Cavaliers Fined for Player Participation Violations

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been fined $100,000 by the NBA for violating the Player Participation Policy, as reported by Deadspin. This penalty comes after All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley did not play in a game against the Miami Heat on March 27, 2025, which the Cavaliers lost 130 to 116.

The absence of both players was categorized as 'rest' in the official box score. According to the updated policy from 2023, teams must ensure that no more than one star player is unavailable for the same game.

Donovan Mitchell, who is 29 years old, has missed two games this season and is currently averaging 30.9 points and 5.5 assists over 13 games played. He has a strong track record, being a six-time All-Star and averaging 24.9 points with 4.7 assists in 552 games throughout his nine-season career with the Utah Jazz and the Cavaliers.

Evan Mobley, 24, has only missed one game this season and was an All-Star for the first time last year. Mobley averages 18.9 points and 8.8 rebounds in 14 games this season, and in his five seasons with the Cavaliers, he has averaged 16.5 points and 8.9 rebounds across 283 games, all of which he started.

The fine raises important questions regarding the Cavaliers' roster management and their compliance with league regulations regarding player participation. This incident could impact how the team approaches player rest moving forward, especially with the stakes high in the current season.