NBA could fine teams $100K for resting healthy players
The NBA is implementing an updated resting policy for the 2020-21 NBA season which would prohibit players from resting healthy players in any high-profile, nationally-televised games, according to Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes.
According to Yahoo Sports, violating the policy could rest in a fine of at least $100,000.
Additionally, Yahoo Sports reports that without unusual circumstances, franchises should not rest multiple healthy players during the same game and teams should not rest healthy players when on the road.
The latest news about the league’s resting policy comes as those in and around the sport wrestle with clubs utilizing load management an increasing amount in recent years, a policy that was established in 2017.
In November of last season, the league sent a memo to teams prohibiting them from sitting healthy players in high-profile, nationally televised games, according to ESPN’s Zach Lowe, and instead made clear that the only game in which a team should rest a healthy player is a home game broadcast on local television.
If teams wanted to rest a healthy player in any game that would fall under the resting policy, the team was instructed to call the league office at least 48 hours in advance.
Last year, the NBA and its broadcast partners had discussed the possibility of more aggressively flexing out scheduled national TV games that did not look as appealing in light of injuries and team performance.
The NBA released the first half of the 2020-21 season schedule on Friday. The season begins December 22, with the Nets hosting the Warriors and the Lakers playing the Clippers.
