A hot topic in sports, especially the NBA, is the issue of “tanking”. While it sounds like an unbeatable plan–lose a bunch of games, get a higher draft pick–it isn’t a guaranteed strategy.
It can also be especially disheartening for fans who spend their hard-earned money to see a poor product. The NBA has taken measures to discourage “tanking” in its game. They made it clear today that it won’t be accepted.
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Reports have surfaced that the Indiana Pacers and Utah Jazz have been fined $100,000 and $500.000 each, respectively. These fines were assessed due to violations of their Player Participation policy.
The Jazz and Pacers held out starters in their respective games without an injury designation. The NBA has made this effort in order to discourage teams from trying to increase their chances in the draft lottery.
The policy was put in place prior to the 2023-2024 season due to backlash to starters sitting out in perceived attempts to intentionally lose games.
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“Overt behavior like this that prioritizes draft position over winning undermines the foundation of NBA competition, and we will respond accordingly to any further actions that compromise the integrity of our games.” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement.
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Tanking is certainly a polarizing topic among fans. Very seldom will a professional athlete or coach be on board with it.
Jun 25, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Yanic Konan Niederhauser stands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the 30th pick by the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Opportunities in professional sports are limited in their shelf-lives. Intentionally sabotaging your career doesn’t make sense in trying to improve a franchise’s draft position that may not keep you around.
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Nonetheless, the NBA has made it clear that actions that perceive the attempt to intentionally lose games will be punished. The NBA especially wants to avoid this type of action following recent gambling arrests.
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