The NBA fined New Orleans Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin $50,000 on Sunday "for public criticism of the officiating and comments detrimental to the NBA."
On Friday, Griffin said Zion Williamson's fractured left ring finger, which will keep him out indefinitely, was "avoidable" if the NBA did a better job officiating his franchise superstar.
Griffin didn't specify when the injury occurred but said he believes the injury was likely the result of an accumulation of hits. Griffin said he was "frustrated because this was avoidable."
"We told the NBA through every means available to us, through sending in film, through speaking to everybody in the officials department and everybody in basketball operations, that the way they were officiating Zion was going to get him injured," Griffin said.