The NBA has fined Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green $50,000 for tampering because of comments he made about Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker while he was serving as a TNT analyst, the league announced Sunday.
During Friday’s broadcast, Green praised Booker and the Suns for their undefeated start in the NBA bubble at the Walt Disney World Resort, “but get my man out of Phoenix.”
“It’s not good for him. It’s not good for his career,” Green said. “… They gotta get Book out of Phoenix. I need my man to go somewhere where he can play great basketball all the time and win, because he’s that type of player.”
Asked by TNT’s Ernie Johnson whether he thought his comments were tampering, Green responded, “Maybe.”
The NBA clearly decided that they were.
The league tightened its rules before this season when it comes to matters such as tampering, salary-cap circumvention and free-agency timing — with one emphasis being the rule prohibiting player-to-player tampering. The fine amount is the maximum the NBA can give before a player can file a grievance, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
Booker, 23, is under contract with the Suns through the 2023-24 season after signing a five-year, $158 million extension in July 2018. He leads Phoenix in scoring at 26.4 points per game this season.
The Suns are the only undefeated team in the NBA bubble, going 5-0 since the league restarted play. Phoenix (31-39) is a half-game behind the Portland Trail Blazers (32-39) for the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference and a berth in the play-in game for the postseason.
Booker has not been to the playoffs with the Suns, who have not made the postseason in 10 years.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.