Tanking in sports is when a team intentionally tries to lose games to get better chances at higher draft picks. This is often practiced by teams in a closed league system, rather than an open league system, where there can be relegation and promotion based on performance, effectively rendering tanking useless.
Sadly, in the NBA, this is nothing new. Allegations about this unsavory practice have run rampant around teams for years. Teams such as the Oklahoma City Thunder, Philadelphia 76ers, and San Antonio Spurs have all faced allegations of tanking.
The NBA, however, seems to be taking tanking more seriously. Recently, the Indiana Pacers and Utah Jazz were hit with hefty fines from the league. Indiana was fined $100,000, while the Jazz had to cough up $500,000.
However, according to some, the time may be ripe for more drastic measures.
The Era Of The NBA Draft Might Just Be Over
Silver Draws The Line
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver had much to address this past All-Star Weekend, in a season that has been called “his most challenging.”
Silver had this to say about the fines levied on the Pacers and the Jazz.
“Are we seeing behavior that is worse this year than we’ve seen in recent memory? Yes, in my view. Which is what led to those fines. And not just the fines, but my statement that we’re going to be looking more closely at the totality of all the circumstances this season in terms of teams’ behavior and very intentionally wanted teams to be on notice.”
Of course, it goes without saying that teams tanking for better odds at high draft picks is bad for the NBA. The league’s product as a whole will be affected by teams trying to “win big” by losing games.
“When any economist comes and looks at our system, they always point out that we have the incentives backwards. It’s not what the fans want at the end of the day.”
Feb 14, 2026; Los Angeles, CA, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver speaks to the media during a press conference before 2026 NBA All Star Saturday Night at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Abolishing The Draft
“There is talk about every possible remedy now to stop this behavior.” This was Silver’s response when asked if more severe punishments would be levied on teams losing games on purpose.
A league official told The Athletic that roughly 10 different solutions to tanking were discussed, but not one of them included entirely abolishing the draft. However, according to the same official, this would be something that would receive serious consideration if Commissioner Silver and his advisors saw it as the only possible way to prevent further tanking.
Andscape senior writer David Dennis Jr was the one to propose this idea on ESPN’s “First Take,” saying:
“If you want to get rid of tanking, you get rid of the draft. It is a simple solution. If you want to lure good players, what you need to do — here’s the thing. If you are a player and you get to choose where you want to go, if you’re the Nets, if you’re the Jazz, you’re not going to build losing teams around you. You want to impress rookies that are coming in, so you get rid of the draft, let rookies choose where they want to go, and they’re going to choose the best organizations. So you have to present yourself as a great organization.”
“If you get rid of the draft, you get rid of tanking.” Dennis Jr concluded.
Stephen A. Smith had his own two cents on Dennis Jr’s take. Smith emphasized the fact that fines alone would not deter NBA owners from continuing shady practices under the table. His solution? Levy fines of significant sums, so much so that owners will be incentivized to not continue illicit practices.
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