NBA opens investigation into Dallas Mavericks resting players in loss to Chicago Bulls

The NBA is investigating the Dallas Mavericks over their decision to rest multiple players against the Chicago Bulls on Friday, according to multiple reports.

Dallas did not play Kyrie Irving (right foot injury), Josh Green (rest), Tim Hardaway Jr. (left ankle soreness), Maxi Kleber (right hamstring injury recovery) and Christian Wood (rest), while Luka Doncic played in only the first quarter of the game.

The Mavericks would go on to lose the game 115-112, officially eliminating them from postseason contention. The Mavericks blew an 11-point fourth-quarter lead in the process.

That outcome also could help ensure that Dallas has a top-10 draft pick this summer – and with it, potentially a 4.5% chance of winning the lottery and getting the opportunity to select French phenom Victor Wembanyama. 

‘The NBA commenced an investigation today into the facts and circumstances surrounding the Dallas Mavericks´ roster decisions and game conduct with respect to last night´s Chicago Bulls-Mavericks game, including the motivations behind those actions,’ league spokesman Mike Bass said.

The Dallas Mavericks are being investigated by the NBA for tanking after resting starters

Luka Doncic was the only starter to play and sat out the game after the first quarter was over

Potential penalties are unclear, though Commissioner Adam Silver made clear before the season began that the league wouldn’t tolerate any obvious attempts at tanking.

‘I know that many of our NBA teams are salivating at the notion that potentially through our lottery that they could get (Wembanyama), so they should all still compete very hard next season,’ Silver said in October.

Their 2023 first-round pick is currently slated to be the 10th overall pick and the loss against Chicago, combined with a potential defeat against the San Antonio Spurs could go a long way towards ensuring that pick stays in the top 10.

Dallas’ pick however was sent to the New York Knicks with a top-10 protection as part of the Kristaps Porzingis trade in 2019. If the pick remains in the top-10 it would stay with the Mavericks and move to New York in 2024.

While talking to reporters Maverick’s coach Jason Kidd said it was an ‘organizational decision’ that he agreed with.

After the game Kidd also said: ‘It’s not so much waving the white flag. It’s decisions sometimes are hard in this business, and you have to make hard decisions.

‘We’re trying to build a championship team, and sometimes you got to take a step back. Understanding with this decision, this is maybe a step back, but hopefully it leads to going forward.’ 

Maverick’s owner Mark Cuban was previously fined $600,000 in 2018 for tanking after remarks made during a podcast with Basketball Hall of Fame player Julius Erving, which Commissioner Adam Silver called ‘public statements detrimental to the NBA.’ 

The Mavericks were well on their way to what became a 24-58 season when Cuban spoke to Erving and discussed tanking.

Later, Cuban acknowledged to The Associated Press that he ‘earned’ the fine. ‘I got excited talking to Dr. J and said something I shouldn´t have,’ he told the AP at the time.

Head coach Jason Kidd admitted to reporters that the decision was ‘organizational’