Third Offense, 5-Game Suspension, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!

Magic would easily have been ejected for that hit on Isiah in today's league. Probably would have been suspended too. Bynum's hit was even worse because he swings his elbow directly into Barea's exposed ribs. It's his third offense and he clearly didn't feel bad about it during the postgame.

At this point the punishment just needs to get the message across. That's the only important thing. Bynum has finally shown some signs of contrition since the game, so that's a plus. How effective is a ten game suspension going to be over five? I think Bynum gets it at this point and we hopefully won't see this happen again.

 

I'll quote this again. For having done this a THIRD time, 5 games is letting the guy off easy. Remember: the first time he did it, Gerald Wallace suffered broken ribs and a collapsed lung - he had to go the hospital...

 

Barely hitting?

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What makes 5 games seem low to me is that it is his 3rd offense.

I tried to find stats based on 3rd offenders to compare, but couldnt find the data sorted that way. Someone?

btw, 700k is NOT a hefty fine for someone making 14m+. So now he will have only 13.3m? Boy, that will set him back

Maybe I watch too much baseball, but THREE is the number I associate with OUT. And while I dont quite feel he should be out of the NBA permanently, 5 games is what, a week and a half? Id say 2-3 months is more like it.

What is really going to be interesting is whether he does it again. If he doesnt, people will say the 5 gamer got his attention and fixed it. If he pulls one of these acts a 4th time, especially if he really hurts someone, people will look back at this and wonder why his penalty the THIRD time was so lame. And why the situation was allowed to continue after his THIRD offense.

The most vital question to me is: How many times does someone get the chance to intentionally hurt someone?

 

The only reason Bynum isn't getting more than 5 games is simple: he's on the Lakers. Everybody here who thinks Kenny & Charles are not aware of the earlier offenses or have some say in the matter simply because they played the game are silly. They are simply protecting the Lakers franchise as probably instructed by Stern and his minions. Can you imagine Vernon Maxwell doing this several times with clear intent to injure a player and getting only 5 games ? GTFO Maxwell would get 20-30 easily!

 

Ya, in light of his 3rd offense and the fact that you can get a game for just arguing a call too many times, I think it's a pretty light penalty. I can't help but feel that if JJ ended up with a broken rib the punishment would be harsher and that makes no sense but each time Bynum could have hurt someone(and once he did). If Stern is confident 5 games is enough for Bynum to learn his lesson, then he should be the guy taking layups in the next Laker blowout.

I would love to see Bynum lay out David Stern with an elbow to his old ribs...

 

...and for the record, if I were on an opposing team and Bynum took another cheap shot on someone on my team, it would be a punch to the face immediately. No trash talking - i wouldn't care if he was ready or not. I'll take my one game fighting penalty just to smack around that little kid.

There are few etiquette rules in basketball, but taking a cheap shot at a player up in the air and exposed is one of them. It's instant fighting time if a guy does it repeatedly.

 

You guys are trying to apply arbitrary legal principles to a professional sports league. What's the significance of three? There is none -- it's just a nice number lawmakers decided to make. Why should it hold weight in NBA matters?

 

Firstly, I hope we can agree that players that exhibit a track record for trying hurt other players shouldnt be in the NBA.

What makes THREE significant is it starts to signify a track record.

 

Honestly, if you think that harsher penalties after repeated offenses is something "nice number lawmakers decided to make", then I think there is a fundamental flaw in your beliefs.

 

The only thing significant about the number 3 in this case is that it is larger than 2 which is larger than 1. A pattern of behavior.

 

jarded dudley, a current NBA player has this to say about the fine:

Aaron (Lexington, KY)

How do you feel about Bynum's suspension? Is it too soft, too tough, or just right?
Jared Dudley (1:14 PM)

I thought it was too tough. He should have been suspended for a couple of games. 700,000 for that hit, they were trying to set a tone. That was the biggst fine that someone has had to pay other than Ron Artest, I just thought it was a little too steep.

 

As opposed to two?

The last time he threw his elbow, he got 2 games. This time, he's getting 5 games - a 150% increase. The punishment fits, I don't see why people think he needs to be taken away from the game for a long time. He was frustrated getting swept and being down double digits to boot -- he wasn't targeting Barea, didn't premeditate the foul, it was just an act of frustration. Chump move? Sure, but let's not make it a bigger deal than that.

 

Doesn't matter how much money you have. You don't want to lose money. Say you have $100 dollars and got fined $5. I wouldn't want to lose money either which way.

 

So its just a coincidence that he happened to have done this twice before?

Just chalking it up to frustration doesn't fly. Frustration is a common thing. That foul wasn't.

 

he should be suspended 5 playoff games for next playoff season he is in.

 

The fact that he's done it two times before is why he got five games instead of two. Of course frustration doesn't fly with you -- you wanted to suspend him longer because he has trouble staying healthy. What he did wasn't a common foul, which is why he got suspended five games.

 

Yes, he did target Barea. I heard him say himself when asked about that matter that quote: "I got tired of him driving into the Lane"

Being frustrated can happen in any loss. Sometimes even when your winning. Surely, that excuse excuses nothing.

And according to your logic, the following would be also fit:
4th offense = approx 12 games
5th offense = approx 20
6th offense = approx 50

It would take a 7th offense before he loses a whole season. The above is 150% for each addl offense. If that seems reasonable to you, then we will just have to disagree to what is reasonable. Because my logic says that once a player shows a continued and unchanging behavior, your penalties are not having the desired effect. Point blank: They are not working.

So, I say 3 is enough. But I must ask YOU. How many times must he do this kind of action before you admit that he is just going to continue with it?

 

Of course no one wants to lose money. But that isnt the point is it? The point is, is it a sufficient amount of money to change his behavior. The 2 games 250k (guess) loss from the last suspension sure didnt change anything. So 700k you feel is the magic number do you?