NBA Investigates Thunder Following Depleted Roster in National TV Game
An unusually empty bench on national television has thrust the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder into the NBA’s crosshairs, with the league investigating a highly questionable wave of injuries that left only eight players available for a February 4 matchup against the San Antonio Spurs.
The NBA has launched an investigation into the Oklahoma City Thunder to determine if the team violated the league’s Player Participation Policy by ruling out 10 players for a nationally televised game against the San Antonio Spurs on February 4, 2026.
The circumstances around the game only eight available players, an empty bench visible on ESPN, and key players returning shortly after have raised questions about whether the Thunder misused injury designations for rest, an action that could result in heavy fines.
Details of the Investigation
The investigation, first reported by Dan Woike of The Athletic and confirmed by multiple outlets, centers on the Thunder’s 116-108 loss to the Spurs. The team arrived with just eight active players, five of whom were on standard contracts, with the remaining three on two-way contracts.
Here are the 10 players listed on the injury report for that game:
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal strain) – Reigning MVP, All-Star
- Jalen Williams (right hamstring strain) – All-NBA Third Team, All-Star
- Chet Holmgren (low back spasms) – All-Star
- Alex Caruso (right adductor strain)
- Luguentz Dort (right patellofemoral joint inflammation)
- Isaiah Hartenstein (right eye, corneal abrasion)
- Ajay Mitchell (abdominal strain)
- Nikola Topić (surgical recovery)
- Thomas Sorber (right ACL, surgical recovery)
Under the NBA’s policy, a “star player” is defined as anyone named to an All-Star or an All-NBA team in the past three seasons. Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, and Holmgren all meet that criteria.
The NBA’s Rules and Potential Penalties
The NBA’s Player Participation Policy, enacted in 2023, is clear: teams must make “reasonable efforts” to ensure star players are available for nationally televised and in-season tournament games.
If the league finds the Thunder violated this policy by improperly listing healthy players as injured, the financial penalties are steep:
- First offense: $100,000 fine
- Second offense: $250,000 fine
- Subsequent offenses: Increase of $1 million per violation
The situation has drawn comparisons to 2012, when the San Antonio Spurs were fined $250,000 after then-coach Gregg Popovich sent multiple star players home before a nationally televised game.
Broader Context and What’s Next
The Thunder, who hold the best record in the NBA at 40-13 despite this loss, have been investigated under similar circumstances before. This places the organization under greater scrutiny.
The NBA’s investigation is ongoing. League officials will likely review medical records, interview team staff, and compare the Thunder’s handling of these injuries to standard practices across the league before reaching a conclusion.
I hope this detailed breakdown gives you a clear picture of this developing NBA story.