Danny Ainge was the first to get hit with a fine ($30,000) for hanging out with KD’s folks during the Big 12 tournament, and now Michael Jordan is $15,000 poorer thanks to comments made in a Charlotte paper.
NBA coaches and execs aren’t allowed to discuss underclassmen who have yet to declare for the NBA draft. Jordan probably didn’t think the following would come back to bite him in the wallet when he spoke to the Charlotte Observer last Tuesday:
Jordan said he was interested in versatile players and added, “The kid who may present that is the kid in Texas. (He) may have that because he has all the right signs.”
The Observer’s Rick Bonnell, the man who MJ granted the interview, doesn’t think Jordan was doing anything wrong when he mentioned Durant.
“I don’t think he was doing anything malicious by making a reference to Texas freshman Kevin Durant.”
“I didn’t ask about Durant. I was following up on a point Jordan made about the value of versatility…Do I think Jordan was coaxing Durant out of school? Nah. He was being articulate about his vision for this team.”
$45,000 in fines for a guy who’s not even sure he’s going to be entering the draft. Awesome.
(Update: MJ’s ripped jeans. Discuss amongst yourselves.)
