The Atlanta Hawks have been fined $100,000 by the NBA for violating the league’s player participation policy. The league imposed the fine after discovering the Hawks held star guard Trae Young out of the team’s first NBA Cup game despite him being healthy enough to play.
Young missed Atlanta’s NBA Cup game against the Boston Celtics on November 12, with the team citing Achilles tendonitis. The Hawks went on to earn a 117-116 victory over the Celtics at Boston’s TD Garden without Young.
According to 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 an independent physician, the statement said.
Atlanta is 7-11 so far this year. Young 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 healthy stars would participate fully 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.
