Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, left, and Los Angeles Clippers forward Matt Barnes reach for the ball in the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Oklahoma City on Feb. 8, 2015. AP
NEW YORK, United States — Memphis Grizzlies forward Matt Barnes has been fined $35,000 for remarks about New York Knicks coach Derek Fisher deemed detrimental to the best interests of the NBA, the league said Sunday.
Barnes had already served a two-game ban for attacking and threatening Fisher after an altercation between the two at the California home of Barnes’ ex-wife, Gloria Govan.
READ: NBA: Grizzlies’ Barnes suspended 2 games
Although Barnes was on his best behavior when the Grizzlies hosted the Knicks on Saturday, he wasn’t shy in the days before the game about voicing his dislike of Fisher.
In the comments that prompted action from the league, Barnes defended his decision to resort to physical violence against Fisher.
“Violence is never the answer, but sometimes it is,” Barnes said when asked about the October incident. “And unfortunately, it happened. I don’t regret it.”
READ: NBA: Grizzlies’ Barnes slams Fisher in New Year’s tirade
“Matt Barnes’ comments condoning violence do not reflect who we are as a league or the character of our players,” Kiki VanDeWeghe, the NBA’s executive vice president of basketball operations said Sunday in a statement. “His words are unacceptable and entirely inconsistent with the core principles of this game and the NBA.”