As we outlined earlier this week in a Hoops Rumors glossary entry, the NBA’s player participation policy – instituted in 2023 – is designed to reduce instances of teams resting healthy players during the regular season.
The player participation policy is focused almost exclusively on players considered “stars” and includes rules prohibiting those stars from sitting out NBA Cup games or nationally televised games without an approved reason (including a legitimate injury). A team can also run afoul of the policy if it rests more than one star in the same game, repeatedly rests a star in road games instead of home games, or shuts down a star for an extended period of time.
For the purposes of the policy, the league defines a “star” as a player who has been named to an All-Star or All-NBA team at least once during the prior three seasons.
That means a player who earned an All-Star or All-NBA berth in 2022, 2023, and/or 2024 would be considered a “star” during the 2024/25 season and would be subject to the restrictions of the player participation policy.
Here’s the full list of the players who meet that criteria:
- Trae Young (Hawks)
- Jayson Tatum (Celtics)
- Jaylen Brown (Celtics)
- Jrue Holiday (Celtics) *
- LaMelo Ball (Hornets)
- Zach LaVine (Bulls)
- Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers)
- Jarrett Allen (Cavaliers)
- Darius Garland (Cavaliers)
- Luka Doncic (Mavericks)
- Kyrie Irving (Mavericks)
- Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)
- Stephen Curry (Warriors) *
- Draymond Green (Warriors)
- Andrew Wiggins (Warriors)
- Fred VanVleet (Rockets)
- Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers)
- Pascal Siakam (Pacers)
- James Harden (Clippers) *
- Kawhi Leonard (Clippers)
- LeBron James (Lakers) *
- Anthony Davis (Lakers)
- Ja Morant (Grizzlies)
- Jaren Jackson Jr. (Grizzlies)
- Jimmy Butler (Heat) *
- Bam Adebayo (Heat)
- Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
- Damian Lillard (Bucks) **
- Khris Middleton (Bucks)
- Rudy Gobert (Timberwolves)
- Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves)
- Julius Randle (Timberwolves)
- Dejounte Murray (Pelicans)
- Zion Williamson (Pelicans)
- Jalen Brunson (Knicks)
- Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder)
- Paolo Banchero (Magic)
- Joel Embiid (Sixers)
- Paul George (Sixers) **
- Tyrese Maxey (Sixers)
- Devin Booker (Suns)
- Kevin Durant (Suns) *
- DeMar DeRozan (Kings) *
- Domantas Sabonis (Kings)
- De’Aaron Fox (Kings)
- Chris Paul (Spurs) *
- Scottie Barnes (Raptors)
- Lauri Markkanen (Jazz)
Note: The players marked with an asterisk (*) were either 35 years old on opening night or have accumulated 34,000+ career regular minutes or 1,000 career regular season and playoff games, making them eligible for pre-approved rest nights during back-to-back sets. Players marked with two asterisks (**) are on track to surpass either the 34,000-minute or 1,000-game mark this season.
A total of 16 teams have multiple players considered “stars” for the purposes of the player participation policy in 2024/25, while just four clubs (the Nets, Pistons, Trail Blazers, and Wizards) don’t have a single player affected.
This group of players could grow following the 2025 All-Star Game. A player who isn’t one of 49 currently listed above would have his name added if he’s selected as an All-Star this season. He would be subject to player participation policy restrictions for games played after All-Star weekend.
At the time of publication, two teams have received fines worth $100K apiece as a result of player participation policy violations this season: the Sixers (Embiid) and the Hawks (Young).