Report: Raptors fined $25,000 by the NBA over Drake's comments on Kevin Durant

[Legends66NBA7]

http://www.tsn.ca/nba/story/?id=459196


The Toronto Raptors have been fined a reported $25,000 by the NBA over Drake's comments about Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant at a Toronto concert last weekend. The team's global ambassador acknowledged the league's reigning MVP in the crowd and asked the five-time All-Star to consider Toronto as a free agent destination next summer.

"My brother Kevin Durant was kind enough to come to the show tonight and watch us," Drake said to his audience. "I just want him to see what would happen if he were to come play in Toronto."

The crowd responded to his remarks with a "KD" chant.

Durant, 25, is set to become a free agent following the 2014-15 NBA season.

According to ESPN's Marc Stein, the league viewed Drake's remarks as a violation of the league's anti-tampering rules.

Durant was among a number of athlete guests at Drake's annual OVO Festival at Toronto's Molson Amphitheatre last Monday, including Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James, Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Jose Reyes and Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays.

[Beastmode88]

What exactly did the raptors do wrong? :wtf:

[russwest0]

Lol @ these stupid teams not realizing that Durant is going to be turned away by any team trying to make his free agent decision into a big spectacle or circus.

[Young X]

Soft ass league

[chosen_one6]

What exactly did the raptors do wrong? :wtf:

The team's global ambassador acknowledged the league's reigning MVP in the crowd and asked the five-time All-Star to consider Toronto as a free agent destination next summer.

The team's global ambassador acknowledged the league's reigning MVP in the crowd and asked the five-time All-Star to consider Toronto as a free agent destination next summer.

The team's global ambassador acknowledged the league's reigning MVP in the crowd and asked the five-time All-Star to consider Toronto as a free agent destination next summer.

The team's global ambassador acknowledged the league's reigning MVP in the crowd and asked the five-time All-Star to consider Toronto as a free agent destination next summer.

The team's global ambassador acknowledged the league's reigning MVP in the crowd and asked the five-time All-Star to consider Toronto as a free agent destination next summer.

The team's global ambassador acknowledged the league's reigning MVP in the crowd and asked the five-time All-Star to consider Toronto as a free agent destination next summer.

[choppermagic]

that is ridiculous.

Drake is more a mascot for Lebron than the Raptors but even so, a rapper playing to a crowd is hardly contract tampering.

[Legends66NBA7]

What exactly did the raptors do wrong? :wtf:

Nothing.

Drake isn't even a paid employee of MLSE (they own the Raptors).


This was the video by the way:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3hkKhwzFz8

[Beastmode88]

The team's global ambassador acknowledged the league's reigning MVP in the crowd and asked the five-time All-Star to consider Toronto as a free agent destination next summer.

The team's global ambassador acknowledged the league's reigning MVP in the crowd and asked the five-time All-Star to consider Toronto as a free agent destination next summer.

The team's global ambassador acknowledged the league's reigning MVP in the crowd and asked the five-time All-Star to consider Toronto as a free agent destination next summer.

The team's global ambassador acknowledged the league's reigning MVP in the crowd and asked the five-time All-Star to consider Toronto as a free agent destination next summer.

The team's global ambassador acknowledged the league's reigning MVP in the crowd and asked the five-time All-Star to consider Toronto as a free agent destination next summer.

The team's global ambassador acknowledged the league's reigning MVP in the crowd and asked the five-time All-Star to consider Toronto as a free agent destination next summer.

Drake's a lebron stans. :facepalm

[chosen_one6]

Drake's a lebron stans. :facepalm

So? He's a Raptors fan. He's done the announcements for the players before and they even had a "Drake night"

[Legends66NBA7]

So? He's a Raptors fan. He's done the announcements for the players before and they even had a "Drake night"

I was at that game too. Fun night.

[bdreason]

$25k well spent.

[Joyner82reload]

This is one of the worst fines I've ever seen in professional sports. Drake has no official ties to the Raptors. Granted 25k is absolutely nothing to them, it's still a ridiculous fine given the circumstance. Drake is literally just a fan and the unofficial celebrity face of the franchise. He's not on the team's payroll...

[ImKobe]

This is one of the worst fines I've ever seen in professional sports. Drake has no official ties to the Raptors. Granted 25k is absolutely nothing to them, it's still a ridiculous fine given the circumstance. Drake is literally just a fan and the unofficial celebrity face of the franchise. He's not on the team's payroll...

The team's global ambassador acknowledged the league's reigning MVP in the crowd and asked the five-time All-Star to consider Toronto as a free agent destination next summer.

[Joyner82reload]

The team's global ambassador acknowledged the league's reigning MVP in the crowd and asked the five-time All-Star to consider Toronto as a free agent destination next summer.

Is that just a bullshit title or a legitimate position within the organization?

I highly doubt they would have a tie in with a rapper, who has been prone to controversy in the past, if they could be held responsible for his actions.

[Legends66NBA7]

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5QD0fwhFodI/UfNyjWJtgeI/AAAAAAAAkQY/6Jz8WApMctw/s1600/tumbi.gif

:oldlol:

[ImKobe]

Is that just a bullshit title or a legitimate position within the organization?

I highly doubt they would have a tie in with a rapper, who has been prone to controversy in the past, if they could be held responsible for his actions.

Last season he was at the games in Toronto and they had a Drake Night, you know he got paid to do that ish.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9750332/rapper-drake-assumes-role-toronto-raptors-team-ambassador

[Joyner82reload]

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5QD0fwhFodI/UfNyjWJtgeI/AAAAAAAAkQY/6Jz8WApMctw/s1600/tumbi.gif

:oldlol:

Last name walk again, first name never

[Lebronxrings]

wait the raptors actually have DRAKE as a part of the organization? I thought it was some sort of joke. Im done :lol

[tmacattack33]

Wtf

[Meticode]

that is ridiculous.

Drake is more a mascot for Lebron than the Raptors but even so, a rapper playing to a crowd is hardly contract tampering.
I agree, but when he holds the team title of global ambassador you can't do certain things like he did.

[MavsSuperFan]

no star will ever want to go to toronto.

Canadian taxation is a bitch. It makes a big difference at the level of money NBA players make

[Sarcastic]

0% chance that Durant goes there anyway, but it could be construed as tampering. Seeing as how the league has to deal with Lebron colluding to play on teams, they had to take action.