Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

Timberwolves fined $250,000 for player activities in September

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 11/15/21

The Minnesota Timberwolves have been handed an expensive reminder of what can and cannot happen as NBA teams prepare for seasons.

On Monday, the Association announced the Timberwolves have been fined $250,000 "for violating league rules that prohibit teams from arranging or paying for offseason practice or group workout sessions for their players outside a team’s home market." The infraction occurred in Miami in early September.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski adds the fine is related to a team dinner with Timberwolves minority shareholders Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore. According to ESPN's Bobby Marks, those involved didn't go out of the way to keep that gathering private:

Pretty cut and dry with this case.

There were multiple pictures on social media of Minnesota players participating in workouts in Miami. https://t.co/SENvP8jJnk
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) November 15, 2021

Here’s the language from the NBA Operations Manual.

It’s actually the first rule in the 786 page document. pic.twitter.com/1JgSnNcm8F
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) November 15, 2021

Interestingly, the Timberwolves' Twitter account actually shared a photo of the team spending time together in Florida on Sept. 8:

Family photo pic.twitter.com/VhP0qQUvbl
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) September 8, 2021

Per Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune, Rodriguez and Lore are purchasing the Timberwolves for $1.5 billion. Perhaps they will be more careful about what the club shares via social media moving forward even if the fine is little more than a slap on the wrist.

The 4-8 Timberwolves host the 9-3 Phoenix Suns on Monday night.

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