LeBron James and Kyle Kuzma received warnings for violating the NBA’s anti-flop rule in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 115-105 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, the league announced.
The NBA said James’ breach occurred with 2 minutes, 33 seconds remaining in the second quarter, when James, positioned between Dillon Brooks and Grayson Allen of the Grizzlies, fell to the ground while fighting for a rebound.
Kuzma failed with 6:31 remaining in the fourth period, according to the league. While protecting Brooks, Kuzma tried to score an offensive foul in the Memphis wing by spinning and falling on the wood after Brooks put his shoulder down and initiated contact with Kuzma’s hip.
The NBA sought to clean up the game by monitoring the flop from the 2012-13 season. After receiving a warning, a player may be subject to fines ranging from $ 5,000 to $ 10,000 to $ 15,000 to $ 30,000 for each subsequent violation. If a player reaches six flops in one season, the fine may increase further and the league is entitled to apply a suspension.
Almost a decade after the introduction of the rule change, the anti-flopping rule is rarely applied. James and Kuzma are only the sixth and seventh players to be reprimanded with warnings by the league this season, joining LaMelo Ball, DJ Augustin, Gary Trent Jr., Kristaps Porzingis and Mason Jones.
The last player to be fined by the NBA for flopping was the Boston Celtics’ Marcus Smart during the 2020 playoffs.
ESPN’s Tim Bontemps contributed to this report.