Pacers coach Rick Carlisle broke team's silence (sort of) on tanking fine; what he saidDustin Dopirak, Indianapolis StarWed, February 18, 2026 at 2:29 AM UTC·6 min readINDIANAPOLIS -- Pacers coach Rick Carlisle limited his comments after practice Tuesday about the NBA's $100,000 fine of the organization for the violation of player participation rules, but did provide a broader statement to media members afterward.
The league issued the fine on Thursday once the Pacers had begun their All-Star break. The fine, according to a league press release, was levied because four-time All-Star Pascal Siakam and two other starters were held out of the Pacers' Feb. 3 home game against the Utah Jazz on the second night of a back-to-back. The last-place Pacers lost the game 131-122. The Jazz were also fined $500,000 for player participation violations for games on Feb. 7 and Feb. 9 for removing All-Stars Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. before the beginning of the fourth quarter of games that were still in doubt. The fines were levied, commissioner Adam Silver said in his press conference at All-Star weekend on Saturday in Los Angeles, in order to curb what he considered to be an increase in behavior considered to be "tanking" -- the de-prioritization of winning for the pursuit at better odds for a high draft pick.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementCarlisle was asked about the fine after practice and his interpretation of the fine levied.
"I have no idea," he said. "And really no comment on it."
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 15: (EDITORS NOTE: Image Has Been Taken Using A Static Remote Camera.) Pascal Siakam #43 of the Indiana Pacers and Team World shoots against Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Team USA Stars during the 75th NBA All-Star Game at Intuit Dome on February 15, 2026 in Inglewood, California.
Feb 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Team World forward Pascal Siakam (43) of the Indiana Pacers shoots against Team USA Stars guard Anthony Edwards (5) of the Minnesota Timberwolves in game one during the 75th NBA All Star Game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Feb 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Team USA Stars center Chet Holmgren (7) of the Oklahoma City Thunder controls the ball against Team World forward Pascal Siakam (43) of the Indiana Pacers in game one during the 75th NBA All Star Game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Feb 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Team USA Stars center Chet Holmgren (7) of the Oklahoma City Thunder controls the ball against Team World forward Pascal Siakam (43) of the Indiana Pacers in game one during the 75th NBA All Star Game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Feb 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Team World forward Pascal Siakam (43) of the Indiana Pacers shoots against Team USA Stars guard Anthony Edwards (5) of the Minnesota Timberwolves in game one during the 75th NBA All Star Game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Feb 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Team USA Stars guard Anthony Edwards (5) of the Minnesota Timberwolves shoots while defended by Team World forward Pascal Siakam (43) of the Indiana Pacers in game one during the 75th NBA All Star Game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Feb 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Team World forward Pascal Siakam (43) of the Indiana Pacers shoots while defended by Team USA Stars forward Jalen Johnson (1) of the Atlanta Hawks in game one during the 75th NBA All Star Game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 15: (EDITORS NOTE: Image Has Been Taken Using A Static Remote Camera.) Pascal Siakam #43 of the Indiana Pacers and Team World shoots against Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Team USA Stars during the 75th NBA All-Star Game at Intuit Dome on February 15, 2026 in Inglewood, California.1 / 8Pascal Siakam of the Indiana Pacers in the 2026 NBA All-Star Game
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 15: (EDITORS NOTE: Image Has Been Taken Using A Static Remote Camera.) Pascal Siakam #43 of the Indiana Pacers and Team World shoots against Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Team USA Stars during the 75th NBA All-Star Game at Intuit Dome on February 15, 2026 in Inglewood, California.1 / 8Pascal Siakam of the Indiana Pacers in the 2026 NBA All-Star Game
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 15: (EDITORS NOTE: Image Has Been Taken Using A Static Remote Camera.) Pascal Siakam #43 of the Indiana Pacers and Team World shoots against Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Team USA Stars during the 75th NBA All-Star Game at Intuit Dome on February 15, 2026 in Inglewood, California.2 / 8Pascal Siakam of the Indiana Pacers in the 2026 NBA All-Star Game
Feb 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Team World forward Pascal Siakam (43) of the Indiana Pacers shoots against Team USA Stars guard Anthony Edwards (5) of the Minnesota Timberwolves in game one during the 75th NBA All Star Game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images3 / 8Pascal Siakam of the Indiana Pacers in the 2026 NBA All-Star Game
Feb 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Team USA Stars center Chet Holmgren (7) of the Oklahoma City Thunder controls the ball against Team World forward Pascal Siakam (43) of the Indiana Pacers in game one during the 75th NBA All Star Game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images4 / 8Pascal Siakam of the Indiana Pacers in the 2026 NBA All-Star Game
Feb 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Team USA Stars center Chet Holmgren (7) of the Oklahoma City Thunder controls the ball against Team World forward Pascal Siakam (43) of the Indiana Pacers in game one during the 75th NBA All Star Game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images5 / 8Pascal Siakam of the Indiana Pacers in the 2026 NBA All-Star Game
Feb 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Team World forward Pascal Siakam (43) of the Indiana Pacers shoots against Team USA Stars guard Anthony Edwards (5) of the Minnesota Timberwolves in game one during the 75th NBA All Star Game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images6 / 8Pascal Siakam of the Indiana Pacers in the 2026 NBA All-Star Game
Feb 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Team USA Stars guard Anthony Edwards (5) of the Minnesota Timberwolves shoots while defended by Team World forward Pascal Siakam (43) of the Indiana Pacers in game one during the 75th NBA All Star Game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images7 / 8Pascal Siakam of the Indiana Pacers in the 2026 NBA All-Star Game
Feb 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Team World forward Pascal Siakam (43) of the Indiana Pacers shoots while defended by Team USA Stars forward Jalen Johnson (1) of the Atlanta Hawks in game one during the 75th NBA All Star Game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images8 / 8Pascal Siakam of the Indiana Pacers in the 2026 NBA All-Star Game
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 15: (EDITORS NOTE: Image Has Been Taken Using A Static Remote Camera.) Pascal Siakam #43 of the Indiana Pacers and Team World shoots against Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Team USA Stars during the 75th NBA All-Star Game at Intuit Dome on February 15, 2026 in Inglewood, California.He was asked further if the fine would change how they handle players in the second night of back-to-back games. The Jazz game on Feb. 3 was one of four this season in which the Pacers have given Siakam and other players the night off. All four were the second nights of back-to-backs.
"We're gonna manage our situation the way we need to do it," Carlisle said.
Carlisle elaborated further in a statement provided to beat writers afterward.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"I'm so proud of the way that our players, organization and fans have approached an extraordinarily challenging season," Carlisle said. "We have been very consistent with how we have approached everything this year, and the NBA is aware of that. Communication with the league office has been productive. We will move forward with the same emphasis on competitiveness and development that I talked about on media day, Sept. 29, 2025."
The Pacers reached the NBA Finals in 2025 for the first time in 25 years, but their 2025-26 season has been a constant collection of bad breaks that has ultimately set them on the path for the draft lottery. All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton tore his right Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the Finals to end an incredible playoff run and his 2025-26 season before it started.
The Pacers still entered the season saying they had every intention not to take a "gap year" between playoff appearances. However, injuries continued to plague them throughout the early portion of the season and they hold a 15-40 record at the All-Star break, putting them in a virtual tie with the Washington Wizards for last place in the Eastern Conference. The Sacramento Kings (12-44) and New Orleans Pelicans (15-41) are the only two NBA teams with worse records.
Point guards Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell, wings Aaron Nesmith, Bennedict Mathurin and Johnny Furphy, and forward Obi Toppin all suffered injuries that cost them at least six games. McConnell was injured in the preseason and Nembhard, Mathurin and Toppin were injured in the season's first three games. Toppin still hasn't returned from a stress fracture in his right foot discovered in October.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAll of that sent the Pacers' roster into a constant state of flux. They signed five players to 10-day hardship exception contracts and brought in several other players on non-guaranteed contracts that mostly ended up being temporary deals. As a result, they started the season 1-13. After winning four of six games from Nov. 28-Dec. 8, they lost 13 straight to fall to 6-31 on Jan. 6.
In the 18 games since, the Pacers are 9-9 with notable victories over the second-place Celtics, third-place Knicks and defending NBA champion Thunder. However, they are 8 1/2 games behind the Atlanta Hawks for 10th-place in the Eastern Conference which would be the final position in the East's play-in round and the Pacers have increased their organizational motivation to lose through the recent trade that brought them center Ivica Zubac from the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Pacers sent the Clippers three draft picks including their protected first-round pick for the upcoming 2026 draft. If the Pacers earn one of the top four selections determined through the lottery, they get to keep the selection and instead give up their first-round pick for 2031. They also keep it if they end up with pick 10-30. However if the pick falls in the 5-9 range, it goes to the Clippers.
That and other trade deadline deals seemed to increase scrutiny on moves that could be considered "tanking." Siakam is under particular scrutiny under the player participation rules issued prior to the 2023-24 season because he is considered a "star" player for having made the All-Star Game within the last three seasons. Siakam has played in 51 of 55 games and ranks 24th in the NBA in total minutes this season. He has scored in double figures in all 51 games and has scored at least 20 points in 40 games.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHowever, in each of the four games Siakam has sat out this season -- all on the second nights of back-to-backs -- the Pacers have also sat out other key players. On Feb. 3, Nembhard, McConnell, Mathurin and Nesmith got the night off. Siakam also sat out the Pacers' Nov. 9 game against the Warriors in San Francisco, the Jan. 17 game against the Pistons in Detroit and the Feb. 11 game against the Nets in Brooklyn. The Pacers scored just 83 points in the loss to the Warriors and 78 points in the loss to the Pistons, but the Jazz game was competitive and the Pacers actually defeated the Nets last week.
The Pacers do not have a history of overt tanking. They have never picked No. 1 overall in the NBA Draft and they haven't had a selection in the top five since center Rick Smits was taken No. 2 overall in 1988. In the time in between, the Pacers have selected in the top nine just three times -- 1989 when they picked George McCloud No. 7 overall, 2022 when they picked Bennedict Mathurin No. 6 and 2023 when they picked Jarace Walker at No. 8.
Silver said in a press conference on Saturday in Los Angeles prior to All-Star Saturday Night that the fines were levied due to concerns over an increase in tanking. Silver suggested that the fines were designed to make a statement.
"Are we seeing behavior that is worse this year than we've seen in recent memory? Yes, is my view," Silver said in the press conference. "Which was what led to those fines, and not just those fines but to my statement that we're going to be looking more closely at the totality of all the circumstances this season in terms of teams' behavior, and very intentionally wanted teams to be on notice."
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDustin Dopirak covers the Pacers all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Pacers Insider newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Rick Carlisle responded to the NBA's tanking fine of the Pacers; what he said
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