Josh Jackson Fined $35K for Menacing Gesture, Inappropriate Language Toward Fan

Phoenix Suns rookie Josh Jackson received a $35,000 fine for "making a menacing gesture on the playing court and directing inappropriate language toward a fan" during Phoenix's 130-88 defeat to the Los Angeles Clippers. 

HoopsHype's Alex Kennedy shared the NBA's press release:

When walking off the court with 6:10 remaining in the game, Jackson looked to the stands and appeared to mimic pulling the trigger of a gun. He denied that was the purpose of the gesture.

"That's what most people thought I was going but I actually wasn't making a gun," Jackson said, per AZCentral.com's Scott Bordow. "I kind of wanted to put up the middle finger to him but I didn't do that because I felt like I was really being watched so I kind of halfway did it."

Jackson said the fan had been heckling him throughout the game and choosing not to react to hecklers is "something I'm still learning."

The incident is merely another twist in an already tumultuous season for the Suns.

Phoenix suffered the worst opening-night defeat in NBA history when it lost 124-76 to the Portland Trail Blazers on Oct. 18. Then, a day after their heavy defeat to the Clippers, the Suns fired head coach Earl Watson.

Watson's ouster came on the same day starting point guard Eric Bledsoe appeared to tweet his dissatisfaction with the team, writing, "I Dont wanna be here." Suns general manager Ryan McDonough told reporters Monday the team had sent Bledsoe home and that he "won't be with us going forward."

The 2017-18 regular season is only a week old, yet the Suns have already experienced enough drama to last them the rest of the year.