As the NBA heads into the All-Star break, the spotlight isn’t just on the league’s brightest stars-it’s also shining on a familiar and controversial issue: tanking. And this time, the league is making it clear that it’s paying attention, even if the penalties feel more like a warning shot than a crackdown.
The Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers were both hit with fines for violating the league’s player participation policy, with Utah receiving a $500,000 penalty and Indiana fined $100,000. The league cited “conduct detrimental to the NBA,” specifically pointing to how the Jazz handled their rotations in recent matchups against the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat.
In those games, Utah pulled Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. before the start of the fourth quarter-despite both players being healthy and the outcomes of the games still very much in question. Jusuf Nurkic also sat out during those late-game stretches. It's a move that raised eyebrows around the league, especially considering the timing and Utah’s position in the standings.
Here’s the twist, though: one of those games turned into a win. Despite the apparent effort to lean into the lottery odds, the Jazz managed to beat the Heat 115-111 on February 9.
That result didn’t change the league’s stance, however. In its official release, the NBA emphasized that pulling key players in competitive games-particularly when they’re healthy and available-violates the spirit of competition the league is trying to uphold.
The Pacers’ fine, while smaller, falls under the same umbrella. Both cases reflect a growing concern that teams hovering around the play-in bubble or outside the playoff picture are prioritizing draft positioning over putting their best foot forward on the court.
Let’s talk about Miami for a second. The Heat came into that February 9 matchup on the second night of a back-to-back after dismantling the Washington Wizards 132-101 the night before. Still, that context doesn’t soften the blow of losing to a Jazz team that was clearly managing its roster with the long game in mind.
Miami’s inconsistency this season has been glaring. At 29-27 heading into the break, they’re hovering in the middle of the pack-good enough to beat just about anyone, but vulnerable enough to lose to just about anyone, too. That kind of unpredictability is the hallmark of a team stuck in neutral, and their loss to a shorthanded Jazz squad only reinforces the narrative.
As for the bigger picture, the league’s challenge is clear. Tanking isn’t a new problem, but it’s evolving. Teams are getting more creative in how they manage minutes and rotations, making it harder to draw a clean line between strategic rest and outright manipulation of the standings.
The NBA’s current approach-fines and public statements-signals that it wants to discourage these tactics. But if the goal is to truly protect the integrity of the competition, it’s going to take more than financial penalties. Teams chasing long-term upside will always look for ways to maximize their lottery odds, especially in a league where a single top pick can change a franchise’s trajectory overnight.
The Jazz’s recent actions-and the league’s response-are just the latest chapter in that ongoing battle. Whether the NBA can find a solution that balances competitive fairness with the realities of roster building remains to be seen. But one thing’s for sure: the tanking conversation isn’t going away anytime soon.