Report: NBA fines Warriors' Lacob $500K for criticizing luxury tax

The NBA fined Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob $500,000 for criticizing the league's luxury-tax system, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

NBA owners and team officials are restricted from making "unauthorized communications regarding collective bargaining," Wojnarowski adds.

During an appearance on the "Point Forward" podcast with Andre Iguodala and Evan Turner last Friday, Lacob described the league's luxury-tax system as "very unfair" for punishing his club for rewarding homegrown talent.

"The truth is, we're only $40 million more than the luxury tax. Now, that's not small, but it's not a massive number. We're $200 million over in total because most of that is this incredible penal luxury tax," Lacob said on the podcast, according to NBC Sports' Ali Thanawalla.

"And what I consider to be unfair - and I'm going to say it on this podcast and I hope it gets back to whoever is listening ... and obviously, it's self-serving for me to say this - but I think it's a very unfair system because … all top-eight players are all drafted by this team."

The 66-year-old recently acknowledged that keeping the Warriors' core intact long term would be "difficult" under the current salary-cap situation.

All-Star forward Andrew Wiggins is entering the final year of his deal, while key reserve Jordan Poole is set to become a restricted free agent next summer if he doesn't receive a rookie extension this offseason.

Golden State's luxury-tax bill for the 2023-24 campaign could be over $200 million if both players are extended, according to ESPN's Bobby Marks.