Kings coach Reggie Theus maintained some semblance of consistency within his locker room Monday, deciding to fine small forward Ron Artest for comments he made after Sunday's win over Miami.
According to a source close to the team, Artest will be fined $5,000 after he questioned Theus for how he coached the Kings' loss in Miami last Tuesday. Artest wondered aloud whether the coaching staff shared his desire to make the playoffs, and criticized Theus' rotations Sunday.
"We're trying to make the playoffs," he said Sunday night. "Once we get the coaches believing that we can make the playoffs, we'll be fine."
Theus declined to elaborate on the decision Monday, but said making comments in the media that are deemed "detrimental" to the team violates his team policy.
"We don't make comments about other players and staff in the (news)paper," Theus said. "We don't do it."
Artest wasn't the first player fined for breaking this rule. Small forward John Salmons left the postgame locker room scene after a Nov. 14 game against the Timberwolves in Minneapolis while Theus was addressing the team and was fined $5,000. Forward Mikki Moore was fined $5,000 for criticizing the coaching staff for not involving him more offensively in a Dec. 18 road game against New Jersey.
Artest had not been fined for other instances this season that some within the organization deemed more destructive than the transgressions by Moore and Salmons. Still, he suffered the same consequence as his teammates this time after being so vocal about the Kings' win and how it related to their loss in Miami.
Read Sam Amick's Kings blog at www.sacbee.com/blogs.
