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NBA Fines Jazz, Pacers For Questionable Player Decisions
Photo credit: NBA
The NBA has fined the Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers after recent roster decisions raised concerns over competitive integrity.
The Utah Jazz were fined $500,000 for “conduct detrimental to the league” following their games against the Orlando Magic on February 7 and the Miami Heat on February 9. In both games, the Jazz removed stars Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. before the fourth quarter, even though both players were medically cleared and available to play. The NBA said these moves affected the outcomes of the games and violated the spirit of fair competition.
The Indiana Pacers were fined $100,000 for violating the NBA’s Player Participation Policy during their February 3 game against the Jazz. The league determined that star Pascal Siakam and two other starters could have played under the policy, either by taking limited minutes or adjusting their schedule to comply with the medical guidelines.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the fines reflect the league’s commitment to maintaining fair competition. “Overt behavior like this that prioritizes draft position over winning undermines the foundation of NBA competition, and we will respond accordingly to any further actions that compromise the integrity of our games. Additionally, we are working with our Competition Committee and Board of Governors to implement further measures to prevent this type of conduct,” he said.
The fines underscore the NBA’s continued focus on discouraging tanking and ensuring teams make decisions based on competitive performance rather than strategic draft positioning.
The Utah Jazz were fined $500,000 for “conduct detrimental to the league” following their games against the Orlando Magic on February 7 and the Miami Heat on February 9. In both games, the Jazz removed stars Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. before the fourth quarter, even though both players were medically cleared and available to play. The NBA said these moves affected the outcomes of the games and violated the spirit of fair competition.
The Indiana Pacers were fined $100,000 for violating the NBA’s Player Participation Policy during their February 3 game against the Jazz. The league determined that star Pascal Siakam and two other starters could have played under the policy, either by taking limited minutes or adjusting their schedule to comply with the medical guidelines.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the fines reflect the league’s commitment to maintaining fair competition. “Overt behavior like this that prioritizes draft position over winning undermines the foundation of NBA competition, and we will respond accordingly to any further actions that compromise the integrity of our games. Additionally, we are working with our Competition Committee and Board of Governors to implement further measures to prevent this type of conduct,” he said.
The fines underscore the NBA’s continued focus on discouraging tanking and ensuring teams make decisions based on competitive performance rather than strategic draft positioning.
Feb 13, 2026
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