In the last stretch of this NBA season, a number of clubs, including the Pacers, will be struggling. However, after making it to the Finals the previous season, Indiana didn’t actually intend to be in this situation, unlike the majority of teams of their kind.
However, the team’s best offensive option was taken away by Tyrese Haliburton‘s injured Achilles, and the Pacers’ terrible start to the season has left them at the bottom of the standings. However, prior to the All-Star break, Indiana was one of the nails the NBA struck with the anti-tanking hammer.
After the league found that the Pacers had violated the Player Participation Policy by sitting All-Star Pascal Siakam and two other starters on the second night of a back-to-back on February 3, they were fined $100,000. It wasn’t quite as bad as what the Jazz were fined that day; Utah was fined $500,000 for actions that were bad for the league. Even yet, Rick Carlisle, one coach, felt that $100,000 was excessive for Indianapolis.
Carlisle stated in a statement that his club had been “very consistent” in its approach to the season and that discussion with the NBA had been “productive” after the Pacers were penalized, but he added he had “no idea” what to make of the alleged infraction.
Then, on Tuesday, Carlisle expressed how very frustrated he was with the circumstances.
In a radio broadcast on The Fan Morning Show, Carlisle claimed that the NBA’s “ridiculous” method was used to decide the Pacers’ fine. After giving a brief explanation of that procedure, he stated the NBA had asked the Pacers whether they had thought about “medicating” Aaron Nesmith so he could play instead of keeping him out due to a hand injury.
Carlisle stated:
“I didn’t agree with it,”. “There was a league lawyer that was doing the interview that kind of unilaterally decided Aaron Nesmith, who had been injured the night before and couldn’t hold the ball, should have played in the game. Which just seems ridiculous.
“During the interview process, I was not on it, but I heard details. We asked them if they wanted to talk to our doctors about it because it’s something that was documented by our doctors and trainers. They said no, they didn’t need to, they talked to their doctors. Who did not examine Aaron Nesmith. We asked if they wanted to talk to [Nesmith] and they said no, they didn’t need to. This was shocking to me. During the interview, they also asked if we considered medicating him to play in a game when we were 30 games under .500.
“I was very surprised. Obviously didn’t agree with it. … That was the deal. That was it.”
The NBA is undoubtedly in a difficult position when it comes to handling injury reports, and in light of this year’s especially daring performance, the league has been encouraged to take a tough stance against tanking.
