By ALEX RASKIN, US SPORTS NEWS EDITOR
Published: 20:54 EST, 12 February 2026 | Updated: 20:58 EST, 12 February 2026
In an apparent crackdown on tanking NBA teams, the league has fined the Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers six-figure sums for removing key players from winnable games.
The Jazz were slapped with a $500,000 fine for 'conduct detrimental to the league' in a pair of games earlier this month. Against both the Orlando Magic on February 7 and the Miami Heat on February 9, Jazz coach Will Hardy decided to sub out key forwards Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr.
As the league claimed in its statement, those players 'were otherwise able to continue to play and the outcomes of the games were thereafter in doubt.'
The Pacers were hit with a $100,000 fine for a violation of the Player Participation Policy by scratching starting forward Pascal Siakam and two others against the Jazz.
The 15-40 Pacers and the 18-37 Jazz should both have a good chance at getting high picks at this year's NBA Draft lottery ahead of what is expected to be an excellent draft class this June.
'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,' NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement 'Additionally, we are working with our Competition Committee and Board of Governors to implement further measures to root out this type of conduct.'
MORE TO FOLLOW...
Jaren Jackson Jr. was benched late in two recent games, which the NBA took issue with
Commissioner Adam Silver said this behavior 'undermines the foundation of NBA competition'
Indiana PacersUtah Jazz