The Indiana Pacers and Utah Jazz recently faced hefty fines from the NBA over tanking allegations, a contentious issue this season with several teams seemingly optimizing for draft positioning ahead of a much-anticipated 2026 NBA Draft.

The Jazz received a $500,000 fine for “conduct detrimental to the league” for frequently resting star players, while the Pacers were fined $100,000 for violating the Player Participation Policy by sitting Pascal Siakam along with other key players against the Jazz, including Aaron Nesmith.

Unsurprisingly, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle was vocal about his discontent during a radio segment in Indianapolis. He elaborated on the NBA’s ruling regarding Nesmith, emphasizing that the league presupposed he was fit to play without consulting Nesmith or the team doctors. In his words, “Yeah, I put out a statement about it. I didn’t agree with it. There was a league lawyer that decided that Aaron Nesmith, who was injured the night before, should have suited up, which seems ludicrous. They chose not to speak with our doctors or ask our input. This is surprising, especially given they mentioned medicating him to participate when we had already lost so many games.”

This suggests a significant overreach by the NBA. It’s worth noting that Carlisle heard details of the call secondhand, likely from someone within the Pacers organization who was frustrated by the outcome. However, if what he claimed is true, it raises serious concerns about the NBA’s protocol that must be addressed.

The NBA responded to Carlisle’s assertions, stating that his version of the events was incorrect and that an independent physician led the medical review of the situation.

The legitimacy of Nesmith’s injury is indeed critical for Indiana’s case against the fine. Nevertheless, the league’s greater concern seemed to orbit around Siakam’s absence. As many suspect, the Pacers would probably agree that the $100,000 fine was worth it given that the game in question was crucial for their lottery positioning.