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. 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. Join the debate Does fining teams for benching stars really protect the spirit of fair competition in the NBA? 'I wasn't,' Hardy said succinctlyThe NBA fined Utah $100,000 last season after the Jazz rested Markkanen in multiple games.

Source: Daily Mail February 13, 2026 02:04 UTC