The NBA has often faced allegations of its referees fixing games. But after Minnesota Timberwolves center accused Scott Foster of fixing during a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, things may get out of hand for Adam Silver and the entire league.
In that particular contest, Gobert was seen holding up his hands as a gesture that alleged Foster was receiving money for fixing games. Ultimately, the Timberwolves lost to Cleveland in overtime with a score of 113-104.
After the game, the league slapped the All-Star big man with a $100,000 fine. According to Joe Dumars, head of basketball operations and executive vice president, Gobert publicly criticized Foster and made an unprofessional gesture toward him while a game was going on. The former Detroit Pistons star added that past instances of detrimental conduct to the league has been taken into account in relation to criticizing how games are officiated.
At this point in time, the Timberwolves have fallen to third place in the Western Conference with a 45-21 record. This development comes after attaining the top spot a few weeks ago.
ESPN Expert Says Adam Silver and NBA May Face Crisis After Rudy Gobert’s Fixing Accusation
If left unchecked, Gobert’s accusation can spiral out of control, as it is believed by ESPN expert Tony Kornheiser when he guested on Pardon the Interruption. In a video shared by Awful Announcing on X, Kornheiser warned the league of what may happen:
Tony Kornheiser thinks the NBA is facing “a crisis” after Rudy Gobert’s comments insinuating referee Scott Foster was fixing a game pic.twitter.com/MLo8iP9sT9
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 12, 2024
Kornheiser said that even if Gobert was joking, Silver must go out there and make the public believe that officials aren’t fixing games. He added that the $100,000 fine on Gobert wasn’t enough.
It remains to be seen what further action will the commissioner take in this matter. What’s certain, though, is that if no action will taken, the consequences may be dire for the entire league.
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