NBA: Clippers fined over ‘improper’ Jordan offer

DeAndre Jordan. AFP FILE PHOTO

NEW YORK, United States—The Los Angeles Clippers have been fined $250,000 over an improper offer made to DeAndre Jordan last month as they attempted to re-sign the player, the NBA said Tuesday.

A statement from the NBA headquarters said the Clippers had violated league rules prohibiting teams from offering players unauthorized business or investment opportunities.

It said the violation related to a pitch made by the Clippers to Jordan on July 2 which “improperly included a potential third-party endorsement opportunity for the player.”

“While the NBA’s investigation ultimately concluded that the presentation of this opportunity had no impact on Jordan’s decision to re-sign with the Clippers, the team’s conduct nevertheless violated the league’s anti-circumvention rules,” the NBA statement said.

Strict NBA anti-circumvention rules bar teams from providing or arranging for others to provide any kind of compensation not included in a contract or form permitted.

Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times reported the Clippers offered Jordan a $200,000 deal from Lexus which prompted the league to impose the hefty fine.

Jordan was in the middle of a tug-of-war between the Clippers and the Dallas Mavericks after he verbally agreed with the 2011 NBA Champion he would suit up its blue jersey come the 2015-2016 season.

Jordan later apologized to Mavs owner Mark Cuban for changing his mind.

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