One of this season’s title favorites is reportedly being investigated by the NBA for a potential rules violation.
The Oklahoma City Thunder, the runaway favorite to finish with the first seed in the West, are under investigation for “potentially violating the league’s player participation policy,” according to ESPN senior reporter Shams Charania.
The game “under review” is the Thunder’s March 7 matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers, during which OKC sat its entire starting lineup of Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Lu Dort, Isaiah Hartenstein, and MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Adam Silver speaking
Feb 15, 2020; Chicago, Illinois, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver speaks at a press conference during NBA All Star Saturday Night at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
The NBA is investigating the Oklahoma City Thunder for potentially violating league's player participation policy, sources tell ESPN. Game under review is OKC’s March 7 win over Portland in which Thunder starting 5 (Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, Holmgren, Dort, Hartenstein) sat.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 15, 2025
The NBA instituted the player participation policy before the 2023-24 season. The policy keyed in on teams resting their All-Star players without an “approved reason.” The rules were implemented to prevent the league’s “star” players from sitting out games, particularly for the benefit of fans watching live and those watching nationally televised games.
Despite playing their second unit against the Blazers, the Thunder won the contest 107-89. Bench player Aaron Wiggins erupted for 30 points on 13/26 shooting, which was still surprisingly well short of his season high. All five Thunder starters scored in double figures in the contest. The game was not part of a back-to-back set.
With the Thunder holding a massive lead as the top seed in the West, it’s no surprise that the team would opt to rest its players against some bottom-dwelling squads ahead of the postseason.
The fact that OKC won is a testament to the depth of their roster. But fans who bought tickets to the game probably would have preferred to see SGA or Holmgren in the lineup more than anything.