Pacers Coach Slams NBA Over $100K Fine for Violating Player Participation Policy

Rick Carlisle says the league asked if the team considered medicating an injured player to get him on the court.

Feb. 24, 2026 at 9:48pm

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Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle criticized the NBA after the league fined the team $100,000 for violating its Player Participation Policy. Carlisle said the league suggested the team should have medicated an injured player, Aaron Nesmith, to get him on the court despite his injury. The Pacers are currently 15-43 and last in the Eastern Conference standings.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing tension between the NBA and its teams over player rest and load management, with the league trying to crack down on what it sees as tanking to improve draft position. Carlisle's comments raise concerns about the league potentially pressuring teams to play injured players, which could raise ethical and medical issues.

The details

The NBA fined the Pacers $100,000 on February 19 for violating the league's Player Participation Policy. On February 3, three Pacers starters - Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard, and Aaron Nesmith - missed a game against the Utah Jazz. Carlisle said a league lawyer unilaterally decided that Nesmith, who was injured the night before and couldn't hold the ball, should have played in the game. Carlisle also said the league asked if the team considered medicating Nesmith to get him on the court, despite the Pacers being 30 games under .500.

  • On February 19, the NBA fined the Pacers $100,000 for violating its Player Participation Policy.
  • On February 3, three Pacers starters missed a game against the Utah Jazz.
  • Nesmith hasn't played since last Thursday and is expected to miss another week.

The players

Rick Carlisle

The head coach of the Indiana Pacers.

Aaron Nesmith

A Pacers player who was injured and unable to play in a recent game, but the NBA suggested the team should have medicated him to get him on the court.

Pascal Siakam

A Pacers player who missed a back-to-back set of games last week with a left hamstring injury, but the NBA believed he could have played more.

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What they’re saying

“There was a league lawyer that was doing the interview that kind of unilaterally decided that Aaron Nesmith, who had been injured the night before and couldn't hold the ball, should've played in the game, which seems ridiculous.”

— Rick Carlisle, Head Coach, Indiana Pacers (The Fan Morning Show)

“And we asked them if they wanted to talk to the kid, and they said no, they (the league doctors) didn't need to. This was shocking to me. During the interview, they also asked if we considered medicating him to play in a game when we were 30 games under .500, so I was very surprised.”

— Rick Carlisle, Head Coach, Indiana Pacers (The Fan Morning Show)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tension between the NBA and its teams over player rest and load management, with the league trying to crack down on what it sees as tanking to improve draft position. Carlisle's comments raise concerns about the league potentially pressuring teams to play injured players, which could raise ethical and medical issues.