The NBA is reviewing the Nets’ decision to field a threadbare roster against the Bucks on Wednesday, The Post has learned. The league is determining whether it rises to the level of a finable offense.
In a case of load management that offended many of their fans — and appeared to vex their star player, Mikal Bridges — the Nets opted to sit four players against visiting Milwaukee, then compounded matters by pulling three more early in the 144-122 defeat.
Nic Claxton, Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith and Cam Johnson all sat out entirely.
Then the Nets doubled down, pulling Bridges, Cam Thomas and Royce O’Neale after the first quarter.
That Bucks tilt was Brooklyn’s fifth game in seven days, and it proceeded to embark on a four-game, six-night road trip.
“I’ve got to think short term and long term and make executive decisions for the betterment of the group,” Vaughn said at the time. “It’s unfortunate tonight that they just got to the point where we’re putting them in harm’s way by putting them out there tonight.”
With its being the only home date in a six-game span, it left many paying customers in Barclays Center vexed.
And they weren’t the only ones, with Bridges admitting he wasn’t a fan of the decision.
“My ideal world of communication is that I present the information to you, I’m upfront with it — and I’m talking about not just you guys, I’m talking about players when I have the communication with them — and that they understand that I have to make a choice, and the choice will be made,” said Vaughn.
“It’s just like with my kids, though. That doesn’t mean you always have to agree. And so the communication is what I want, and understand that I have to make a choice. And that’s my position as the head coach. But just like my kids, doesn’t mean you have to agree with a decision.”
Vaughn shouldered the blame, but in the Nets’ organization those decisions are largely made by the performance team.
And they haven’t always been popular.
In an infamous “Eight Men Out” game Dec. 10, 2022, the Nets sat eight players against Indiana at Gainbridge Fieldhouse and actually pulled out a 136-133 win. At the time, Vaughn seemed surprised when asked by The Post if he was afraid of any league fines or just considered them the cost of doing business.
“It’s just a combination [of players] that is adding up at the same time,” Vaughn said after the game. “But we feel totally comfortable as an organization that we put the best product out there on the floor as many times as possible and we’ll continue to do that. It just so happened that tonight is more than one, two or three people.”
Five days later the league fined the Nets $25,000.
Ben Simmons and Lonnie Walker IV missed Sunday night’s game in Oklahoma City. Jalen Wilson (who is from Denton, Texas) and Armoni Brooks (from Austin) — who are usually on the injury report, listed with G League duty — were both removed from the report and presumably available for a potential quasi-homecoming.
The Lakers are interested in Finney-Smith and O’Neale, according to the Los Angeles Times.