NBA wants Toronto Raptors to fire Drake

By Bryan Rose | Aug 13, 2014

May 4, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Musical artist Drake reacts from the sideline against the Brooklyn Nets in game seven of the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports /

The NBA may not have an issue with Drake attending their games, but they certainly don’t want him promoting a team in the league. That’s the message being sent by the NBA after reports leaked suggesting that the league would drop their $25,000 tampering fine if the Toronto Raptors dropped Drake.

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As you’ll recall the Raptors were fined by the league after the rapper ‘tampered’ with Kevin Durant during his OVO Fest in T-Dot.

With Durant in attendance, Drake asked the crowd to let the OKC Thunder star know what it would sound like if he signed with the Toronto Raptors. Of course, that’s technically a problem considering Drake is a ‘global ambassador’ of the Raptors organization and could be on the MLSE’s payroll, the parent owner of the Raps.

In turn the NBA decided to fine the organization $25K for the ‘tampering’ but allegedly offered to take the fine off the table if the Raptors cut ties with the Canadian-born rapper.

"They also refused to address a key detail – that the NBA offered to drop the tampering fine if the team agreed to strip Drake of his title. The Raptors apparently refused."

The money here isn’t a big issue considering a $25,000 dollar fine is nothing more than a slap on the wrist for an NBA organization and frankly, think of all the publicity Drake has drawn for the Toronto Raptors in recent months. What is the issue is the NBA’s alleged mafioso offer to have the Raptors move on from Drake. Imagine they’d have preferred that didn’t get out into the public realm.