The NBA fined the Brooklyn Nets $100,000 on Thursday for violating the league’s player participation policy.
It’s the first time a team has been disciplined under the rule, which was implemented for the 2023-24 campaign to discourage sides from resting multiple players in a single game.
The Nets’ infraction occurred during their 144-122 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Dec. 27 – the second game of a back-to-back after beating the Detroit Pistons the day prior. Brooklyn sat center Nic Claxton, guard Spencer Dinwiddie, forward Dorian Finney-Smith, and wing Cameron Johnson. Lonnie Walker IV and Ben Simmons were also listed out with hamstring and back injuries, respectively.
The Nets’ usual rotation players who did play, such as Mikal Bridges, Cam Thomas, and Royce O’Neale, all registered 12 or fewer minutes before sitting out for the rest of the contest.
In its statement, the NBA says an independent physician’s review helped determine that four players who didn’t feature in the encounter could’ve participated. The league didn’t name the players in question.
Brooklyn’s loss to the Bucks was the first in a five-game skid that continued with Wednesday’s loss to the Houston Rockets. The Nets have now lost 10 of their last 12.
Clubs are fined $100,000 for their first violation of the player participation policy, $250,000 for the second, and $1.25 million for a third. The fine for each subsequent violation increases by $1 million.
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