Anthony Edwards Fined $50K for Obscene Taunts; Leads NBA in Total Fines

Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards was fined $50,000 by the NBA on Tuesday for his inappropriate and obscene taunts directed at Los Angeles Lakers fans during Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series.

Edwards now leads the league in total fines at $514,000, according to Spotrac. This figure includes automatic fines for technical fouls and ejections. Due to his use of foul language and viral social media moments, he has become widely known as the face of NBA penalties this season.

However, other players, like Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis and Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, have forfeited more salary to the league than Edwards. This is because suspensions without pay contribute to the same fund as fines under the collective bargaining agreement. 

The NBA and the Players Association confirmed that lost wages from suspensions are donated to charity—half going to a nonprofit selected by the NBPA and the other half to one chosen by the NBA.

Portis faced a 25-game suspension for testing positive for Tramadol, losing over $4 million of his $12.5 million salary. Embiid, who served a three-game suspension for an incident with a reporter, forfeited around $1 million of his $51.4 million salary, in addition to a $75,000 fine for making obscene gestures in a December win over Boston.

Edwards also lost a game check after a one-game suspension for technical fouls earlier this season. His annual salary is $42.2 million.

While Embiid and the 76ers missed the playoffs, Portis returned to Milwaukee’s lineup in the first round against the Indiana Pacers. Edwards’ Timberwolves gained home court advantage by winning Game 1 but lost Game 2 in LA.