National Basketball Association

Where should 'trying to cheat' rank on the list of biggest NBA fines?

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 3:22 p.m. ET

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Jason Kidd finally gave in Friday, admitting the spilled-drink incident at the end of Wednesday's game against the Lakers was indeed intentional.

His bold and creative attempt to gain an extra timeout in the waning moments turned out to be all in vain -- the Nets lost and the NBA fined him a whopping $50,000 for his cheekiness.

"Paul (Pierce) got a great look, but the league fined me for something that I probably shouldn't have done," Kidd said Friday. "We'll move on."

Kidd was asked if he regretted the unusual move and why he decided to go with it.

''It's about trying to win and those guys in that locker room, and I tried to put those guys in a position to get a basket, a good look and we did,'' he said.

So we can end the debate about whether this move was an accident.

Clearly, the NBA -- with whispers of the Tim Donaghy scandal still echoing around -- needs to protect the integrity of the game, so the $50,000 fine isn't totally surprising. But it does rank as the heaviest handed out so far this young season.

Below are some things the NBA has deemed worth less of a hit to the wallet so far this season. Take a look and tells us what you think: Did the NBA get it right with Kidd?

Nov. 7: Mario Chalmers

Situation: While chasing after Clippers guard Chris Paul in a game earlier this month, Chalmers comes around a screen and delivers a forearm squarely to Blake Griffin's throat, even leaving his feet in the process.

The fine: $15,000. No suspension.

Nov. 13: Matt Barnes

Situation: After Thunder big man Serge Ibaka gets tangled up with Griffin, Barnes comes to his Clippers teammate's defense with a vicious shove, putting the teams on the brink of an all-out brawl. He then refuses to leave the court in a timely manner and ends up back in the locker room with an ejection. Then, Barnes sent out a tweet using offensive language to express his disgust with the situation. A triple whammy.

The fine: $25,000. No suspension.

Nov. 15: Mario Chalmers (redux)

Situation: Chalmers pops around a screen in a November game against the Mavericks and delivers a rather ridiculous elbow to Dirk Nowitzki's face for his second wayward arm incident in eight days. Chalmers takes to Twitter after the resulting punishment to pledge that he's not a dirty player.

The fine: No fine. One-game suspension, costing Chalmers $36,000 in salary.

Nov. 20: Dwight Howard

Situation: Howard playfully flips a ball toward a heckling fan, who is more than ready for it -- he even swats it right back toward the court. Still, it's a slippery slope from playful flip to zipping fastball, and the NBA surely wants to discourage any action that could instigate Malice in the Palace 2.

The fine: $25,000. No suspension.

Nov. 23: Travis Outlaw

Situation: With Clippers guard J.J. Redick driving in for an easy lay-up, the Kings' Outlaw grabs the former Duke star around the neck and pulls him to the ground. It seems less deliberate than Chalmers' two entries on this list, but it's a classic dangerous play of which every player should be aware.

The fine: $15,000. No suspension.

[h/t gifdsports, SB Nation, Fansided, @beyondthebuzzer]

The Associated Press contributed to this report.