NBA CRACKS DOWN ON UTAH JAZZ AND INDIANA PACERS FOR ‘TANKING’.

The NBA hit the Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers with fines on Thursday over roster moves seen
as prioritizing draft position over winning.
The Utah Jazz were fined $500,000 after star players Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr.
were benched in the fourth quarter of games against the Orlando Magic (February 7) and the
Miami Heat (February 9), despite being able to play and the outcomes still in doubt.
The Indiana Pacers were fined $100,000 after Pascal Siakam and two other starters sat out a
February 3 game against the Utah Jazz, even though medical checks cleared them to play.
Commissioner Adam Silver condemned the actions, saying overt behavior that sacrifices
competition for draft advantage “undermines the foundation of NBA play.”
He added the league will work with its Competition Committee and Board of Governors to
prevent future incidents.
The Utah Jazz, who sits 13th in the Western Conference and eight games out of the play-in,
have reignited debate over tanking, a practice fueled by the draft system that rewards the
lowest-ranked teams with top prospects.