NEW YORK — The NBA on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, fined the Utah Jazz $500,000 and the Indiana Pacers $100,000, saying both clubs sidelined healthy players in recent games in violation of the league’s player participation policy.
Commissioner Adam Silver said the league “will respond accordingly to any further actions that compromise the integrity of our games.” He added that the Competition Committee and Board of Governors are working on additional measures to prevent teams from prioritizing draft position over winning.
Details of the violations
Utah’s penalty stems from contests against the Orlando Magic on Feb. 7, a 120-117 loss, and against the Miami Heat on Feb. 9, a 115-111 victory. According to the league, the Jazz withheld Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. from the fourth quarter in both games even though both players were physically able to continue.
After the Miami game, coach Will Hardy was asked if he considered using the two stars in the final period. “I wasn’t,” he replied.
Indiana’s fine relates to a Feb. 3 matchup with Utah. An NBA investigation determined that Pascal Siakam and two other starters could have played, at least in limited minutes, under the policy’s medical standards. The league said the Pacers also could have rested those players in other games to remain compliant.
Reactions and context
Jazz owner Ryan Smith responded on social media: “Agree to disagree … Also, we won the game in Miami and got fined? That makes sense …”
The player participation policy, introduced in September 2023, aims to discourage teams from losing intentionally to improve draft lottery odds. The 2026 draft class is widely viewed as especially strong, featuring top prospects Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer.
Entering play Thursday, Indiana stood at 15-40 and Utah at 18-37, both among the league’s bottom six. The NBA fined the Jazz $100,000 last season for resting Markkanen in multiple games.
Jackson, acquired from Memphis on Feb. 3, is scheduled for surgery during the All-Star break to remove a growth from his left knee discovered in his post-trade physical. Utah is trying to retain a top-eight protected first-round pick in this year’s draft.
Source: ESPN
