Rudy Fernandez Fined $50,000 for Requesting Release

Filed under: Trail Blazers

Disgruntled Trail Blazers guard Rudy Fernandez has been fined $50,000 by the NBA because of his agent's recent public request that the Spaniard be released from his contract. Fernandez had already been fined $25,000 in August for a public trade request.

On October 6, Fernandez's European agent Gerard Darnes appeared on Portland radio station 95.5 FM to reiterate Rudy's desire to be released from his contract and return to Spain. Later that day, Darnes sent a letter to local media chastising those who made light of Fernandez's sadness at being contractually obligated to play for Portland.

Darnes' outpouring of talking points was inspired by Oregonian beat writer Jason Quick's slick takedown of Rudy's position. (In the lede of said takedown, Quick suggests the solution to Fernandez's troubles can be found in a box of tissues. The solutions presented in The Works were admittedly a bit more extreme.)

It's worth noting that Darnes is Rudy's European rep -- not his NBA agent. As such, Darnes might be a bit out of his element in terms of knowing when to shut up. The league has been more vigilant in punishing players who request trades publicly; ask Nate Robinson and his agent Aaron Goodwin, who were smacked on the wrist last winter when the then-Knick wanted out of New York after being benched by Mike D'Antoni for seemingly no good reason. I imagine this blow to Rudy's pocketbook has taught Darnes a valuable lesson about David Stern's modus operandi.

The $75,000 in fines Fernandez has racked is the equivalent of roughly five games worth of pay. Rudy is due to earn $1.2 million this season.

 

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