Shortly after his comments during an interview on Tuesday, the NBA has fined Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob $50,000 for his comments about Ben Simmons. Lacob discussed the ongoing trade situation and stated why the Warriors were no longer interested in the disgruntled star. 

“In some ways, it doesn’t really fit what we’re doing. He makes a lot of money. And, can he finish games? I don’t know. He’s very talented. The problem is: We have Draymond. Draymond and him are very similar in the sense that neither one really shoots, and they do a lot of the playmaking. That’s one issue. The salary structure is another.” – Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob.

During the interview, Lacob didn’t even call Ben Simmons by his name. Instead, he referred to him as the “Defensive Player of the Year Candidate in Philadelphia.” Even then, it doesn’t make sense how an owner is hit with a tampering charge when saying he doesn’t want to acquire a player. For reference, Daryl Morey was fined by the NBA for publicly recruiting Steph Curry to Philadelphia last season.

When trades first circulated, the Golden State Warriors were one of several teams interested but have since backed off after Daryl Morey proposed a package of James Wiseman, Andrew Wiggins, the 7th and 14th picks in the 2021 NBA Draft, and two future firsts. Even after Tuesday’s report, the 76ers have remained hopeful they can convince Ben Simmons to return to the team this season.

Mandatory Credit: AP Photo