SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Jazz have faced intense scrutiny over their tanking efforts in the latter part of the season. They have prioritized losses down the stretch to protect a high draft pick in June’s draft owed to the Oklahoma City Thunder. In response, the NBA has stepped in, signaling it will actively address the issue. According to Tony Jones of The Athletic, the league has already begun implementing measures. Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen will undergo further testing for two injuries by independent doctors sent by the NBA. Markkanen will have both his right ankle and right hip evaluated after both injuries appeared in the team’s latest practice report.
Lauri Markkanen Injury Drama Creates Bigger Rift Between Utah Jazz And NBA
Feb 9, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Utah Jazz forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (20) reacts against the Miami Heat during the first quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
This season, Markkanen has enjoyed another stellar campaign. He averages 27 points, seven rebounds, and two assists while shooting 47.7% from the field and 35.5% from three-point range. Despite this output, the Jazz sit 13th in the Western Conference with an 18-40 record. Utah was recently fined $500,000 for overt actions toward tanking games. The fine followed the Jazz holding Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. out of fourth quarters in close contests. Subsequently, the team announced that Jackson and Jusuf Nurkic would undergo season-ending surgeries. Jackson is having a growth removed from his knee, while Nurkic will have surgery on his nose.
NBA Oversight and Controversy
This is not the first instance this season where the NBA has sent medical personnel to evaluate team injuries. On the same day the league punished Utah, the Indiana Pacers were fined $100,000 for violating the league’s participation policy. The NBA suggested Indiana medicate Aaron Nesmith, who suffered a left-hand strain, so he could play against the Jazz on Feb. 3. That game came on the second night of a back-to-back and marked the Pacers’ third game in four nights. “My No. 1 fixation is player health, and I have a long history of concern for this going back to all of my head coaching. Because one of the jobs of the head coach is to manage player health,” said Rick Carlisle in a pregame news conference responding to the NBA’s statement about his criticism of its participation policy.
The problem is clear. Player health and safety are not being prioritized by Adam Silver despite his reputation as a player-friendly commissioner. The league is clamping down on tanking this season, but the reasons remain murky. Some blame Oklahoma City, as they are owed the Jazz pick in question. Others point to the NBA’s heavily criticized partnerships with sportsbooks and other gambling sites. Regardless of the motivation, players’ health should come first—but it does not.
Even beyond player safety, questions remain. What happens if the NBA finds something it does not like? Will the league fine the Jazz again? Will it force Markkanen to play? Even if it does, will Utah be required to play him in the fourth quarter of close games or more than a half? In reality, this is a zero-sum game for the NBA. Its actions risk further dividing the league and the Jazz rather than solving the problem.
Credit:© Thomas Shea-Imagn Images