The NBA recently fined the Utah Jazz and the Indiana Pacers a total of $600,000 in what appeared to be a noble attempt to curb blatant tanking in the league. However, a closer inspection of what transpired reveals a more unethical angle allegedly orchestrated by the Oklahoma City Thunder behind the scenes.
According to Tony Jones of The Athletic, the Thunder had a direct hand in the league’s vitriol against the Jazz. Jones claimed that OKC raised concerns about Utah’s handling of player availability, not because they want to eradicate tanking, but because of personal gains.
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The Thunder was going through back channels
Many felt the NBA walked a slippery slope when it handed down a massive $500,000 fine to the Jazz for sitting its starters in the 4th period of a game they won against the Miami Heat. Head coach Will Hardy argued that Lauri Markkanen was still on a minutes restriction while Jaren Jackson, Jr. was not a hundred percent.
Still, the Jazz won, thanks to the heroics of their young guys. Brice Sensabaugh, Kyle Filipowski, and Ace Bailey each had eight points in the final period to steal the game. Sensabaugh drilled a go-ahead 3 with 46 seconds left and made two more free throws to seal the deal, 115-111.
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Markkanen, Jackson, Jr., and starting center Jusuf Nurkic did not play a second in the final period. This drew the NBA office’s attention and handed out heavy monetary fines on the Jazz’s way. However, as Jones said, there is more to this than meets the eye.
“It’s crap,” the NBA Insider told “Scotty G. & Friends” on KSL Sports Zone. “I’ll tell you what it is. It’s Oklahoma City going through back channels to try put pressure on the Jazz to play the season out in order for them to get the pick.”
What was that pick Jones was talking about? Back in 2021, the Jazz tried to get out of the contract of big man Derrick Favors by sending him to the Thunder. To sweeten the pot, Utah attached a first-round pick with heavy protections, protected top 10 in 2024 and 2025, and top 8 in 2026.
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If Utah keeps losing and picks in the top eight of the upcoming draft, the Jazz retains the pick. The Thunder definitely does not want that, especially in a class with some of the best, if not the best, freshmen prospects in a while.
The Jazz intends to keep the pick
Utah made some nice moves at the deadline by adding Jackson, Jr. to the mix with Markkanen and a slew of young studs. Besides Sensabaugh and Bailey, Isaiah Collier and Keyonte George looked like keepers as well. The only thing that will make this better is if they keep the top-8 protected pick and get a guy who could help them become a force in the West once again.
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According to Jones, the Jazz do not really care about the penalties as long as they stay on the path of improvement.
“So, it’s OKC is going through back channels, planting stuff, planting stories in order to pressure the Jazz into playing the season… The Jazz are going to do whatever they have to do to keep the pick. I can tell you being in Slat Lake for the past 36 hours, I don’t think they care one bit about what people are thinking of them,” added Jones.
And so, to make everything look “legal,” Utah is holding out on JJJ because of a knee surgery, just three days after the trade with Memphis. The former Defensive Player of the Year joins George, the team’s second-leading scorer and passer, and Walker Kessler on the sidelines. Kessler only played five games this season due to a torn labrum in his left shoulder.
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If Jones is correct, this may simply be the case of front offices protecting their interests, as they should. Utah appears to be willing to take the heat now as long as it improves their chances of keeping that valuable pick. In the long run, winning the draft battle is more important than winning the public one.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Feb 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.