The Atlanta Hawks have been fined $100,000 by the NBA for violating the league’s player participation policy. The league handed down the fine after finding that the Hawks held star guard Trae Young out of the team’s first game in the NBA Cup, despite him being healthy enough to play.
Young missed Atlanta’s NBA Cup matchup against the Boston Celtics on Nov. 12, with the team citing right Achilles tendinitis. The Hawks went on to earn a 117-116 win over the Celtics at Boston’s TD Garden.
Per a league statement, the NBA’s investigation found that Young could have played under the policy’s medical standard. The league’s investigation included consulting with an independent physician, per the statement.
Atlanta is currently 7-11 this season. Young once again leads the team in points and assists this season, currently averaging 21.9 points and 11.9 assists per game.
The NBA has cracked down on participation since the policy was introduced in 2023, with the intention of ensuring that healthy stars would fully participate throughout the regular season. In October, the league fined the Philadelphia 76ers $100,000 after star center Joel Embiid missed the team’s season opener.