The Memphis Grizzlies forward Matt Barnes is still likely to harbor ill feelings toward New York Knicks head coach Derek Fisher. It was apparent from his last Saturday comment to the reporters stating, “Violence is never the answer, but sometimes it is”, when the Knicks played the Grizzlies. Consequently, NBA fined Matt Barnes $35,000 for this specific statement on Sunday.
NBA found Matt Barnes’s comment inappropriate, which is detrimental to the best interests of NBA. The NBA authority accused his words as unacceptable and entirely inconsistent with the core principles of basketball and NBA. NBA has shown their zero tolerance attitude by fining Barnes that huge amount of money. They are committed to hardly tolerate anything remotely associated with violence.
In early October, 2015, Barnes and Fisher were engaged in a fight at home of Barnes’s estranged wife, Gloria Govan in Southern California. Derek Fisher reportedly is in a relationship with Barnes’s wife.
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However, before this fine punishment, Barnes was suspended two games by NBA for engaging in a physical altercation and threatening Fisher. On the other hand, Fisher did not receive any punishment by the league. Barnes recently filed a grievance with the NBA asking to recoup the salary he lost from that suspension. Fisher and Barnes were teammates in 2011 while playing for Los Angeles Lakers.
The fine to Barnes was announced Sunday, a day after Memphis Grizzlies beat the Knicks by 103-95. Barnes scored two points in Grizzlies win over the Knicks. It was their first meeting since NBA suspended Barnes for two games for fighting with the New York head coach Derek Fisher in October. Fisher and Barnes stayed away each other in the last match.
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Matt Barnes has twins with his wife Gloria Govan. Gloria was appeared in VH1’s Basketball Wives: LA program. They weren’t a happy couple after all. Barnes was arrested for domestic violence against Govan in 2010. Then again, Barnes was took to the police custody for driving with a suspended license and threatening a police officer in 2012. Gloria and Barnes decided to separate in 2014.
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On 25 June, 2015, Matt Barnes was traded to Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Luke Ridnour. That move reunited Barnes with the NBA team that originally drafted him in 2002, which was the 46th overall pick up for him.
