Clippers fined for offering DeAndre Jordan Lexus endorsement deal

The NBA announced Tuesday that they have fined the Los Angeles Clippers $250,000 for violating league rules with compensation offered to DeAndre Jordan during their free agency presentation to the player.

According to the LA Times’ Brad Turner, the clippers offered Jordan an endorsement deal with Lexus if he re-signed with the team.

Apparently the Clippers offered DeAndre Jordan an endorsement deal with Lexus for $200,000 a year that NBA frowned upon, per source.

— Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) August 25, 2015

Teams are only supposed to be able to offer players money according to rules set out by the salary cap. Arranging an endorsement deal of this nature violates the CBA:

From Section 1(b) of Article XIII:

“It shall constitute a violation of Section 1(a) above for a Team (or Team Affiliate) to enter into an agreement or understanding with any sponsor or business partner or third-party under which such sponsor, business partner or third-party pays or agrees to pay compensation for basketball services (even if such compensation is ostensibly designated as being for non-basketball services) to a player under Contract to the Team.”

The violation apparently occurred on July 2, before Jordan even met with the Dallas Mavericks. Jordan agreed to sign with the Mavs, but then he went back on his word and decided he wanted to remain with the Clippers. No word if the deal with Lexus played a role. Jordan’s waffling did lead to some incredible memes and a story that won’t soon be forgotten, so it’s only fitting that the entire saga would be punctuated by a huge fine.