NBA Fines Several Former Washington Huskies for Playing in Alumni Game

The NBA has rules for a reason. It needs to protect its product as much as possible. Sometimes that means limiting guys from appearing in certain things--like exhibition games--during a certain time frame. Otherwise you get hit with a fine like a handful of former Washington Huskies were recently.

On June 23 an exhibition game was held at Seattle's Alaska Airlines Arena that was organized by the current coach, Lorenzo Romar. Knowing how much guys typically enjoy going back to school to play he called some up and they answered--Philadelphia 76ers center Spencer Hawes, Sacramento Kings guard Isaiah Thomas, Memphis Grizzlies guards Quincy Pondexter and Tony Wroten, Raptors guard Terrence Ross and free agent Nate Robinson.

For their day of nostalgia Hawes, Thomas, Pondexter, and Wroten all had to pay $15,000 fines to the NBA for violating the collective bargaining agreement:

“players can’t play in public offseason games prior to July 1 or after Sept. 15 without league approval.”

Why Ross wasn't fined is a mystery; maybe since Robinson isn't actually on a team right now he got away clean.

So because these guys didn't ask before playing in a game that no one would have heard about were it not for these fines they got fined $15,000.

Rules are necessary. They are important, but rigidity to them like this is just plain stupid. If they were repeat offenders--well than okay. If this was a nationally televised contest--okay.

But it wasn't.