Rockets Owner Fined After Speaking Too Soon On Russell Westbrook Trade

BYAlexander Cole2.5K Views
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Tilman Fertitta
Tilman Fertitta clearly wasn't aware of the rule.

Last week, one of the biggest trades of the year was made when the Oklahoma City Thunder sent Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Chris Paul. It was clear that Westbrook wanted out of OKC and considering Paul's relationship with James Harden, the deal made sense for both parties. As of right now, the Thunder are shopping Chris Paul but they aren't in too much of a rush to get a trade finalized.

Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta was pretty excited about the deal and issued a statement on Thursday to say that Paul would be missed. Well, it turns out Fertitta must have missed the rules meeting because it was reported by Marc Stein of the New York Times that his comments go against the league's rules.

The team was issued a $25,000 fine by the league because you're not allowed to comment on trades and deals before they become official. At the time of Fertitta's comments, the trade hadn't been 100 percent finalized and that's why has to pay up now.

Luckily for Fertitta, he bought the Rockets two years ago for $2.2 billion so he's more than wealthy enough to pay the fine. At least next time he'll know not to unleash the wrath of Adam Silver.


About The Author
Alexander Cole is the current Managing Editor of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. During this time, he has shown an expertise in Air Jordans, Yeezys, and all things that have to do with Nike. His favorite kicks are the Air Jordan 1 High OG, the Air Jordan 4, the Air Jordan 6, and the Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 in the "Beluga 2.0" colorway. Although his collection might not be the biggest, he is always looking to add new styles to it. When it comes to sports, Alex has a particular interest in the NBA and the NFL. His favorite teams are anywhere LeBron goes, and the Kansas City Chiefs. As a Montrealer, the Montreal Canadiens hold a special place in his heart, even if they haven't won the Stanley Cup in his lifetime. Alex also works for the Concordia Stingers, where he provides play-by-play and color commentary for the football, hockey, and basketball teams His favorite hip-hop artists are Kendrick Lamar, Playboi Carti, Travis Scott, and Lil Uzi Vert.
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