The NBA imposed a substantial fine on the Utah Jazz on Thursday, Feb. 12, for their player management.
The Jazz have been fined $500,000 for the “management of their roster,” the NBA said in a statement, noting that the team benched two of their starting players, who are key contributors, in the fourth quarter of two games.
“The Utah Jazz organization has been fined $500,000 for conduct detrimental to the league related to the team’s games against the Orlando Magic on Feb. 7 and the Miami Heat on Feb. 9,” the league’s statement said.
“During those games, the Jazz removed two of the team’s top players, Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson, Jr., before the beginning of the fourth quarter and did not return them to the game, even though these players were otherwise able to continue to play and the outcomes of the games were thereafter in doubt.”
The NBA went notably harder on the Jazz than on the Indiana Pacers, who they also fined for similar actions. The Pacers only got $100,000 for not playing star Pascal Siakam and other Indiana starters.
Adam Silver Speaks Out
Silver, the NBA commissioner, gave the entire league a warning about tanking, saying the NBA would take action to deter it further.
“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,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
“Additionally, we are working with our Competition Committee and Board of Governors to implement further measures to root
out this type of conduct.”
The NBA is trying to put a band-aid on the problem, handing out notable fines for these actions to limit the damage this season before coming together and putting further measures on the table.
The NBA lottery is not working as an effective deterrent, and a creative solution will need to be implemented.
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