LeBron James and Kyle Kuzma received warnings for violating the NBA’s anti-franchise rule in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 115-105 home win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, the league announced.
The NBA said Saturday that James’ rape came with 2 minutes, 33 seconds remaining in the second quarter when James, positioned between Dillon Brooks and Grayson Allen of the Grizzlies, fell to the ground while playing a rebound.
Kuzma failed to miss 6:31 for the fourth quarter, according to the league. While guarding Brooks, Kuzma attempted to throw an offensive foul on the Memphis wing by turning and falling to the wood after Brooks dropped his shoulder and began contact with Kuzma’s hip.
The NBA looked to clear the game by tracking the fall from the 2012-13 season. After receiving a warning, a player can receive fines ranging from $ 5,000 to $ 10,000 to $ 15,000 and $ 30,000 for each subsequent infraction. If a player reaches six failures in a season, the fine may increase further and the league has the right to issue a suspension.
Nearly a decade after the rule change was introduced, the anti-flop rule rarely applies. James and Kuzma are just the sixth and seventh players to have received warnings from the league this season, joining LaMelo Ball, DJ Augustin, Gary Trent Jr., Kristaps Porzingis and Mason Jones.
The last player fined by the NBA for falling was Marcus Smart of the Boston Celtics during the 2020 playoffs.
ESPN’s Tim Bontemps contributed to this report.