Clippers forward P.J. Tucker has been fined $75K for publicly expressing a desire to be traded in comments to Andscape reporter Marc J. Spears last week, the NBA announced on Thursday (via Twitter).
“I want to be somewhere where I’m needed, wanted and can do it all,” Tucker told Spears. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I have my fingers crossed and I’m hoping to go somewhere else.”
Tucker also told ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk last week that he was “actively trying to get traded.”
As ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets, the maximum fine Tucker could have received was $150K.
The 38-year-old hasn’t seen action since November 27 after initially playing a rotation role for the Clippers. He averaged just 1.2 points and 2.4 rebounds in 14.4 minutes per game across 12 appearances off the bench for his new team, making 4-of-14 field goal attempts (28.6%). He was sent to L.A. from Philadelphia in the James Harden trade.
Tucker has been unhappy with his role for much of the season, with reports of his discontent first surfacing in December. In the days and weeks that followed, he repeatedly expressed frustration with his lack of playing time, and the Clippers reportedly made an effort to trade him at last Thursday’s deadline. However, he presumably had negative value on the trade market due to the $11.54MM player option on his contract for next season, and L.A. didn’t find a deal.
The Clippers sent home both Tucker and Bones Hyland — another player who hasn’t been getting minutes — ahead of Wednesday’s win over Golden State. Both players are expected to return to the team after the All-Star break.
PJ Tucker doesnt want to win, he wants to play. The Clippers are the opposite of what he wants.
Pj would like to win and play just win. Makes s new because players want to potentially increase their value by playing. Unfortunately, other teams have other goals in mind and he just needs to be grateful to have another year on his contract.
He was a key player for a title team and multiple teams that went deep in the playoffs.. he wants to be part of that again… if he didn’t want to win he’d sit on the bench and collect his 15 mill still owed and shut up lol
PJ probably really regrets letting the 6ers talk him into that few extra mill (tampering to do it too)
So lame of the NBA. They fine players for speaking their minds, but won’t fine officials for blatant wrong calls.
Used to really like Silver, but the way he protects officials is pathetic especially when they are consistently getting stuff wrong every single game
The officials have a very strong union and it’s a delicate situation.
So you defend officials who ruin the game?
@Pantherseye87 did you even read what he wrote? He stated a fact. I don’t see anywhere in that one sentence that he wrote where he was defending officials…
Not playing and winning is no different than being in the stands except he gets like 12m to watch.
“Really, this is fine. I like that I’ve gone from being a rotation player to getting exactly zero minutes per game. Truly, I prefer this. I like working hard at practice so that can result in my warming the bench for 48 minutes every game” said no one ever, nor would the league WANT a player to say that.
He’d probably get fined…
@Hubcap HAND ME THE POPCORN!
Would actually love to see someone say this just to see how the NBA responds lol
Agree! Popcorn all around!
Funny thing is Bones wasn’t getting minutes in Denver either and he ended up being traded after complaints. Difference is he’s actually a good player
Tucker thinks he is still an NBA player.
But Lue doesn’t think so.