"The NBA will not put itself in a position of regulating what players, employees and team owners say or will not say on these issues. We simply could not operate that way.”
From 2003-2013 the NBA doled out 81 fines for publicly criticizing referees, totaling 2.1 million.

The NBA has a long history of regulating the free speech of its constituents. From Donald Sterling to Mark Cuban to anyone who criticizes a referee.pic.twitter.com/UJSwo297fA
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Seems to me that they make a public relations calculation instead of one based on true values, when deciding whether to fine, fire, or expell people from their league.
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