The Brooklyn Nets garnered heavy criticism after they rested nearly their entire rotation during a Dec. 27th home loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. The league office was among those to take notice, fining the Nets $100,000 Thursday for violating the NBA's player participation policy.
Head coach Jacque Vaughn defended the team's decision following the loss, saying the players who did play were deserving. The coach reacted Friday to the NBA's decision to fine Brooklyn following the debacle:
“I think imma keep that one for my memoirs, my true reaction,” Vaughn said. “I'll just say I'm just ready to move on. We'll own it, it's done.”
Jacque Vaughn's reaction to the NBA fining the Nets $100,000 for violating the league's player participation policy:
"I think imma keep that one for my memoirs, my true reaction… I'm just ready to move on. We'll own it, it's done." pic.twitter.com/jFd333Usy7
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) January 5, 2024




The Nets did not play Spencer Dinwiddie, Cam Johnson, Nic Claxton, or Dorian Finney-Smith vs. Milwaukee, citing rest and injury maintenance on their status report. In a statement announcing the fine, the NBA said an investigation, which induced a review by an independent physician, “determined that four Brooklyn rotation players who did not participate in the game could have played under the medical standard in the Player Participation Policy.”
In addition to resting Dinwiddie, Johnson, Claxton, and Finney-Smith, Vaughn did not play Mikal Bridges, Cam Thomas or Royce O'Neale after the first quarter. Despite trailing by eight points entering the fourth quarter, Brooklyn also did not play Dennis Smith Jr. or Day'Ron Sharpe in the final period.
The Bucks outscored the Nets 44-30 in the final frame, with Brooklyn using a lineup of primarily G-League players. Vaughn's squad has lost four straight games since the Milwaukee defeat, extending a cold stretch during which they have lost 10 of 12.