The NBA fined Minnesota center Rudy Gobert $100,000 on Sunday, two days after he implied that referee Scott Foster was not calling games fairly and further suggesting that gambling is having a detrimental impact on the outcome of games.
The fine is the maximum that the NBA could give under terms of the collective bargaining agreement that went into place last year, matching the $100,000 fine given to then-Philadelphia guard James Harden for his public trade demand last fall.
Gobert was called for a technical foul in the closing seconds of regulation Friday night in the Timberwolves’ 113-104 overtime loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers when he rubbed his fingers together several times, the so-called money sign that he directed toward Foster.
“I’ll bite the bullet again,” Gobert said after that game. “I’ll be the bad guy. I’ll take the fine, but I think it’s hurting our game. I know the betting and all that is becoming bigger and bigger, but it shouldn’t feel that way.”
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The NBA said it found that Gobert directed “an inappropriate and unprofessional gesture toward a game official, and publicly (criticized) the officiating.” In announcing the fine, NBA executive vice president for basketball operations Joe Dumars said it “takes into account Gobert’s past instances of conduct detrimental to the NBA with regard to publicly criticizing the officiating.”
It is the fourth time Gobert has been fined for public criticism of officials. He is making $41 million this season.
