CHICAGO _ Robin Lopez and Justin Holiday are back in the Bulls rotation. And those who want the Bulls to acquire more ping-pong balls can blame Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.
That's a light-hearted way of addressing a serious issue as far as the league office is concerned, which is why it moved to have the Board of Governors approve rest rules that took effect for this season.
Popovich is the most notable of many coaches who have rested healthy players over the years, more often to preserve veterans for long playoff runs. When the longstanding practice led to high-profile stars missing nationally televised games, the league had had enough.
Before this season, the Board of Governors voted to allow Commissioner Adam Silver to fine teams who sit healthy players for high-profile, nationally televised games or rest multiple healthy players for any game and any healthy player for road games.
Executive vice president John Paxson publicly disclosed plans for the Bulls to remove Lopez and Holiday as starters before the first post-All-Star-break practice on Feb. 20. Paxson offered several scenarios to the veterans, whom he praised publicly at the time for their acceptance.
Both Lopez and Holiday have stated publicly they initially chose not to accept reduced reserve roles.
When Lopez and Holiday began missing multiple games, the league office and Bulls began cordial and cooperative dialogue that led to Tuesday's development. No fines were issued, sources said, because the Bulls cooperated so readily.
Also, the Bulls replaced Holiday with David Nwaba _ analytically, one of the team's most effective players _ and played the core of Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and Lauri Markkanen regular minutes.
"After the All-Star break, we had communication with the league office about Robin's and Justin's roles," Paxson said in a statement. "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."
Holiday started and played 35 minutes as recently as Feb. 26 at the Nets as LaVine sat out the front end of a back-to-back. Holiday is scheduled to start one game of the three remaining back-to-backs on which LaVine will miss one end.
Lopez, too, seemed to know this conclusion was coming when asked recently about possibly being on ice the final 25 games.
"I don't think it will come to that," Lopez said. "I think I'll be playing."
