Ron Artest of the Indiana Pacers has been fined $10,000  for  making  public  statements detrimental to the  NBA.  The statements were made in an interview published in the Indianapolis Star on December 11, and concerned Artest's desire to be traded to a team other than the Pacers.

"Public  trade  demands by players was a subject discussed at length during collective  bargaining  negotiations  this summer," said Rick Buchanan, NBA Senior  Vice  President  and  General Counsel.  "The damage caused by these kinds  of statements was commonly understood, as was the NBA's intention to hold players accountable for such statements going forward."