The NBA have fined the Dallas Mavericks $750,000 after concluding the franchise violated league rules as they rested key players against the Chicago Bulls despite having a shot at reaching the playoffs.
Last Friday, the Mavericks fell to a 115-112 defeat against the Bulls, which eliminated Dallas from NBA Play-In contention. The Mavs entered the contest tied with the Bulls for the 10th-best lottery odds and the franchise owe the New York Knicks a top-10 protected pick as the final payment for the Kristaps Porzingis trade, who now plays for the Washington Wizards.
The NBA subsequently investigated the situation and ruled the franchise violated the league's player resting policy and showcased a desire to willingly lose a game in order to boost its chance of retaining its first-round pick in the 2023 draft, rather than see it go to the Knicks. Dallas head coach Jason Kidd declared it was an ‘organisational decision’ to rest the majority of the teams’ regular starting and key bench players, suggesting it was made by owner Mark Cuban and general manager Nico Harrison.
