Nets fined $100K for violating participation policy
The Brooklyn Nets were fined $100K for violating the player participation policy.
The Nets hosted the Milwaukee Bucks Dec. 27 after beating the Detroit Pistons the night before. Four key players for the Nets sat out due to rest or injury maintenance. Nets coach Jacque Vaughn did play Mikal Bridges, Cam Thomas and Royce O’Neale, but only for the first quarter. The Nets ended up losing to the Bucks 144-122.
NBA executive vice president and head of basketball operations, Joe Dumars reiterated what the NBA is trying to accomplish with this policy.
“We announced to everyone, we conveyed to everyone, that we embrace being an 82-game league,” said Dumars.
Before the season started the NBA put in the player participation policy so teams would stop resting their players if they do not have an injury. The league understands that guys won’t be able to play all 82 games, but to sit almost all the players who play the most is wrong. These are the types of situations the league is trying to avoid.
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On the other hand, the Brooklyn Nets are 15-20 so far this season. There is no outright star on this team, no more Kevin Durant, James Harden or Kyrie Irving.
So far it looks like the guy will be Cam Thomas, but the guard is streaky. In one game he will go off for 30 points and in the next game he will be in single digits. Mikal Bridges was one player the majority thought would take that leap into becoming a star. He averages 20.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game this season. If the Nets want to stay relevant and compete for a playoff spot someone will have to step up and be the guy.
One area that is holding this team back is injuries. Ben Simmons has been out of the lineup since Nov. 6. Simmons is still dealing with a back injury and should be reevaluated in the next few days. Another injury that slowed this team down was Lonnie Walker. He has been out with a hamstring injury since Nov. 30 but should return when the Nets host Oklahoma City Friday night.
Simmons is crucial to this team because he is a big guard who can guard all five positions, get to the rim, rebound, and can pass the ball with the best of them. If he can come back healthy and play like the Simmons we have seen before he can help this team in a major way.
Walker has been great, averaging 14.6 points per game off the bench. Another scoring threat that can be added into crunch time moments will help this team go a long way.
The Nets are on a five-game losing streak but will look to end it when they face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night.
