The Utah Jazz have been fined $500,000 (£367,000) by the NBA for benching healthy players and “compromising the integrity” of the league.
Head coach Will Hardy removed stars Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr before the fourth quarter of their games against the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat this month.
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The tactic, known as ‘tanking’, is used by coaches to improve draft position by fielding a non-competitive team and forfeiting victory.
The draft system means teams finishing lowest in the standings have the best chances of landing the top prospects.
The Indiana Pacers were also fined $100,000 (£73,000) for violating the player participation policy during their defeat against the Jazz on 4 February.
“Overt behaviour like this that prioritises 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.
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“Additionally, we are working with our competition committee and board of governors to implement further measures to root out this type of conduct.”
A play-off push looks unlikely for both the Jazz, who are 13th in the Western Conference, and the Pacers, who sit 14th in the Eastern, and thoughts appear already to be turning to next season and how their roster will be assembled.
Utah led by nine points in the fourth quarter of their meeting with Orlando on 8 February but went on to lose 120-117, while they beat Miami 115-111 two days later.
“Agree to disagree. Also, we won the game in Miami and got fined? That makes sense,” Utah owner Ryan Smith posted on social media.
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Head coach Hardy defended his decision to bench Markkanen and Utah have also announced Jackson Jr will have season-ending surgery on his knee after this weekend’s All-Star games.
“I sat Lauri because he was on a minutes restriction,” Hardy said. “So if our medical team puts a minutes restriction on Lauri, I’ll try to keep Lauri healthy.”
Utah were also fined $100,000 (£73,000) last season for resting Markkanen in multiple games.
The Pacers’ fine was issued for violating the player participation policy after a league investigation found Pascal Siakam and two other players who sat out the game “could have played” even if it was with “reduced minutes”.
The policy was introduced in 2023 in an attempt to discourage teams from purposely losing to improve their chances in the draft lottery.
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