The Lakers were fined Tuesday for violating the league’s anti-tampering rule stemming from an interview with Magic Johnson on Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.
"The NBA announced today that it has fined the Los Angeles Lakers $50,000 for violating the league’s anti-tampering rule," the league said in a statement. "The fine is in response to statements regarding the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo made by Earvin Johnson in a recent media interview."
In a recent interview with ESPN.com, Johnson, the president of basketball operation for the Lakers, heaped praise on Antetokounmpo, stating he's the type of player who can lead a team to a championship.
"Oh yeah," Johnson told ESPN. "With his ball-handling skills and his passing ability. He plays above the rim I never could do that. But in his understanding of the game, his basketball IQ, his creativity of shots for his teammates. That's where we [have the] same thing. Can bring it down, make a pass, make a play. I'm just happy he's starting in the All-Star game because he deserves that. And he's going to be like an MVP, a champion, this dude he's going to put Milwaukee on the map. And I think he's going to bring them a championship one day."
Johnson even compared Antetokounmpo to LeBron James and Stephen Curry, two players with multiple rings.
"He's special," Johnson said. "A man that can handle the basketball like he can and be a great — he's probably the greatest athlete we have in the league today. And then his understanding, his basketball IQ is off the chart. He not only can score for himself, but also he can pass that basketball like a point guard. So when you think about all the skills that he has, block shots, rebound, can put the ball on the floor, can score, can assist, can make the pass.
"We've never had anybody in the league like him. And also too, he's like the number one — he's right up with LeBron, with KD and Steph [Curry] as the entertainer. He's an entertainer so people will go see him."
The Lakers have tabbed a few big players in the upcoming free agent markets as they look to bolster their young roster. Antetokounmpo won't become a free agent until 2021, and Johnson did say he would lead the Bucks to a championship, but the league obviously didn't like the interaction between Johnson and the Bucks' All-Star forward.