CHICAGO (AP) — Bulls executive vice president John Paxson says the team will no longer rest Robin Lopez or Justin Holliday after receiving a reminder from the league office about player rest and tanking.
Paxson says the league communicated with the team after the All-Star break about those two players and their diminishing roles. Lopez has missed the last six games and Holliday five of the last six.
Paxson said in a statement to the Chicago Tribune that “after healthy dialogue, the league determined that their situations fall into the ‘player rest’ policy. We respect the communication and cooperative dialogue with the league and will adhere to their recommendations.”
The Bulls have the eighth-worst record in the NBA at 21-42. There are five teams tied with 20 wins right behind them, and Chicago would clearly increase their chances of getting a better draft pick in the NBA lottery if they are able to lose a few games.
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