9 Magic Players Suspended After Pistons Fight: Did NBA Get It Right?
ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic is facing the consequences of the team's brawl Wednesday night against the Detroit Pistons, resulting in eight players being suspended for one game.
Moe Wagner, the primary Orlando instigator in the incident, was suspended for two games.
It's an unprecedented moment in NBA history. Even in the league's most infamous brawl, "The Malice at the Palace" back in 2004, fewer players were suspended than what happened in Wednesday night's "Big Fight at Little Caesars Arena."
But why were so many Magic players suspended?
NBA Rule No. 12 Section VII states the following ...
"During an altercation, all players not participating in the game must remain in the immediate vicinity of their bench. Violators will be subject to suspension, without pay, for a minimum of one game and fined up to $50,000."
Clearly, several Magic players violated the rule, one that the suspended Orlando teammates knew about before approaching the other bench during the altercation.
"Obviously we're aware [that we could be suspended]," Franz Wagner said. "Normally something like that happens on the court and not in front of the other benches. That was part of our worry as teammates. You don't want your teammate alone amongst the whole other team."
Should the Magic have been granted a free pass given the nature of the situation? Moe Wagner was surrounded by the entire Pistons team and was punched in the back of the head by Killian Hayes, a move that isn't even legal in combat sports.
And Hayes was only suspended three games for his role. The Magic's suspensions all add up to 10 games (one game each for Cole Anthony, Mo Bamba, Wendell Carter Jr., R.J. Hampton, Gary Harris, Kevon Harris, Admiral Schofield and Franz Wagner; two games for Moe Wagner), while the Pistons only count up to four.
Hamidou Diallo, who shoved Wagner after the play, received the same punishment to players who did nothing to escalate the situation. Instead, Orlando players are being punished with the same sentence for making sure their teammate wasn't in any danger.
Rules are rules, but the crime doesn't match the time.
Does that mean Diallo and Hayes should have been suspended longer? Or should the NBA have recognized this rule of leaving the bench shouldn't be as harsh as pushing another player?
The league reverted back to its rule book and gave the suspensions it felt necessary, but the NBA should revisit the situation at season's end and look to see if any changes should take place for next year.
You can follow Jeremy Brener on Twitter @JeremyBrener.
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