Grizzlies' Dillon Brooks fined $25k for media access violation - What happened?

The NBA has fined Grizzlies' guard Dillon Brooks $25,000 for violating the league's media access rules. Brooks skipped the mandatory media session following the team's losses to the Lakers in Game 3 and Game 4 of their playoff series. 

The NBA has a policy that requires players to be available to reporters after each game, regardless of the outcome. The policy is designed to ensure that the league maintains a level of transparency and openness with the media, which in turn helps to promote the sport and engage fans. 

"You can't talk the talk and then not walk the walk. ... If you're not going to talk to the media after two straight games, that to me is cowardice. And I don't believe either of them are cowards."

—@Rjeff24 on Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks declining to speak with media pic.twitter.com/vapxC1ncFy

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 25, 2023

Brooks' decision to skip the media sessions could be seen as a violation of this policy, and his subsequent fine serves as a reminder that the league takes its media access rules seriously. 

Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins addressed the situation in a press conference, saying that the team will be reminding its players of the importance of the media sessions. "We have to respect the league's rules and regulations," Jenkins said. "We will make sure that all of our players understand that moving forward." 

It's worth noting that Brooks is not the first player to be fined for violating the NBA's media access rules. In fact, several high-profile players have been fined in recent years for similar offenses. While the fines may seem steep, they serve as an important reminder that the NBA values its relationship with the media and expects its players to do the same.

Dillon Brooks has been fined by the NBA for failure to participate in team postgame media availability during the first round of the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/TZf2my9u9O

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 30, 2023