Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle discussed the recent fine his team received for tanking, highlighting some unusual questions from the NBA during its investigation.
Carlisle mentioned that the league inquired why the Pacers did not have guard Aaron Nesmith play through an injury in a game that did not impact the standings. He also noted that the league questioned the legitimacy of Nesmith’s injury but did not seek input from team doctors or the player.
“A league lawyer conducting the interview decided that Aaron Nesmith, who was injured the night before and unable to hold a basketball, should have played in the game, which seemed absurd,” Carlisle stated.
“We asked them if they wanted to consult our doctors about the situation, as it was documented by them. They refused, saying they had spoken to their doctors who hadn’t examined Nesmith. We also offered to have them speak with him, but they declined. They even questioned if we thought about medicating him to play in a game when we were 30 games under .500.”