With the introduction of the Play-In Tournament a few years ago, initially created as a solution to salvage a season impacted by COVID-19, the league suddenly found an answer to a problem that had long troubled it. Although it wasn’t originally designed that way, the Play-In turned out to be the perfect countermeasure to tanking teams at the bottom of the standings.
The Milwaukee Bucks, currently sitting 12th in the East with 23 wins after the All-Star break, are still dreaming about reaching the Play-In, just three wins away, which would give them another shot at making the playoffs. A 12th-seeded team still thinking about postseason basketball this late in the year used to be rare. Now, it’s reality.
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Still, with several extreme cases over the last month, most notably the Utah Jazz, Indiana Pacers and Washington Wizards, Adam Silver and his office are once again facing headaches over teams that are effectively undermining competitive balance.
The league has reportedly begun exploring ways to curb the trend. Still, Mark Cuban explained why the NBA should actually embrace tanking instead.
“Few can remember the score from the last game they saw or went to,” Cuban wrote on his “X” account. “They can’t remember the dunks or shots. What they remember is who they were with. Their family, friends, a date. That’s what makes the experience special.”
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“Fans know their team can’t win every game,” Cuban added. “They know only one team can win a ring. What fans that care about their team’s record want is hope. Hope they will get better and have a chance to compete for the playoffs and then maybe a ring.”
Tanking is in full swing this season
The minority owner of the Dallas Mavericks rarely tanked during more than two decades in Dallas. Still, he understands why certain franchises choose that route and his solution makes sense.
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For example, the Wizards, after major trades this season that brought in Trae Young and Anthony Davis, both injured at the time, effectively shut them down for the remainder of the season.
There is already widespread talk that the upcoming draft class could be even stronger than this year’s, which produced elite young prospects like Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel.
It’s hard to resist tanking for teams that know this season won’t amount to much but see an opportunity, through smart future moves, to raise their ceiling and become legitimate contenders, just like Washington intends to do.
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“We didn’t tank often. Only a few times over 23 years, but when we did, our fans appreciated it,” Cuban explained. “And it got us to where we could improve, trade up to get Luka and improve our team.”
“The NBA should worry more about fan experience than tanking. It should worry more about pricing fans out of games than tanking,” Cuban added. “You know who cares the least about tanking? A parent who can’t afford to bring their three kids to a game and buy their kids a jersey of their favorite player. Tanking isn’t the issue. Affordability and quality of game presentation are.”
Fans are showing their love despite the losses
The Pittsburgh native has a point. Tanking culture is unlikely to disappear and arenas are still mostly full, even for teams far removed from championship contention. While teams compete for trophies and wins, that isn’t their only driving force. What truly makes the NBA a global powerhouse is its fans.
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According to various reports, ticket prices across American sports have risen by as much as 123 percent since the start of this decade. In some arenas, such as Madison Square Garden, average ticket prices can reach nearly $500.
As for the Mavericks, under new ownership, they have announced season-ticket price increases ranging from 8 to 13 percent, sparking fan backlash, especially after the trade of Luka Doncic. In some arenas, prices have even doubled, while certain franchises have eliminated long-standing loyalty discounts.
Attendance hasn’t yet seen a dramatic drop, but if the trend continues, it wouldn’t be surprising to see it become a real issue for the league. Cuban‘s point is clear – fans will show up regardless of whether their teams are winning or losing — but aggressive price hikes could truly drive families away from attending games regularly.
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This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Feb 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.