The NBA has fined New Orleans Pelicans’ star Anthony Davis for making a trade request known publicly. The All-Star center made his trade request known through his agent Rich Paul on Monday. The NBA has chosen to fine Davis $50,000 as the public trade request violates the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement. Shams Charania of the Athletic is first to report.
Sources: The NBA has fined Anthony Davis $50,000.
Despite many star players making trade requests known publicly, including Kyrie Irving, Jimmy Butler, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and others, Davis is one of the few to collect a fine for the offense. The specific violation of the CBA involves a representative or agent going on record about he trade request which was done by Rich Paul on Monday.
The fine is a figurative slap on the wrist as Davis makes more than enough money to pay the fine. By declining the supermax ontract that New Orleans is able to offer him, Davis would be leaving $80 million on the table. In fact, as Eric Pincus from BballInsiders points out, Davis would make up the money needed to pay his fine inside of his trade bonus if he were to be traded.
The fine is more symbolic than punitive. The New Orleans Pelicans asked the NBA to “strictly enforce” tempering rules regarding Anthony Davis in a statement released after the trade request was made public. This request is apparently being honored as the NBA is following the letter of the law in this situation despite not being so consistent in the past.
The $50,000 fine assess to Davis is the most that Adam Silver can demand according to section 35 of the CBA, and also the most a player can be fined without the allowance for the player to file a grievance. The NBA has effectively sent the message that when it comes to Anthony Davis they intend to strictly enforce the rules that are in place.
