NBA imposes fines on Dennis Schroder and Terry Rozier to demonstrate zero tolerance policy

The players were ordered to pay a fine of US$25,000 each for misconduct during Saturday's game.

The NBA is keeping its promise to enact a zero-tolerance policy on players, coaches, and the entire league across the board against any form of abusive behavior. The NBA's executive vice president and chief security officer, Jerome Pickett, told everyone about the policy in a press conference in October. Last Saturday, Oklahoma City Thunder's Dennis Schroder and Charlotte Hornets' Terry Rozier were fined $25,000 each for violation of the NBA's code of conduct.

According to ESPN.com, Schroder was fined for making contact with a game official. Upset after a foul call, Schroeder approached referee CJ Washington at midcourt and confronted the official. He was given a technical foul for his actions at the time.

In the same game on Saturday night, Rozier was also given a technical foul for throwing the game ball into the stands at the end of regulation. The game ended in overtime, with OKC winning 104-102. Rozier scored 26 points in the game, more than 10 points over any other Hornets player, but his technical foul eventually cost them the game. It was totally uncalled for, since the Hornets scored the last two points of the game using a coast-to-coast play by Devonte Graham with seven seconds left to play in the fourth.

Everyone knows that emotions run high, especially in close games such as the one between the Thunder and the Hornets. The league believes that it is not an excuse to display any form of unsportsmanlike conduct in a premier league. In the open press conference for the Zero Tolerance policy, players complained that fans are increasingly becoming abusive against players, including racially induced hate language and taunts. Pickett said that any denigrating language and action including those about a "(player's) mother," test scores, and LGBTQ will be dealt with by league security. The policy extends to fans in the stands.

Last week, in a game between the Washington Wizards and the Philadelphia 76ers, Wizards player Isiah Thomas was ejected for confronting a fan in the stands. Thomas claims that he heard the fan direct hateful language towards him personally. The League suspended Thomas for two games.

According to NBA.com, The Zero tolerance policy was set in place after high-profile incidents involving Russell Westbrook, DeMarcus Cousins, Kyle Lowry, and others last season.