It turns out the Dallas Mavericks are not the only party that became unhappy with the DeAndre Jordan free agency sweepstakes.
The NBA announced on Tuesday that it fined the Clippers $250,000 for violating rules that prohibit teams from offering players unauthorized business or investment opportunities. The league alleged that the Clippers’ presentation to Jordan on July 2 included a potential third-party endorsement opportunity.
The NBA determined in its investigation that this aspect of the Clippers’ presentation had no impact on Jordan’s decision to re-sign with the Clippers. But that did not stop the NBA from issuing a fine. The NBA’s anti-circumvention rules prohibits teams from providing any compensation for a player unless it is included in the player’s contract.
The specifics regarding the Clippers’ third-party endorsement opportunity isn’t entirely clear. But an NBA source familiar with the teams said the Clippers presented a “hypothetical deal” that was nearly worth the amount of the league’s $250,000. Since then, the NBA source said Jordan did not take advantage of any possible endorsement opportunity.
Jordan had initially given the Mavericks a verbal commitment to sign with them. But he changed his mind a few days before the NBA moratorium lifted, giving Jordan the legal right to reconsider his options. That then spurred the Clippers to arrange a last-minute meeting at Jordan’s residence in Houston the day before the NBA moratorium ended on July 9, which marked the first day free agents can sign a contract with a team.
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