Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers have been fined by NBA for "conduct detrimental to the league", or in other words, intentionally losing for a better place in the draft. Utah Jazz, who is 13th in the Western Conference having won only 18 games, losing 38, and is already "tanking", or losing on purpose to secure better picks in the next draft.
NBA found very suspicious that, during the games against Orlando Magic on February 7 and Miami Heat on February 9, the Jazz removed two of their top players, Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson, Jr., before the beginning of the fourth quarter, even though these players were otherwise able to continue to play and the outcomes of the games were thereafter in doubt.
NBA also found out that Indiana Pacers violated the Player Participation Policy, precisely during a match against Utah Jazz on February 3, when they found that "Pascal Siakam, a star player under the Policy, and two other Pacers starters, neither of whom participated in the game, could have played under the medical standard in the Policy, including by playing reduced minutes."
NBA is fining Utah Jazz with $500,000 and Indiana Pacers with $100,000.
"Overt behaviour like this that prioritizes draft position over winning undermines the foundation of NBA competition and we will respond accordingly to any further actions that compromise the integrity of our games", said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who will work with the Board of Governors and Competition Committee to eliminate this type of conduct for good.