Bucks’ Karl Is Fined $50,000 for Remarks

Milwaukee Buck Coach George Karl, fired by Seattle after the 1997-98 season, was fined $50,000 by the NBA on Wednesday for his criticism of the SuperSonics and General Manager Wally Walker.

“Somebody asked me recently if I would trade Gary Payton,” Karl said last week. “I said, ‘I’d keep Gary Payton and trade the management.’ ”

He also was fined $25,000 in March 1999 for disparaging remarks about his former employers.

Karl is negotiating with Milwaukee for a contract extension that could pay him $14 million over two years plus 1% ownership of the team valued at $125 million.

Karl was not available Wednesday to comment on the fine, a Buck spokesman said.

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Orlando’s Tracy McGrady was suspended for two games without pay and fined $10,000 by the league for hitting Sacramento’s Bobby Jackson in the face with a ball and fighting with the King guard. Jackson was suspended for one game and fined $7,500. Sacramento’s Vlade Divac, Scot Pollard and Art Long also were suspended one game for leaving the Kings’ bench during the altercation. They sat out Wednesday night’s game in Miami.

McGrady began serving his suspension Wednesday night when the Magic played the Cavaliers.

“I was surprised it was two [games],” Magic Coach Doc Rivers said. “I assumed it would be one. I told Tracy that too. Obviously, this is not good for our team.”

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Houston Rocket Coach Rudy Tomjanovich was fined $5,000 by the league for criticizing officials.

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As Arrowhead Pond officials continued negotiations with executives of the Vancouver Grizzlies, the owner of the team spent the day in Memphis, Tenn., and the evening in Louisville, Ky.

Michael Heisley, the Grizzlies’ owner, is scheduled to complete his visit to Louisville today and is expected to receive a relocation proposal from New Orleans Friday. Heisley is then expected to narrow the list of potential new homes for his NBA team, with Anaheim joining Memphis, Louisville and New Orleans as the apparent strongest candidates.

The Anaheim proposal is believed to include expressions of interest from local broadcast outlets, including Fox Sports Net and KCAL, meant to reassure the Grizzlies that they would find radio and television homes on the crowded Southern California airwaves.