NBA fines Jazz for holding Lauri Markkanen out of recent games

Utah Jazz forward/center Lauri Markkanen (23) makes a call against the New York Knicks during the second half of an NBA game at the Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images

NEW YORK— The NBA fined the Utah Jazz $100,000 on Wednesday for violating the league’s player participation policy after failing to make leading scorer Lauri Markkanen available for recent games.

The league said it was penalizing the team for failing to make Markkanen available at Washington on March 5 as well as other games the past few weeks.

READ: NBA: Lauri Markkanen a cornerstone of Jazz rebuild

The 7-footer from Finland had not played since a win over Houston on Feb. 22. Markkanen, averaging 19.3 points, was available for Wednesday’s game at Memphis after previously being listed as questionable due to a lower back injury.

Utah was last in the NBA Western Conference at 15-50. The Washington Wizards were the only team with a worse record at 13-51.