The NBA has fined the Cleveland Cavaliers $100,000 for sitting star players Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley during the team’s Nov. 12 game against the Miami Heat. Both players were left out of the contest for load management/rest purposes.
This decision was in violation of the league’s new Player Participation Policy, which encourages star players to play during the regular season. It’s become a common practice for team to regularly sit their best players throughout the season in anticipation of the playoffs. The league deemed both Mitchell and Mobley to be “star players.”
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Why is this new policy in effect?
The new policy is meant to discourage players from sitting out important regular-season games, including nationally televised contests and NBA Cup games.
The policy also dictates that teams are only allowed to sit one “star player” per contest, meaning regardless of where the Cavs-Heat game was airing, the Cavaliers still would’ve been in violation of the policy.
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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 26: The Dallas Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg dunks the ball past the Toronto Raptors’ Sandro Mamukelashvili at the American Airlines Center.
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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 26: The Dallas Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg dunks the ball past the Toronto Raptors’ Sandro Mamukelashvili at the American Airlines Center.
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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 26: The Washington Wizards’ Cam Whitmore dunks the ball against the Charlotte Hornets at Capital One Arena.
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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 26: The Brooklyn Nets’ Michael Porter Jr. dunks in front of the San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama at Frost Bank Center.
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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 25: The Denver Nuggets’ Christian Braun dunks the ball against the Phoenix Suns’ Grayson Allen at Ball Arena.
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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 24: The Memphis Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. dunks against the Miami Heat at FedExForum.
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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 24: The Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo dunks over the Memphis Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. at FedExForum.
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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 22: The New York Knicks’ OG Anunoby goes up for a reverse dunk against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden.
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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 22: The Utah Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen dunks against the Los Angeles Clippers at Delta Center.
What determines a “star player”?
According to the Player Participation Policy, the NBA classifies a star player as “any player who, in any of the prior three seasons, was selected to an All-NBA Team or an NBA All-Star team. This definition also applies, following a given season’s All-Star Game, to any player who is named an All-Star during that season.”
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On the Cavaliers, only Mitchell and Mobley qualify. Although fellow teammate Jarrett Allen has been named an All-Star in the past, his lone All-Star selection came four seasons ago, disqualifying him from “star player” status.
Did the Cavs win that game against the Heat?
Yes, the Cavaliers won that game 130-112, thanks in large part to Jarrett Allen, who recorded 30 points and 10 rebounds in the win.
How many games have Mitchell and Mobley missed thus far?
Mitchell has missed two of the Cavaliers’ first 13 games of the season. Mobley has missed just the one against the Heat.
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The only other game Mitchell missed was a Halloween night showdown against the Toronto Raptors. Cleveland lost that game 112-101.
Both players have participated in each of the Cavaliers’ three games since facing the Heat.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cleveland Cavaliers fined for sitting Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley