The Atlanta Hawks were fined $100,000 after All-Star guard Trae Young did not play in a Nov. 12 NBA Cup road win over the Boston Celtics.
The Hawks listed Young as being out due to right Achilles tendinitis, which they said was the reason for his absence. Despite that, the Hawks won the game 117-116 against the defending NBA champions.
After investigating the situation, the NBA concluded that Young could have played and should not have been held out. The league said, “Following an investigation, including review by an independent physician, the NBA determined that the Hawks held Young out of a game that he could have played in under the medical standard in the (Player Participation) Policy.”
The NBA also stated that the Hawks’ actions violated the Player Participation Policy, which aims to ensure players take part in the regular season.
So far this season, Young has averaged 21.9 points and an NBA-leading 11.9 assists in 17 games. The game on Nov. 12 against Boston was the only one he missed.
In his seven seasons, Young has been named an All-Star three times, and he has averaged 25.4 points and 9.6 assists in 424 games for the Hawks, all of which he started.
