The 2024-25 NBA season has been a nightmare for the Utah Jazz. Once a dominant force, the franchise now finds itself in last place in the Western Conference with a dismal 15-50 record.
As if things weren’t already bad enough, the NBA recently slapped the Jazz with a $100,000 fine for violating a major rule involving their star scorer, Lauri Markkanen.
Utah Jazz Penalized for Violating NBA’s Player Participation Policy
The Jazz were desperate for a win heading into their March 5 matchup against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. After dropping two consecutive games, Utah needed a win to shake off their disappointing run.
Hopes were high that Markkanen, who had been sidelined since their February 22 victory over the Houston Rockets, would return to action. However, the Jazz decided to keep him out, and their struggles continued as they suffered a narrow 125-122 loss to the Wizards.
The defeat itself was frustrating, but the real blow came a few days later when the NBA fined the team $100,000 for violating its Player Participation Policy by not making Markkanen available.
On Monday, March 12, the NBA released a statement explaining the penalty:
Utah Jazz have been fined $100,000 for violating the Player Participation Policy when the team failed to make Lauri Markkanen available for a game on March 5. pic.twitter.com/hKbD9c7UrX
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) March 12, 2025
“The NBA announced today that the Utah Jazz organization has been fined $100,000 for violating the league’s Player Participation Policy. The violation occurred when the Jazz failed to make Lauri Markkanen, a star player under the Policy, available for the team’s game against the Washington Wizards on March 5 at Capital One Arena, as well as other recent games. The Policy, adopted before the 2023-24 season, is intended to promote participation in the NBA’s regular season.”
The Player Participation Policy was introduced to ensure that star players—defined as those who have made an All-Star or All-NBA team in the past three seasons—are available for games unless there’s a legitimate injury or personal reason.
It also discourages teams from resting multiple stars in the same game and urges them to balance rest days between home and away games.
Markkanen Finally Returns, But Jazz Still Struggle
Following the fine, Utah updated Markkanen’s status to “available” for their March 12 clash against the Memphis Grizzlies, marking his first game since February 22.
The 2023 NBA All-Star is known for his elite 3-point shooting and offensive prowess. Before his absence, the 7-foot Finn was averaging 19.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game.
In his return against Memphis, Markkanen posted 14 points and six rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Jazz from falling 122-115, adding yet another loss to their miserable season.
While the fine is a financial setback, Utah’s bigger issue remains its on-court struggles. Even with Markkanen back in the lineup, the Jazz will need a miracle to turn around what’s left of their woeful season.