The Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets faced off in the AWS Rivals Week tonight, with the Lakers emerging with a 115-107 win. However, the moment that caught everyone’s attention occurred during a stoppage in play, when Lakers superstar forward LeBron James did something unexpected.

Lakers broadcasters, Spectrum Sportsnet, caught a moment where James, who seemed to be in front of the Nuggets’ bench, balled his fist, then slowly pretended to crank it up, raising his middle finger bit by bit. He stopped short of going through with it, but clips of the scene went viral immediately, leaving everyone questioning why the Lakers forward would do something like this.

Nuggets fans would know that during the summer, former Mavericks assistant Jared Dudley was signed on a deal as one of head coach David Adelman’s top assistants. Dudley was known for his ability to connect with players and mentor young pieces during his 14-year playing career, and he carried that over into his coaching.

What connects Dudley and James, Lakers fans might have realized, is that the two were teammates in LA for two seasons, including the championship-winning 2019-2020 bubble team, when Dudley was in the final years of his career.

Of course, James is no stranger to joking around during the games. Many fans remember an especially popular incident in which he pretended to take a sip of a courtside drink in the middle of the game while with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and people immediately started looking for a connection, with a familiar face potentially involved.

The theory is that James and Dudley were having some harmless fun, and it’s no surprise there’s still some camaraderie despite the rivalry the two franchises have built through playoff matchups in recent years.

However, the forward might be looking at league punishment for the gesture.

Why LeBron James’ Gesture Might End Up Carrying a $35K Price Tag

For a long time, the NBA has treated obscene or offensive gestures as unsportsmanlike conduct, regardless of the intent behind them. At various points, moments that might look playful or incomplete can be reviewed by league offices if they’re caught on broadcast, and someone with the visibility of LeBron James only heightens that scrutiny.

With that context, the slow and deliberate nature of the gesture, even though he stopped short of it, might fit the category of actions the league has previously disciplined.

Just over the last two years, LaMelo Ball, Russell Westbrook, and Anthony Edwards (twice) were fined $35,000 each for flipping off either crowds, officials, or opposing benches during games.

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Regardless of how the action was fueled, the NBA’s disciplinary actions usually focus on what was visible to viewers instead of what it might have meant.

This is why James might be looking at a fine right now. The gesture wasn’t fully committed to, which might give him some leeway in considering the fine, but any actual decision from the league hasn’t been announced yet. Keep an eye out for a notice from league offices in the coming days.