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After recently apologizing for leaving his team's bench during an altercation on the court, Portland Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum has changed his tone, and has recently fired back at the league for the suspension he received.
It can be recalled that the former Most Improved Player Award winner received a one game suspension for his actions, and will also not receive his pay for his team's first regular season game. He questioned the decision the league office made, and then added, via OregonLive's Joe Freeman, that they could have given him other sanctions instead.
He also cited an incident back in 2014 involving former Indiana Pacers players Paul George and Rasual Butler, who left the bench as well, but were not suspended.
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“They could have suspended me for the preseason game,” McCollum said. “They could have fined me more money and allowed me to play in the regular-season game. It's the intent and it's usually up to them, it's to their discretion. So they had a choice. They didn't have to suspend me.”
“I think it's interesting that … there's a rule in place, but it hasn't always been enforced.”
“I should have known that they were going to suspend me. It cost me a lot of money and the first game of the season. But I should have known better with my history of violence on the court that I would be suspended.”
C.J. McCollum is slated to lose $165,000 for the suspension, which is the first time in his career that he received such sanction. Although he is a fierce competitor, he has not been suspended in the past, and only received a few technicals.
The NBA has not issued a statement yet following McCollum's comments. They may opt to remain mum about it, but the rule on leaving the bench will continue to be a controversial topic, and it won't be surprising if it will be tweaked in the future, and will be enforced even more.
