The National Basketball Assn. fined the New...

The National Basketball Assn. fined the New York Knicks $5,000 for illegal practices, involving new Coach Rick Pitino and four of the team’s 1987 draft choices.

The league and the players’ union have agreed to a moratorium on signing rookies or free agents. Since the players involved in the workouts--Mark Jackson, Ron Moore, Jerome Batiste and Mike Morgan--were not signed, Pitino broke the rules by holding the practices. The sessions were held at Pitino’s basketball camp in Providence, R.I.