Lakers, Phil Fined $75K Each For Lockout Comments

CBSsports.com
Royce Young

LOS ANGELES - The NBA has fined Phil Jackson $75,000 for comments on the collective bargaining agreement, and $75,000 to the Lakers too, according to reports from Yahoo! Sports and ESPN.

The comment evidently was one made in Portland to traveling Laker writers about next season in which Jackson reportedly said it would be wiped out entirely. Jackson even went as far to say that it factored into his decision to retire.

"It was really about the fact that there's going to be a lockout," Jackson reportedly said. "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?" Jackson continued. "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's not going to be a year next year."

This isn't the first fine done for talking too much about the CBA negotiations, and it probably won't be the last. The NBA is very sensitive to it, you see. Of course this is a day after the league fined Kobe Bryant $100,000 for using a gay slur caught by television. Expensive week for the Lakers.