NBA announces penalty! Gobert accumulates 7 flagrant foul points, suspended for 1 game and loses $200,000 salary

On February 22nd Beijing time, NBA Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations James Jones declared that Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert was suspended for one game without pay due to reaching his 7th flagrant foul point in the 2025-26 regular season. This 33-year-old interior player will forfeit $201,149 in salary, and the Timberwolves will receive a luxury tax reduction of $100,575.

Before Saturday’s game, Gobert already had 6 flagrant foul points. In the Timberwolves’ 122-111 home victory over the Mavericks at the Target Center, the four-time Defensive Player of the Year was called for a flagrant foul near the end of the second quarter on Bagley. The foul was initially ruled a common foul but was upgraded to a flagrant foul after referees reviewed the play and determined Gobert made unnecessary swinging contact to Bagley’s neck. He will serve his suspension in tomorrow’s home game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Last month, Gobert was suspended for one game by the NBA after accumulating 6 flagrant foul points following a reckless defense against Wembanyama.

After reaching 7 flagrant foul points, any additional flagrant foul Gobert receives will result in an automatic two-game suspension. It was noted that his flagrant foul points reset for the playoffs, but if Gobert receives a flagrant foul in either of the final two regular season games, the suspension will carry over into the postseason.

So far this season, Gobert has played in 54 games, averaging 31.3 minutes, 11.0 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. In Saturday’s win, he logged 32 minutes and recorded 22 points, 17 rebounds, and 3 blocks.

The NBA regular season flagrant foul point system is as follows:

If a player accumulates more than 5 flagrant foul points during the regular season, they are automatically suspended after reaching 5 points; for each additional flagrant foul thereafter, penalties increase as follows:

A player with 4 points who commits a flagrant foul level 2: automatic 1-game suspension

A player with 5 or 6 points who commits a flagrant foul level 1: automatic 1-game suspension

A player with 5 or 6 points who commits a flagrant foul level 2: automatic 2-game suspension

A player with 7 or more points who commits a flagrant foul level 1 or 2: automatic 2-game suspension