Ryan Smith Rebukes ESPN’s Bobby Marks After NBA Fines Jazz $500,000
ryan-smith-responds-to-espn-bobby-marks-over-jazz-fine
The Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith publicly criticized ESPN front-office analyst Bobby Marks on Thursday after the NBA levied a $500,000 fine against the franchise for “conduct detrimental to the league.”
Moments after Marks wrote on X that tanking penalties are comparable to prior collective-bargaining luxury-tax payments—“If it gives you a competitive advantage… billionaire owners will pay the fine,” he posted—Smith fired back: “Hey Bobby maybe sit this one out. You have no clue what paying this is like and your amnesia this week is comical.”
Details of the NBA Penalty
The league announced the fine earlier in the week, citing Utah’s decision to sit Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. for the entire fourth quarter of two close games—Feb. 7 at Orlando and Feb. 9 at Miami—despite both players being medically cleared to continue. The Jazz squandered a seven-point lead and lost to the Magic, then protected a three-point edge to beat the Heat.
Jackson’s Injury Complication
Jackson is set for season-ending knee surgery during the All-Star break. According to The Athletic, Utah initially intended to shut him down immediately after the injury surfaced in his physical, but Jackson requested to appear in at least one more home game. He was reportedly on a 25-minute restriction, partly explaining his late-game absence. Markkanen had no such limitation, a factor the NBA said influenced its ruling.
League’s Warning
Commissioner Adam Silver underscored the league’s position in the announcement: “Overt behavior like this that prioritizes draft position over winning undermines the foundation of NBA competition and we will respond accordingly to any further actions that compromise the integrity of our games.”
Smith maintains a different view and continued to defend the organization’s approach on social media.
Source: Hoops Wire
