Claim : The NBA fined the Cleveland Cavaliers $250,000 for violating the Player Participation Policy by sitting Darius Garland during a nationally televised game.

The issue occurred during back-to-back games played by the Cleveland Cavaliers on November 23 and 24, 2025. According to the Associated Press , Darius Garland, classified as a “star player” under the NBA’s Player Participation Policy, played in the home game against the LA Clippers on November 23 but did not play the next night against the Toronto Raptors. That November 24 game was nationally televised on Peacock in the U.S. and Sportsnet in Canada. The Cavaliers listed Garland’s absence as “Left Great Toe; Injury Management,” referencing a toe procedure he had in the offseason—information also noted by The Athletic

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