National Basketball Association

New York Knicks fined after Phil Jackson comments on draft prospect

Published Mar. 4, 2015 10:32 a.m. ET

foxsports

One of the richest franchises in the NBA is now a little poorer.

Apparently, Phil Jackson is costing more than just the $60 million the New York Knicks are lined up to pay him over his five-year contract. From Marc Berman of the New York Post:

On Jackson’s first college-recruiting trip Thursday at Ohio State, the Knicks president got his club fined for remarks he made about OSU guard D’Angelo Russell to the Cleveland Plain-Dealer.

A league official said the Knicks were fined an undisclosed amount Tuesday night for Jackson saying of Russell, “He’s a great-looking kid. A great prospect.’’

According to sources, Jackson and the team put up a fierce fight in an attempt to escape the fine. Jackson was interviewed by league security and Knicks lawyers also were involved.

By league rules, Jackson cannot publicly comment on "draft ineligible players." That includes Russell, a freshman who is yet to declare for the NBA Draft.

Here's the odd part about the fine: That there was an NBA "investigation" which took more than three seconds. What is there to investigate? Jackson either said it or he didn't. And he said it publically. It's pretty obviously this happened. I'm not sure exactly for what the NBA was looking.

Anyway, this isn't actually something which can hurt the Knicks long-term. It's just another example of Phil's struggles to adjust to working in a front office for the first time (and another hilarious Knicks gaffe). I think it's safe to say he's not going to comment on prospects anymore.