Chicago Bulls

NBA Warns Bulls to Stop Resting Healthy Players, Reports Say

Robin Lopez has missed the team's last six games

The Chicago Bulls are in the midst of a rebuilding process, but according to multiple reports the NBA isn’t happy with the way they’re structuring their lineups.

The reports, from Yahoo’s Shams Charania and KC Johnson of the Chicago Tribune, say that the NBA has warned the Bulls that they need to stop resting healthy players, including Robin Lopez and Justin Holiday.

Presumably, the league feels that the Bulls are deliberately “tanking” to lose more games and to improve their chances at getting a high draft pick in this year’s NBA Draft Lottery.

Lopez has not appeared in any of the Bulls’ last six games after being held onto after the NBA trade deadline in February. He is averaging 12.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per game when he plays, and it appears that he’ll be back in the lineup when the Bulls play the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night at the United Center.

Holiday has missed five of the Bulls’ last six games, and is averaging 13 points and 4.5 rebounds per game this season.

According to Johnson’s report, the Bulls would still be allowed to rest one of the players during road games, but both players are expected to play limited roles in the team’s games moving forward. 

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