The NBA has slapped the Cleveland Cavaliers with a $250K fine for breaching the league’s Player Participation Policy, punishing the team for resting Darius Garland during a nationally televised matchup against the Toronto Raptors on November 24th.
Garland, who returned in early November after toe surgery in June, has yet to play both legs of any back-to-back since coming back.
Still, the league ruled that his absence did not meet the required criteria for missing a national broadcast. The game in question, a Peacock exclusive, ended in a 110 to 99 loss for Cleveland.
The league’s policy, implemented before the 2023 to 2024 season, outlines strict expectations for teams managing stars. As written in the guidelines:
“Star players must be available for nationally televised games unless an approved reason is given to the league.”
The following has been released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/LFyahuXB9s
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) December 4, 2025
It also states that “without reason, no more than one star player can miss the same game” and that teams must make a balance between the number of home and road games a star player missed; ensure if a player is being rested, they are available to fans.
Garland played the night before against the Los Angeles Clippers, a non-nationally televised game, which appears to be the central issue for league officials reviewing the scheduling and decision-making behind his rest.
This case adds another chapter to the league’s ongoing effort to ensure fans tuning into national broadcasts are seeing the sport’s top talent on the floor. While the Cavaliers have been managing Garland conservatively following his surgery, the NBA made clear the guidelines weren’t followed closely enough this time.
The Cavs continue to navigate the early season while keeping their All-Star guard healthy for the long haul. Garland’s return was a key boost in November, but so far, Cleveland has avoided deploying him on both ends of any back-to-back, something that may draw further scrutiny as the season continues.
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