The Thunder are reportedly under investigation by the NBA for hosting 10 players against the Spurs
According to The Athletic’s Dan Woike, the NBA is investigating the Oklahoma City Thunder for sitting out 10 players due to injury during their nationally televised game against the San Antonio Spurs last week.
Starting in 2023, NBA rules require teams to ensure star players are available for nationally televised and in-season tournament games that presumably draw the most fan interest. The league defines a “star player” as someone who has been named to an All-Star or All-NBA team during the past three seasons.
The Thunder-Spurs game on February 4 was televised on ESPN. Players listed as leaving for Oklahoma City that night:
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Shai-Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal tension)
Chet Holmgren (lumbar spasms)
Alex Caruso (right adductor strain)
Jalen Williams (right hamstring strain)
Lugentz Dort (right patellofemoral joint, inflammation)
Isaiah Hartenstein (right eye, corneal abrasion)
Ajay Mitchell (abdominal tightness)
Nikola Topić (surgical recovery)
Ousmane Dieng (not with the team)
Thomas Sorber (right ACL, surgical recovery)
The Thunder dressed eight players in their 116-108 loss to the Spurs. Three Oklahoma City players scored 20 or more points, led by Kenrich Williams’ 25.
Gilgeous-Alexander (NBA MVP, All-NBA First Team, All-Star) and Jalen Williams (All-NBA Third Team, All-Star) fit the definition of “star player.” Holmgren was named to his first NBA All-Star team this season.
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Williams has only appeared in 24 games this season, while Hartenstein (28) and Caruso (34) have also played fewer than 35.
Additionally, leaving out so many players – including stars – against San Antonio, which currently has the NBA’s second-best record at 36-16, could be seen as “impacting the integrity of the game,” something the league also builds into its rules regarding player absences. (Oklahoma City is 1-4 against the Spurs in five meetings this season and is not scheduled for a new game during the regular season.)
The Thunder face possible fines if the team is deemed to have committed violations of league rules. Penalties include a fine of $100,000 for a first violation, $250,000 for a second violation, and an increase of $1 million for each subsequent violation.
Gilgeous-Alexander, Mitchell, Sorber and Topić are unavailable for Monday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Thunder announced that Gilgeous-Alexander will be sidelined during the All-Star break due to his abdominal injury. He last played on February 3 against the Orlando Magic.
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Despite these injuries and absences, the Thunder still lead the NBA with a record of 40-13. They are 5-5 in their last 10 games.