CLEVELAND, Ohio — The NBA fined the Cavs $100,000 for resting Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley during a recent game against the Miami Heat, sparking a passionate debate on the latest episode of the Wine and Gold Talk Podcast about the league’s player participation policy.
Cleveland.com Cavs beat reporter Chris Fedor didn’t hold back, delivering what he called a “full radio monologue” condemning the NBA’s stance.
“Fining the Cavs $100,000 is absurd. It’s absolutely absurd, especially given the schedule that they’ve been forced to play,” Fedor declared. “Going into Tuesday night’s action, no team had played more games than the Cavs. They’ve played 15 in 27 days.”
Fedor highlighted the punishing nature of the Cavaliers’ early-season schedule, which has featured three back-to-backs already, with another coming this weekend. The team has endured multiple stretches of three and four games in short spans, including five games in just seven days.
The fine comes at a time when injuries are mounting across the league. Victor Wembanyama, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard, Ja Morant, Zion Williamson, Paolo Banchero, Trae Young, and several others are currently sidelined with various ailments. This context makes the penalty against Cleveland feel especially misguided.
Cleveland.com columnist Jimmy Watkins pointed out the policy’s biggest flaw: “The funniest thing about this to me is that the Cavs essentially got fined for being honest about this. You can rest guys if you lie about their injuries.”
This perverse incentive structure means teams will likely start reporting minor ailments rather than acknowledging rest days, undermining the transparency the league should value.
Watkins also noted how the NBA’s own schedule changes have exacerbated the problem: “To the NBA, I would just say, like, you’re doing this to yourself. We all understand that they’re not going to ever shorten season by number of games. Can you stretch it? Can we go from October until late June?”
The introduction of the NBA Cup has compressed the early-season schedule, creating exactly the kind of congestion that necessitates load management. Yet instead of addressing this structural issue, the league is punishing teams for making health-conscious decisions.
The podcast hosts acknowledged the legitimate concerns of fans who pay premium prices to see star players, especially those who may only get one opportunity per year to see certain athletes in person. However, they argued that the NBA’s approach isn’t solving that problem – it’s potentially making it worse by increasing injury risks.
Fedor pointed out the contradiction in the NBA’s stance: “If they can’t make their own choices without consequence ... that’s going to turn into three weeks, four weeks, two months. Because their bodies can only handle so much.”
Teams invest heavily in sports science and medical staffs precisely to make informed decisions about player health. When those experts recommend rest, the league’s punishment effectively undermines teams’ ability to protect their most valuable assets.
Want to hear the full, unfiltered conversation about the NBA’s player participation policy and how it’s affecting the Cavaliers? Listen to the latest Wine and Gold Talk podcast for Chris Fedor’s complete rant and more insights on how teams like the Cavs are navigating the NBA’s demanding schedule.
Here’s the podcast for this week:
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