The NBA fined the Mavericks and Kings $25,000 each for
"a breach of the salary cap," according to Marc Stein of the
DALLAS MORNING NEWS. Mavericks GM and coach Don Nelson
recently flew free agent F Gary Trent to Maui, and Kings co-
Owners Gavin and Joe Maloof recently flew 10 players to Las
Vegas to "celebrate the Kings' successful season." NBA
Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik, on the fines: "We know that
they were probably unintentional violations, but we felt we
had to take this step. We're not trying to be the world's
biggest nit-pickers. ... We don't want teams to start
competing for who takes their players on the best vacation.
That's not the way the deal is supposed to work" (DALLAS
MORNING NEWS, 6/11). In Ft. Worth, Dwain Price notes that
Nelson also flew Trent's son, mother, father, fiancee and
future mother-in-law on the "all-expenses-paid" trip.
Nelson: "I thought I could take my own player anywhere I
wanted but evidently I can't." Nelson, after meeting with
Granik Wednesday in Chicago: "[Granik] said, `Well, we have
to fine you to set a precedent.' I said, `Well, if you do
that, I'll understand'" (STAR-TELEGRAM, 6/11). The NBPA
plans to file a grievance against the fines (AP, 6/11).
