Yes, we're going to bring this up again because it bears repeating: the Utah Jazz were fined for tanking, even though they didn't break any rules. It's perfectly understandable that the league dislikes teams that intentionally lose, but it's been around for ages. Just because the Jazz found a new way to do it doesn't mean it warrants punishment.
The Jazz were fined heavily for benching Jaren Jackson Jr., Lauri Markkanen, and Jusuf Nurkic, even though in JJJ's case, it was later confirmed to be by design because he wanted some experience playing with his new teammates before getting season-ending surgery.
It's only gotten worse since then, as other tankers (who are worse than the Jazz record-wise, mind you) have executed pretty much the same strategy, and what has the NBA done about it?
ZERO.
Well-known sportswriter Rob Perez pointed out the NBA's hypocrisy when some of the Jazz's stiffest tanking competition - the Indiana Pacers and Washington Wizards - have executed similar strategies and faced no such punishment that the Jazz did.
And this right here, what just happened in Indiana, is why making an example of the Jazz was a short-sighted decision/slippery slope.
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) March 13, 2026
1) Zubac returns to action from extended time off, plays heavy 1H minutes. Looks good scoring 8 PTS (4-6 FG).
2) Nembhard drops 23 PTS (!) in…
The Pacers and Wizards have the exact same incentive to tank that the Jazz do - they're at risk of losing their pick if they don't lose a certain number of games - so it makes sense that they would do this. But Utah has every right to be mad, since those teams weren't punished for executing the same strategy.
Bottom line: Utah never should have been fined in the first place
It's not like the NBA doesn't have a legitimate gripe against Utah for doing what they did back in February, but the way in which they went about it was wrong, and their refusal to fine the other teams for doing the same thing is an injustice for the Jazz.
Yes, they did what they did to serve their tank, which affects the product, but they did not break any rules in the process. They were punished because of how it affected the NBA's gambling partners and their profits.
By comparison, the Jazz were fined for benching Lauri Markkanen as much as they did last season because they were breaking a rule: putting an All-Star on the sideline when there was nothing wrong with him. Granted, it proved to be an ineffective punishment, but the NBA was within their rights to do so.
When they did it again in February, it was on completely unfounded reasons, and the decision has only looked worse. Let the record show that the Jazz shouldn't advocate for the Pacers and Wizards to be fined out of any issue with those teams, because they shouldn't have any, but rather because it's only fair to be consistent with them.