The NBA is on a mission to discipline everyone who’s stepping out of the line. It is indeed a good thing if you look at it from a wider perspective. Lessons must be given and taught to set examples for the future. First, Anthony Edwards, then LaMelo Ball, Fred VanVleet, and now, the Atlanta Hawks have received a fiery bill. Well, it looks like they’ve fallen victim to their ‘tricks’. And this has everything to do with Trae Young.

Besides being the talk of the town for all the trade rumors going around the NBA circus, Trae Young’s absence from Atlants’ Nov. 12 NBA Cup game against the Boston Celtics, had been under scrutiny. And well, it’s safe to say that the NBA’s strict investigation proved that the player was eligible to play according to the medical standard set by the league.

Thus, as per ESPN’s Shams Charania’s tweet (read: report): “The NBA has fined the Atlanta Hawks $100,000 for violating the league’s player participation policy in connection with Trae Young missing NBA Cup game on Nov. 12 vs. Celtics.” One hundred thousand dollars. That’s one hefty amount! Surely the breach has been on a greater level, hence such strict measures.

Meanwhile, this report is tickling our curious minds, and we’re sure, it’s not just us but you, too! Don’t you want to know what the NBA’s  Player Participation Policy is? What regulations did the Atlanta Hawks disobey that led to a $100K fine?

Understanding the NBA Player Participation Policy (2023/24 season)

After the introduction of a “player resting policy” in 2017, the NBA came up with the concept of the player participation policy was implemented in 2023. It is to promote players’ involvement during the 82-game-long regular season. The policy targets “star” players, defined as those named to an All-Star or All-NBA team in the last three seasons. Its goal is to reduce the resting of stars in key games, including nationally televised matches, in-season tournaments, and road games. Teams must balance rest between home and away games, ensuring not to rest multiple stars in a single game without justification.

Let’s understand this closely:

Multiple star players unavailable:  Teams must ensure no more than one star player is unavailable per game.

National Television & In-Season Games: Teams must balance absences between home and road games, prioritizing rest during home games.

Home-Road balance:  Teams must maintain a balance between home and road absences, preferring rest during home games.

Shutdowns:  Teams must avoid shutting down star players long-term or reducing their roles in ways that compromise game integrity.

Player resting: When resting a healthy player, must be present and visible to fans.

Looking at it closely, the rules are pretty simple. Therefore, the NBA expects all teams to abide by the regulations without mistake. However, with an excuse for Achilles tendon injury, the Atlanta Hawks seemed to have lied to the authorities hence the fine.

When is an investigation opened to check for plausible breaches?

It seems the NBA can sense it when a team tries to bypass the crucial player participation policy. Therefore, to curb such slips, the league officials open investigations into respective players and teams. When multiple star players on the same team miss the same game. There are times when a star player misses national television or an in-season game. And when there is a lack of communication and contradiction, NBA officials deem these symptoms as breaches.

Meanwhile, there are also exceptions the NBA considers in the absence of a player. Nonetheless, an investigation is still opened into the matter, mostly to check the authenticity of the situation. So, genuine injuries, pre-approved back-to-back restrictions, certain personal reasons, and more could excused after proper checking.

Now that we know what the NBA player participation policy is and how it works, let’s look into the fine system.

Enforcement and penalties for violations

The league will penalize teams that violate these provisions or fail to ensure player participation under acceptable circumstances. If the Commissioner deems a situation harmful to the NBA, penalties will apply as outlined in Article 35A(d) of the NBA Constitution.

The NBA’s Player Participation Policy ensures fairness and integrity in the game. Strict measures like fines emphasize the importance of compliance. Teams must prioritize transparency and follow guidelines to avoid penalties. This approach sets a standard for player involvement and protects the league’s reputation.