The Los Angeles Lakers front office has been hit with their second tampering charge from the league in just under a year on the job.
First, it was for Oklahoma City Thunder forward, Paul George, but now the team is being fined over comments Vice President of Basketball Operations, Magic Johnson, has made about Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
According to Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports, the team has been fined $50,000 due to their latest act of tampering.
The Los Angeles Lakers have been fined $50,000 by NBA for violating the league’s anti-tampering rule regarding the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 6, 2018
The comments made by Johnson were brought on by Antetokounmpo earning a starting spot in the All-Star game that will be held in Los Angeles later this month. Johnson had this to say:
“I’m just happy he’s starting in the All-Star game because he deserves that. And he’s going to be like an MVP, a champion, this dude he’s going to put Milwaukee on the map. And I think he’s going to bring them a championship one day.”
These comments, while they may just seem like harmless praise from a former player are hurting the Lakers financially and giving the organization a bad image. With a shaky start to their tenure, the Lakers front office manned by Johnson and Rob Pelinka has yet to find the grip of things and it has hurt the franchise once again.
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