Pacers fined $100,000 as Rick Carlisle disputes NBA player participation ruling
TOI GLOBAL DESK | TOI GLOBAL | Feb 25, 2026, 22:38 IST
Pacers fined $100,000 as Rick Carlisle disputes NBA player participation ruling
The Indiana Pacers were fined $100,000 by the NBA for violating the league’s Player Participation Policy after Aaron Nesmith missed a Feb. 3 loss to the Utah Jazz. Head coach Rick Carlisle publicly disagreed with the decision, saying Nesmith was legitimately injured and unable to play after getting hurt the previous night. The NBA stated that an independent doctor led the review and that team executives were consulted, adding that Indiana indicated interviews with Carlisle or team doctors were unnecessary. Carlisle said he was shocked by the process and felt the team’s medical perspective was not fully considered, particularly when asked whether Nesmith could have taken medication to participate. The Pacers, who have struggled to a 15-43 record following last year’s Finals appearance, have dealt with multiple injuries, including Tyrese Haliburton’s Achilles injury. The dispute adds tension to an already difficult season for Indiana.
The Indiana Pacers are under fire from the NBA after the league handed the team a $100,000 fine for breaking its Player Participation Policy. Head coach Rick Carlisle strongly disagreed with the decision and spoke out this week about how the situation was handled.
The fine was connected to Aaron Nesmith missing a Feb. 3 game against the Utah Jazz, which Indiana lost 131-122. The NBA believed certain players could have suited up. Carlisle said that was not the case. “I didn’t agree with it,” he said during a radio interview. He explained that Nesmith had been hurt the night before and was not in shape to play.
The league pushed back on Carlisle’s version of events. An NBA spokesperson said the review was led by an independent doctor and that team executives were interviewed during the process. According to the league, Indiana told them that speaking with Carlisle or the team doctors was not needed.
The Pacers have struggled all season. After reaching Game 7 of the NBA Finals last year against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the team has fallen to 15-43, the worst record in the Eastern Conference. A big reason has been injuries, including the Achilles injury Tyrese Haliburton suffered in last year’s Finals.
Carlisle said he was surprised by parts of the league’s review. “This was shocking to me,” he said, adding that he felt the process did not fully consider the team’s medical view. He also said the team was asked whether Nesmith could have taken medication to play, which he felt was unfair given their record.
In the league’s statement about the fine, it mentioned Pascal Siakam and another star player, saying they might have been able to play limited minutes. Siakam did not dress for that game and was listed for rest. Bennedict Mathurin and Andrew Nembhard were also out.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has said the league wants to stop teams from making choices that hurt competition. In the same announcement, the Utah Jazz were fined $500,000 for separate actions tied to similar concerns.
For now, the Pacers are focused on finishing a tough season. But the tension between the team and the league has clearly added another layer to an already difficult year.
The fine was connected to Aaron Nesmith missing a Feb. 3 game against the Utah Jazz, which Indiana lost 131-122. The NBA believed certain players could have suited up. Carlisle said that was not the case. “I didn’t agree with it,” he said during a radio interview. He explained that Nesmith had been hurt the night before and was not in shape to play.
The league pushed back on Carlisle’s version of events. An NBA spokesperson said the review was led by an independent doctor and that team executives were interviewed during the process. According to the league, Indiana told them that speaking with Carlisle or the team doctors was not needed.
The Pacers have struggled all season. After reaching Game 7 of the NBA Finals last year against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the team has fallen to 15-43, the worst record in the Eastern Conference. A big reason has been injuries, including the Achilles injury Tyrese Haliburton suffered in last year’s Finals.
Carlisle said he was surprised by parts of the league’s review. “This was shocking to me,” he said, adding that he felt the process did not fully consider the team’s medical view. He also said the team was asked whether Nesmith could have taken medication to play, which he felt was unfair given their record.
In the league’s statement about the fine, it mentioned Pascal Siakam and another star player, saying they might have been able to play limited minutes. Siakam did not dress for that game and was listed for rest. Bennedict Mathurin and Andrew Nembhard were also out.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has said the league wants to stop teams from making choices that hurt competition. In the same announcement, the Utah Jazz were fined $500,000 for separate actions tied to similar concerns.
For now, the Pacers are focused on finishing a tough season. But the tension between the team and the league has clearly added another layer to an already difficult year.