Houston Rockets star James Harden was fined $ 50,000 and declared “unavailable” due to a violation of the League’s COVID-19 protocols after the NBA reviewed a video of him partying without a mask at a club, the NBA announced Wednesday.
The NBA made the announcement before Wednesday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder was postponed because the Rockets did not have the eight available players required by the league needed to continue the game.
It’s not yet clear to both Harden and the Rockets how long he will not be available or if he will face additional punishment in the league, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne.
Harden tested negative for COVID-19 on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, a League source told Shelburne.
Harden’s video of partying without a mask, which was posted by Black Sports Online and has been circulating on social media, is allegedly from a Houston club Christmas party held this week.
The NBA’s COVID-19 protocols prohibit players from going to bars, lounges, or clubs and participating in social gatherings of more than 15 people.
The League said Harden violated those rules when he attended a “private indoor party” on Monday.
Harden told NBA investigators that he believed he was complying with NBA health and safety protocols, a source close to the situation told Shelburne.
Harden and several witnesses at the event told the League that she attended a dinner for a friend who had recently been promoted at work, the source told ESPN.
According to the source, Harden said he entered through a separate entrance and sat in a separate area of the venue with his security equipment and was wearing a mask. She took a photo with her friend and gave her a gift. Harden, the source said, also said he left after about 30 minutes and did not continue with the group, leaving for other locations later that night.
Harden issued a statement on Instagram Wednesday saying “every day is something different” and the event was not at a strip club.
“One thing after another. I went to show my housewife love at her event (not at a strip club) because she is becoming the boss and putting her people in a position of success and now it is a problem,” Harden said in the post. “Every day is something different. No matter how many times people try to drag my name underneath, you can’t. The real thing always ends up at the top.”
It was unclear where the Harden video was taken. ESPN and other media outlets reported early Wednesday that the video was taken at a strip club.
In accordance with health and safety protocols, failure to comply or refusal to comply could subject a player to disciplinary action by the NBA or its team, including a warning, fine and / or suspension, in addition to being required to participate in an education or training session. . Repeat offenders may be subject to increased discipline.
A suspension would cost Harden $ 284,517 per game, which is 1/145 of his salary.
Harden, who applied to be traded, violated the League’s COVID-19 protocols during his brief suspension at the start of training camp when he attended the rapper’s birthday party. Lil Baby in Atlanta and frequented clubs in Las Vegas. The League required Harden to have six consecutive days of negative coronavirus tests before authorizing him to practice with the Rockets.
Sources told ESPN that Harden had COVID-19 during the summer before the NBA season restart, which is why he was late to inform the bubble of Walt Disney World of the league. Players who have recovered from the coronavirus must still follow the league’s health and safety protocols.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks contributed to this report.
– .
