NBA – Barnes fined $35,000 for comments condoning violence

REUTERS – Memphis Grizzlies forward Matt Barnes has been fined $35,000 by the National Basketball Association for inappropriate public comments directed at New York Knicks coach Derek Fisher, the league announced on Sunday.

Barnes and Fisher had a physical altercation in October which was centered around Barnes’ estranged wife.

The NBA investigated the incident and suspended Barnes for two games for fighting.

On Saturday, the two former team mates crossed paths for the first time since the dustup when the Grizzlies beat the Knicks 103-95 in New York.

The game was played without incident, but Barnes made several comments in advance of the game justifying his fight with Fisher and criticizing the coach for the way he handled it.

As a result, Barnes was penalized yet again by the league.

“Matt Barnes’ comments condoning violence do not reflect who we are as a league or the character of our players,” Kiki VanDeWeghe, the NBA’s executive vice president of basketball operations, said in a statement.

“His words are unacceptable and entirely inconsistent with the core principles of this game and the NBA.”

(Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by Mark Lamport-Stoke)