Mark Cuban was just fined $600k by the NBA for openly admitting to tanking ... less than 24 hours after a bombshell report was released exposing "predatory sexual behavior" in the Mavs' workplace.
"Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has been fined $600,000 for public statements detrimental to the NBA," the league said in a statement.
Cuban made his tanking comments on Dr. J's podcast earlier this week, saying -- "I'm probably not supposed to say this, but I just had dinner with a bunch of our guys the other night ... and I said, 'Look, losing is our best option.'"
The fine's chump change for a billionaire like Cuban ... but the timing couldn't be worse.
Sports Illustrated published an article Tuesday night alleging crude sexual harassment on the part of former Mavs president and CEO Terdema Ussery. The article also claims a former writer for the Mavs' website kept his job despite committing multiple acts of domestic assault.
Both employees -- as well as the Mavs' head of HR -- are no longer with the team ... and Cuban has since hired an independent law firm to investigate.