NBA Slaps Massive $500,000 Fine On Warriors

The NBA's luxury tax system is a necessary evil so that small market teams have a chance to compete with their big market brethren. It's natural that while the small market teams like the system, the higher-revenue clubs feel that it constrains them. 

Unfortunately, Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob—running one of the biggest spending teams—went a little too far in his criticisms this past week, and has been slapped with a massive fine.

ESPN Sources: The NBA has fined Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob $500,000 for his recent comments on the Point Forward Podcast discussing the league’s collective bargaining talks, which included Lacob describing the league’s luxury tax system as “very unfair.”

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 21, 2022

While discussing the league's collective bargaining talks on a podcast, Lacob described the NBA's luxury tax system as “very unfair.” That has now cost him half a million dollars, as the league has slapped him with the $500K fine.

"We're only $40 million more than the luxury tax," said Lacob, "...(but) we're $200 million over in total, though, because most of that is this incredibly penal luxury tax. And what I consider to be very unfair, and I'm going to say it on this podcast and I hope it gets back to whoever is listening."

Yes, Joe, they were listening. 

He can now total up his penalties to $200.5M.

Photo Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports