{"id":500243,"date":"2026-02-24T04:38:15","date_gmt":"2026-02-24T04:38:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/500243\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T04:38:15","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T04:38:15","slug":"nba-hits-scottie-pippen-jr-with-same-35k-fine-for-fighting-as-flipping-the-bird","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/500243\/","title":{"rendered":"NBA Hits Scottie Pippen Jr. With Same $35K Fine For Fighting As Flipping The Bird"},"content":{"rendered":"

Make it make sense!<\/p>\n

PublishedFebruary 23, 2026 8:32 PM EST\u2022UpdatedFebruary 23, 2026 8:32 PM EST<\/p>\n

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The NBA \u2014 a league mocked for its moves \u2014 gave a mind-boggling slap on the wrist to Memphis Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr. and Miami Heat forward Myron Gardner after their late-game blowup.<\/p>\n

The incident turned the Heat\u2019s 136-120 win into an MMA match with less than two minutes remaining.<\/p>\n

It started when Gardner blindsided Pippen Jr. with a cheap bump from behind after a shot. When the refs stayed silent, Pippen Jr. took matters into his own hands, charging back downcourt and delivering a two-handed shove.<\/p>\n

The collision sent both players flying into the courtside seats \u2014 immediately stirring the benches and forcing teammates to jump in before it could spiral into a full-blown brawl.<\/p>\n

The physicality alone made it seem like a massive suspension was coming.<\/p>\n

Instead, the league office kept the hammer in the drawer.<\/p>\n

The NBA fined Gardner and Pippen Jr. a mere $35,000 each.<\/p>\n

WATCH:<\/p>\n

Gardner paid for starting the mess, while Pippen Jr. was fined for escalating it.<\/p>\n

For a scrap of that magnitude, the $35,000 price tag was an absolute joke \u2014 highlighting the NBA\u2019s massive inconsistency.<\/p>\n

After all, the league charges a player as much for flipping the bird as it does for putting hands on an opponent.<\/p>\n

The receipts from this season alone show how nonsensical the fine book has become:<\/p>\n

Collin Sexton (Chicago Bulls): He was hit with a $35,000 fine in February 2026 for flipping off the rim after a missed free throw against the Nets. There was zero contact or interaction with another human, yet his frustration cost him the same as a violent shove.Marcus Smart (Los Angeles Lakers): Smart saw an identical $35,000 disappear from his check in December 2025 for throwing the bird at an official during halftime of a win over the Jazz.LaMelo Ball (Charlotte Hornets): He also paid the $35,000 tax in October 2025 after giving a referee the middle finger following a charge call in a blowout loss to the Heat.<\/p>\n

READ: NBA Hands Down Weak Suspensions After Pistons-Hornets Brawl Channeled The 90s<\/a><\/p>\n

The moment a player uses an obscene gesture or puts hands on an opponent, the league office defaults to the $35,000 baseline.<\/p>\n

\"\"\/<\/p>\n

Scotty Pippen Jr. of the Memphis Grizzlies reacts after a fight against the Miami Heat during the fourth quarter of the game at Kaseya Center on February 21, 2026, in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Tomas Diniz Santos\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

That was reinforced again in February 2026 when Naz Reid and Mouhamed Gueye were each fined $35,000 for a jersey-grabbing altercation that required officials to peel them apart.<\/p>\n

While repeat offenders like Anthony Edwards have seen fines climb past $50,000 for flashing “the bird,” the standard rate for a single obscene gesture or a non-punching scuffle remains strangely fixed.<\/p>\n

In a league where every angle is on camera, the fine book treats two very different acts as equal offenses.<\/p>\n

Pippen Jr. shoved an opponent into the front row, yet he paid the same obscenity tax as players who told a referee \u2014 or the rim \u2014 to get lost.<\/p>\n

As long as the fines remain this inconsistent, the NBA is essentially telling players that bad manners are as dangerous as a two-handed shove.<\/p>\n

Make it make sense.<\/p>\n

Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com<\/a> \/ Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela<\/a><\/p>\n