The NBA has fined Cleveland Cavaliers majority owner, Dan Gilbert, $100,000 for his emotional “open letter” to Cleveland fans.
NBA Commissioner David Stern said Monday that team owner Dan Gilbert’s words, “though understandable, were ill-advised and imprudent.”
He also came down hard on former Cavaliers star, LeBron James, for his over-the top, narcissistic handling of his departure from Cleveland. James, who joined the Cavaliers straight out of high school and played forward for the team for his entire career, announced his decision to leave the team during a much-ballyhooed ESPN special Thursday entitled “The Decision.” [link]
In a press conference which was posted on the NBA’s website Monday, Stern said that James was “certainly entitled” to leave the team, but he would have advised the basketball star to handle his departure and announcement differently.
“I think that the advice that he received on this was poor. But his performance was fine. His honesty and his integrity I think shine through, but this decision was ill-conceived, badly produced and poorly executed,” Stern said.
Stern also criticized civil rights leader Jesse Jackson for comments he made saying Gilbert’s letter showed a “property-owner’s mentality.”
“Equally imprudent I believe are the remarks by my good friend Jesse Jackson, which purport to make this into a racial matter… he really is mistaken,” Stern said.
