NBA announces fine: Smart gave referee the middle finger during halftime, fined $35,000

On December 21st Beijing time, the NBA officially declared that Lakers guard Marcus Smart was fined $35,000 for making an inappropriate gesture toward a referee during the game.

Lakers reporter Dan Woike revealed that Smart’s fine resulted from him showing the middle finger to an official during halftime of the Lakers’ Friday road victory over the Utah Jazz.

In his first season with the Los Angeles Lakers, Smart has appeared in 17 games, averaging 27.2 minutes per game, contributing 10.6 points, 2.9 assists, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.6 steals, with shooting percentages of 43.1% on field goals, 33.0% on three-pointers, and 91.7% on free throws.

Although his stats don’t stand out, the Lakers outscore opponents by +8.5 points per 100 possessions when he’s on the floor, but fall behind by 2.8 points per 100 possessions when he’s off. His defensive impact is particularly notable. So far this season, the Lakers hold a 19-7 record, ranking fourth in the Western Conference.

During this offseason, after reaching a buyout agreement with the Washington Wizards, Smart signed a two-year, $10.5 million contract with the Lakers. Due to this transaction, the Wizards will incur $14.8 million in “dead money” on their books for the 2025-26 season.