Getty
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – DECEMBER 05: Head coach Rick Carlisle of the Indiana Pacers looks on against the Chicago Bulls during the first half at the United Center on December 05, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The NBA made the decision to fine the Indiana Pacers $100,000. It was in response to the team sitting multiple starters in a game against the Utah Jazz. The league claims that it was a violation of the player participation policy.
Essentially, the NBA decided to fine the Pacers for perceived tanking. After trading for Ivica Zubac, Indiana’s 2026 first-round pick is now in jeopardy. That pick will go to the Clippers if it falls within the 5-9 range. Indiana would love to have a top-four pick.
One ESPN analyst is giving the Pacers a pass for doing this, saying that the NBA is incentivizing this kind of behavior from all NBA franchises.
The Pacers Deserve a Pass for Recent Fine, According to Analyst
While speaking on Get Up, ESPN NBA Analyst Brian Windhorst is giving Indiana a pass for this fine.
“This isn’t something that is meant to be a punishment. This is meant as a deterrent. What Adam Silver is doing here is telling teams to knock it off or else. The question is whether or not it’s too late for that…I’m giving everybody in the league who’s tanking right now a pass. And the reason I’m doing that is these are good people that are making decisions that they feel is best for their organizations.”
Windhorst doesn’t blame the Pacers or anyone else trying to tank at the end of this season. With the way the league is set up right now, it is in their best interest to lose as many games as possible to finish off the year. That would set them up the best for long-term success.
Indiana getting one of the top prospects out of college basketball and getting Tyrese Haliburton back would give them one of the best teams in the league in 2026-27. Losing this pick would be a huge blow to not just their chances of winning a title next season, but also winning one in the next five years.
GettyIndiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam dribbles the ball. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
This Fine Won’t Deter the Pacers From Tanking
Indiana plays hard and has all season long. Injuries have just derailed any shot of them returning to the playoffs this season. At the end of this season, the Pacers will have a lot of different combinations of lineups to make sure that they end up keeping this pick.
Herb Simon, the owner of the Indiana Pacers, will gladly pay this fine if it means giving them a chance to keep their pick. $100,000 is a drop in the bucket for him compared to the chances of winning the first NBA championship in franchise history.
The Pacers hope that this year is just a gap year, and they will return to contention next season. Next year is when the NBA might actually try to do something about blatant tanking. Indiana is fine with that. Proper tanking this year, which they nexter do, will set them up for years to come.
Ryan Stano Ryan Stano covers the NBA for Heavy.com. He has been covering sports since 2017, covering the NFL, College Football, College Basketball, and the NBA. His work has been featured on Yahoo, Bleacher Report, FanSided, and Sports Illustrated. More about Ryan Stano
More Heavy on Pacers
Loading more stories