I think some players and attorneys should take this to the courts.  The nba  doesn't have freedom of speech when it comes to officials?  Isn't that unconstitutional?

Part of the collective bargaining agreement with the union allows the fines. Its perfectly legal because of this. Sheed really has no recourse other than to pay the fine.

First amendment doesn't apply to the NBA anyways

Im not sure if this is fine-able. He's not criticizing officiating. He calling into question the probability that Donaghy was a "rogue" criminal among clean refs. He never actually comes out and says that Donaghy had allies and that other refs were in on the fix. He's kind of giving a forwarning to what he feels will be revealed based on his gut.

All that being said...he prbably still will be fined because he is Sheed.

Sheed criticized David Stern's suit in a dream once and got fined for it.

LOL. Dream-criticizing, that's a fining.

I think some players and attorneys should take this to the courts.  The nba  doesn't have freedom of speech when it comes to officials?  Isn't that unconstitutional?

Do you have the freedom of speech to call a fellow employee a criminal in the press without consequences?  The first amendment means Congress can't restrict freedom of speech (beyond certain areas of exception); it has nothing to do with what private organizations can regulate (again, with some exceptions).

For the topic, I agree with others who say that if this is bigger than Donaghy, why didn't he try to sell those refs out to save his own skin, or at least sell some more books?  The refs in general can be stubborn, self-centered, and malicious, but I don't think they're actively criminal.