Gobert wasn't fined $100K for "Inappropriate Gestures".
He wasn't fined because he was telling the truth.
He was fined for embarassing the league publically.
The league's never been transparent about if/how they prevent them from betting in their own games.
Terrible. $900M for the cost of the arena, and Thunder only committed to $50M? That's chump change. Committed to play there for 25 yrs = $0.5M per yr!
https://t.co/T4JHl2cNS8
Mayer David Holt: "don't raise taxes if it can be avoided". You're passing a 1% sales tax increase!
Of course they closed the investigation into referee Eric Lewis, the minute he announced his retirement. Was it forced retirement, or they just wanted to keep it hush hush in hopes to have it go away without anyone noticing?
Even for the Olympics, he has to make sure that he recruits a super team to his own liking. Can't risk of getting embarrassed. Could have just played in the world cup if it's a big deal.
Does he really need to tell the world about recruiting? Make himself feel like a "hero"?
ESPN even held talks recently with the NBA and MLB about selling minority stake of the network. How much more say they will have on messaging when it happens?
https://t.co/EGULgq2NCU
Not that there was parity, transparency and objectivity in the first place. Only be worse.
League office has showed "expressed disappointment" over the years of Van Gundy being critical of NBA's officiating (- it depends on the team, if you ask me). The NBA already has a say on who they like/dislike. Their contract's up in 2 years. Trying to appease them, obviously.
Players from teams in the finals arrive to play the first game is considered a story. Groundbreaking stuff here. People actually get paid a salary to publish this type of shit.
When it doesn't involve the Lakers, Celtics, Warriors or Lebron James they're lost.
If you're not allowing a referee that tweeted to defend himself and other referees to officiate games in the finals, then you might as well not allow any of those others he's defending to officiate any games either. All this is just for show to make it look like they're care.
Referee Eric Lewis defending officiating via a burner twitter account.
https://t.co/rdiA2aj09u
"At potential issue is a league rule against referees commenting on officiating publicly without authorization".
Translation: Leave it up to ESPN to spread our nonsense & propaganda
LeBron knows what he's doing. He purposely put out that talking point so sports media can talk about retirement instead of how Nuggets beat LeBron down, embarrassed him and swept him kicking LeBron out of the Finals.
The Raptors won it all and still couldn't get TV coverage or online media coverage from the major outlets outside of Canada. It's strange how people are defending how it was right not to give Nuggets coverage because they have no interest in them, because they're ones missing out
@ExploitTheHype If you're watching Nikola Jokic play & he's hitting ridiculous shots & dishing out beautiful dimes, the last thing you should worry about is if he has a magnetic personality. Good basketball is good for business. At least it should be.