out of Phoenix” on live television. Filling in for Shaquille O’Neal on Inside the NBA, Green pushed for the 5th year star talent to get out of his contract and go somewhere where he can thrive, a clear violation of the NBA rules.
The NBA released a statement on Sunday.
“The NBA announced today that it has fined Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors $50,000 for violating the league’s anti-tampering rule. The fine is in response to statements Green made as an analyst on TNT on August 7 regarding the Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker,” the statement reads.
“As announced prior to the start of the 2019-20 season, the NBA has adopted a stricter enforcement approach for conduct relating to tampering, salary cap circumvention, and free agency timing rules, including with respect to the rule prohibiting player-to-player tampering.”
“I need my man to go somewhere where he can play great basketball all the time and win because he’s that type of player,” the former Defensive Player of the Year said on the broadcast. When co-host Ernie Johnson asked if Draymond was “tampering” the 3x NBA champion said simply, “maybe.”
Draymond’s reaction to Booker’s outstanding playing on a team that has barely eclipsed 30 wins since drafting Booker in 2015 landed him a $50,000 fine from the NBA in violation of the league’s tampering rules.
