The NBA had fined the Los Angeles Clippers $250,000 a league rules violation this summer in re-recruiting center DeAndre Jordan after he reached unrestricted free agency.

The violation involved a presentation made by the Clippers to free agent DeAndre Jordan on July 2 that improperly included a potential third-party endorsement opportunity for the player. 

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While the NBA concluded that the presentation had no impact on Jordan's decision to re-sign with the Clippers, the league still found the team's conduct violative of the league's anti-circumvention rules.

Teams are prohibited from offering players unauthorized business or investment opportunities in the course of recruitment under the NBA's anti-circumvention rules.

It includes arranging to provide any form of compensationunless such is included in a contract or expressly permitted under the CBA.

Jordan, an All-Defensive First Team center, has been a member of the Clippers since joining the NBA in 2008 and who reached unrestricted free agency this summer.

It has nothing to do with the Clippers  allowing Jordn to leave them to join the Dallas Mavericks on July 3, only to lure him back on July 9.

The specifics of what the Clippers discussed with Jordan on July 2 remain unclear. 

The LA Times reported that team executives had it included "increased marketing opportunities" for players who has lagged in that department behind teammates Chris Paul and Blake Griffin.

It also included "beefing up their marketing efforts in China" to help get more All-Star votes.

Clippers owner Steve Ballmer said that they believed they did the presentation the rght way and that the  circumvention was inadvertent, according to ESPN.

This is not the only time a fine was levied in connection with Jordan's free-agency recuritment. Mavericks owner Cuban was also slapped a $25,000 fine  for openly discussing the agreements he had with Jordan and ex-Portland Trail Blazers two-guard Wesley Matthews during the moratorium period.  

TagsLos Angeles Clippers, deandre jordan, NBA rules, NBA Free Agency