Anthony Edwards is once again facing disciplinary action from the NBA.
The league announced on Monday that it is fining the Minnesota Timberwolves star $75,000 for “public criticism of the officiating” and for using “inappropriate and profane language.” This fine stems from Edwards’ comments following the Timberwolves’ loss to the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. In his postgame media availability, Edwards expressed his frustration with the officiating during the game, which resulted in Minnesota’s record slipping to 14-13 for the season.
During the game, Edwards had received a technical foul in the second quarter for arguing a foul call, and his frustration boiled over in the postgame press conference. He described the referees as “sensitive” and “terrible,” and he used harsh language to refer to the official who had given him the technical foul, calling him a “motherf–ker.”
This is not the first time Edwards has been in trouble with the league for his conduct. The two-time All-Star was already dealing with a rough shooting performance in the game against Golden State, in which he went 6-of-20 from the field and scored 19 points. His frustration with his own performance likely amplified his anger toward the referees. As a result, the Timberwolves, who were conference finalists last season, fell to 10th place in the Western Conference standings after the defeat.
This is also not the first time this season that Edwards has faced fines for similar behavior. Earlier this month, he was fined $25,000 for another instance of profanity during a postgame interview. Prior to that, he was hit with a $35,000 fine for making an obscene gesture toward an opposing fan. Now, with this latest fine of $75,000, Edwards has racked up a total of $135,000 in fines for off-court conduct this season—more than double the amount from his previous infractions.
The Timberwolves have had a tough season so far, and with Edwards’ continuing frustrations over both the team’s performance and the officiating, it’s likely that the NBA will be keeping a close eye on his future comments and behavior. His actions could serve as a reminder for players to exercise more caution when it comes to publicly criticizing officials or expressing their frustrations in a way that could be seen as inappropriate.
