MIAMI — The NBA has fined Meyers Leonard $50,000, the maximum allowed by league policy, and suspended him from using all Miami Heat facilities and activities for one week in response to his use of an anti-Semitic term.
Commissioner Adam Silver, in announcing those sanctions, also said that he believes Leonard “is genuinely remorseful” for using the slur.
“Meyers Leonard’s comment was inexcusable and hurtful and such an offensive term has no place in the NBA or in our society,” Silver said.
Leonard will also be required by the league to participate in a cultural diversity program. He has already met with representatives from the Anti-Defamation League, a prominent Jewish organization that works to stop extremism and delivers anti-bias education.
Under the league’s collective bargaining agreement, Silver could not exceed $50,000 as a fine for “any statement having, or that was designed to have, an effect prejudicial or detrimental to the best interests of basketball” He is permitted to combine the fine with a suspension, and since Leonard is already out for the remainder of the season with an injury his salary will not be affected.
It was not immediately clear how the penalties issued by the NBA would affect Leonard’s standing with the team going forward. The Heat, within hours of the video coming out, said Leonard would be away from the team indefinitely.
Leonard apologized Tuesday for using the term, insisting he did not know what it meant when he used it one day earlier. The video drew sharp rebukes from league officials, members of other teams, celebrities and even athletes from other sports.
New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman, who has openly embraced his Jewish heritage, posted a letter to Leonard on social media earlier this week and said he did so to offer perspective. Edelman also said he is in Miami often, and invited Leonard to meet for a Shabbat dinner with friends.
“I get the sense that you didn’t use that word out of hate, more out of ignorance,” Edelman wrote. “Most likely, you weren’t trying to hurt anyone or even profile Jews in your comment. That’s what makes it so destructive.”
BUCKS: Milwaukee is increasing the number of fans who can attend their home games. Bucks officials announced Thursday that the Milwaukee Health Department has approved a plan to allow a maximum attendance of 18% of Fiserv Forum’s seating capacity, which is approximately 3,280 fans
The change will take effect March 20 when the Bucks host the San Antonio Spurs. The Bucks have been playing home games with fans filling 10% of Fiserv Forum’s seating capacity, which adds up to about 1,800 spectators.
There were no fans at Fiserv Forum for the start of the season. The Bucks began allowing spectators during an eight-game homestand that began Feb. 16, and they’ve been playing with fans filling 10% of the seating capacity since Feb. 21.
THURSDAY’S GAMES
HORNETS 105, PISTONS 102: P.J Washington had 20 points and nine rebounds, Terry Rozier hit some big shots down the stretch and host Charlotte got back to .500 for the first time since Jan. 13.
Rozier and Gordon Hayward each scored 17 points and Cody Zeller chipped in with 15 points and a key rebound for Charlotte (18-18).
Jerami Grant had 32 points on 11-of-24 shooting for the Pistons.
BUCKS 134, KNICKS 101: Giannis Antetokounmpo followed up his MVP performance in the All-Star Game with his fifth triple-double of the season to help Milwaukee top visiting New York.
Antetokounmpo had 24 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in 29 minutes as the Bucks handed the Knicks their most one-sided loss of the season.
HEAT 111, MAGIC 103: Jimmy Butler scored 27 points and added 11 assists, Kelly Olynyk scored 20 and host Miami moved over the .500 mark for the first time this season.
Tyler Herro scored 17 points, Kendrick Nunn had 13 and Goran Dragic added 11 for the Heat (19-18), who pulled away in the final 6 minutes.
All-Star Nikola Vucevic finished with 24 points and a game-high 17 rebounds for the Magic, who have dropped six straight.
76ERS 127, BULLS 105: Tobias Harris scored 24 points and Philadelphia won at Chicago without stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.
Dwight Howard scored a season-high 18 and grabbed 12 rebounds. Furkan Korkmaz added 16 points, and Tony Bradley scored a season-high 14 on 7-for-7 shooting.
Embiid and Simmons both traveled to Atlanta for Sunday’s All-Star Game, only to learn the night before they were flagged for contact tracing. Though neither player tested positive for COVID-19, the barber they visited before leaving did.
TIMBERWOLVES 135, PELICANS 105: Jaylen Nowell hit six 3-pointers on his way to a career-best 28 points, top overall draft choice Anthony Edwards scored 27 points, and visiting Minnesota rallied from an early 16-point deficit to rout New Orleans.
Rookie Jaden McDaniels hit his first four 3s and finished with a career-high 20 points for Minnesota, which won for just the eighth time this season – and second time against New Orleans.
Zion Williamson scored 24 points for the Pelicans on 9-of-13 shooting.
HAWKS 121, RAPTORS 120: Tony Snell hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer as Atlanta came back from a 15-point deficit in the final six minutes to beat Toronto at Tampa Florida.
Trae Young scored 37 points for the Hawks, who won their third straight.
Norman Powell scored 33 points for Toronto and Chris Boucher had another big game off the bench with 29 points and nine rebounds.
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