The NBA has opened an investigation into whether or not the Oklahoma City Thunder violated the league’s player participation policy (PPP) during a 107-89 win at home over the Portland Trail Blazers on March 7, according to ESPN.
During the game in question, the Thunder sat their entire starting five, as well as key reserve Cason Wallace, against the lottery-bound Blazers. Here was the injury report for the game:
All but Holmgren played in the team’s prior game on March 5, a win over the Memphis Grizzlies, and all six suited up in the team’s next game, a win over the Denver Nuggets on March 9.
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Ahead of the 2023-24 season, the league implemented a new PPP aimed at combating load management and ensuring that stars were more frequently available, particularly for national TV games. Here were the key mandates:
- Rest no more than one star player from a game. (For purposes of the restrictions, a “star player” is defined as someone who has been an All-Star or an All-NBA selection in any of the past three seasons. It also will impact for the balance of the schedule players named to that season’s All-Star teams.)
- Make star players available for nationally televised games and In-Season Tournament games.
- Balance the number of one-game “rest” absences a star player accrues in home games vs. road games, with a recommendation that a player more often sit out at home.
- Refrain from any long-term “shutdown” when a star stops participating in games or appears only in a materially reduced role that could affect the integrity of the game.
- Have any healthy players resting for a game present and visible to fans.
The Thunder have two “star players” under that criteria: Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams, who was named to his first All-Star Game this season. Both sat out against the Blazers, and Gilgeous-Alexander was officially listed as a rest day. Thus, the league is likely looking into whether Williams had a legitimate issue with his wrist.
Earlier this month, the Utah Jazz were fined $100,000 for violating the league’s PPP for their handling of Lauri Markkanen, who missed numerous games for “injury management” with a lower back issue. Immediately following the fine, Markkanen was in the lineup for the team’s next game.
If the league deems the Thunder to have broken the rules, they would receive a $100,000 fine as well, which is the punishment for the first violation.
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