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For the second time in two weeks, the Bulls have been fined for failing to make players available to the media after practice.

Thursday's $50,000 levy was double the penalty imposed May 8 by the NBA.

The Chicago Tribune reported Friday that team sources said the costly silence was planned as a message to Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf of the team's general displeasure, particularly concerning the future of coach Phil Jackson.

Bulls players are annoyed with Reinsdorf's perceived disinterest in re-signing Jackson and keeping the defending NBA champions together.

"I don't think that's what it was," Reinsdorf said. "If I thought it was, it would annoy me because it would mean they're acting like children, and I don't think they're children."

Regardless of the players' motive, Reinsdorf said he disapproved of their boycotting the media.

Following Wednesday's practice, players walked past newspaper, television and radio reporters and either refused to stop and talk or said they had no comment. Jackson did talk at length.

"All NBA teams are required to make their coaches and players available to the media for a 30-minute period before or after all off-day workouts during the playoffs," the league said in a statement.

Michael Jordan, who almost always talks to the media after games but rarely does so after practices, thought the fine was unjustified.

"Whatever happened to freedom of speech?" Jordan said Thursday. "We don't have to talk."

Though Jackson was not immediately available to comment on the latest fine, he said two weeks ago that Bulls players are available but sometimes simply choose not to talk.

"There's no reason for the fine," Jackson said after the earlier fine. "All they have to do is walk past the media. They don't have to talk. That's their constitutional right."

The Bulls earlier this season were warned, but not fined, for failing to open their locker room 10 minutes after games, as required by league rules.