With an emerging Keyonte George, Markkanen, Nurkic, and Jackson, the Jazz have too much talent to tank, but there we are. Jackson has been shut down with knee surgery that appears to be legitimate and Hardy has been accused of not only benching his players but not calling timeouts in critical stretches.<\/p>\n
Tanking teams used to just bench players with questionable injuries to get the job done, but the Jazz revolutionized it with playing their star players and then benching them because they had a chance to impact victory.<\/p>\n
\u201cOvert 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,\u201d NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. \u201cAdditionally, we are working with our Competition Committee and Board of Governors to implement further measures to root out this type of conduct.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Pacers were accused of scratching six players in their Feb. 3 loss to the Jazz \u2014 the battle of the tankers \u2014 when some of them could have played. The Pacers even rested 23-year-old guard Bennedict Mathurin in the 131-122 loss. Indiana managed to best the Knicks in overtime on Tuesday despite not calling a timeout in the final minutes, including one that would have advanced the ball to midcourt when they were trying to protect the lead.<\/p>\n
Tanking has existed in the NBA for generations. The 1996-97 Spurs shut down David Robinson with back surgery and then proceeded to lose as many games as possible to get a premium pick in the draft and they edged out the Celtics is the draft lottery<\/a> to get Tim Duncan.<\/p>\n In the 30 years since, downtrodden franchises have used tanking to score premium draft picks, most of the time shutting down star players with injuries and using younger, unproven, and less talented prospects. But tanking has become more sophisticated and the league has to address the issue.<\/p>\n Not only is it a disservice to the game, but fans are paying exorbitant prices for tickets and it\u2019s not as if the teams offer discounts when star players aren\u2019t playing. The fans are the ones paying the price and the league fining the Jazz and Pacers $500,000 may appear to be a light financial penalty, but it could serve as a sign of major changes in how teams are awarded draft picks.<\/p>\n The NBA has attempted to even the draft lottery odds of the teams with the four worst records to prevent noncompetitive games in the final weeks of the season, but teams are already tanking before the All-Star Break.<\/p>\n The Pacers are preparing for what could be one of the biggest bounceback seasons in NBA history when they are completely healthy with Tyrese Haliburton<\/a>, Ivica Zubac, Obi Toppin, and a lottery pick. But for the Jazz, it\u2019s still uncertain when they will decide when to compete, and perhaps it taints the legacy of the great Ainge because the Jazz haven\u2019t moved forward in his tenure.<\/p>\n WHAT SHOULD TATUM DO?<\/p>\n When asked about the impending decision of Jayson Tatum whether to return to the Celtics this season<\/a>, NBC analyst and Naismith Memorial Hall of Famer Reggie Miller said he had that conversation with colleagues Carmelo Anthony and Jamal Crawford and they all agreed, if completely healthy, Tatum should return.<\/p>\n \u201cI will say this, if you would have told me at the start of the season that the Celtics would be 5\u00bd games out of first place,\u201d Miller said. \u201cI knew they would still have talent without Jayson. The way Jaylen Brown is playing, he\u2019s playing at an MVP level<\/a>, and should be highly discussed in that MVP frame with [Nikola] Jokic, and [Shai Gilgeous-Alexander], and Cade [Cunningham]. \u201cBut for them to be playing this well and coach [Joe] Mazzulla should get serious consideration for Coach of the Year and the way he has entrusted his bench, [Neemias] Queta, Jordan Walsh, these guys [Hugo] Gonzalez the rookie, so he\u2019s opened up his bench, and he\u2019s developing a strong bench in hopes and returns of Jayson Tatum.\u201d<\/p>\n Tatum has had concerns about coming back at less than his peak and what impact his presence would have on his teammates and a chemistry already established. The all-time greats say Tatum\u2019s return can only be a positive.<\/p>\n \u201cTo me, if you can add an all-NBA first-teamer and look, I don\u2019t think he\u2019s going to be playing major minutes if he came back,\u201d Miller said. \u201cBut hearing like Damian Lillard participating in the 3-point competition, a guy who tore his Achilles in the playoffs last year as well, we\u2019ve had a number of Boston Celtics games this year, some on the road, some in the Garden, and Tatum has been front and center. So coming in the Garden, and Tatum has been front and center, especially the ones on the road that I\u2019ve seen him.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I\u2019ve gone into the workout facility and seen him work out. He looks great. I personally would bring him back. To me, it\u2019s all mental, I don\u2019t think it would mess up chemistry. Adding an old NBA guy for 15, 20 minutes in the playoffs, I think it only helps.\u201d<\/p>\n Anthony said the Celtics have to preserve the title windows of Brown and Tatum and making a run in the wide-open Eastern Conference<\/a> with Tatum could accomplish that.<\/p>\n \u201cMy honest opinion is if he\u2019s healthy enough to come back and play, then you play him, right?\u201d Anthony said. \u201cI say that because this is, this is about saving the championship window, right? And if we can do that, then let\u2019s do it. We got to bring him back in limited minutes and let him get in game shape. He\u2019s starting to get some reps. He looks stronger, he looks a lot more physical. He looks healthy. Mentally, he looks like he\u2019s getting ready. So if you have one of the best players in this league that\u2019s ready to come back and putting in the work and making sure that he dots all those Is and crosses his Ts, then why not bring him back? The team is already rolling. Jaylen Brown is leading those guys having an MVP-caliber season this year so Jayson could come back and play a couple games and get implemented, and get his wind back and get his timing back. I don\u2019t see how this disturbs the Celtics.\u201d<\/p>\n Miller said the Celtics don\u2019t trade Anfernee Simons for Nikola Vucevic<\/a> without having a potential Tatum return in mind.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Celtics don\u2019t make that Vucevic move without thinking about the big picture,\u201d he said. \u201cBecause adding Vucevic really opens up their team, because he\u2019s a pick-and-pop center, and it\u2019s a different dynamic than having Queta in there, who\u2019s been great, who\u2019s a great screen and roller, good hands around the basket. But the way the Celtics won a championship and been successful over the last three or four years has been taking 50 threes and playing five guys out. When you have Nikola on the floor that allows you to do that with Tatum. So I think that move there kind of signals to me that they\u2019re anticipating Tatum coming back.\u201d<\/p>\n ETC.<\/p>\n The Clippers have endured a tumultuous season, beginning with the Kawhi Leonard situation where the franchise has been accused of circumventing the salary cap<\/a> by helping him sign an endorsement contract with a fleeting company that eventually folded. Then the injury-riddled club began 6-21, and the jettisoned Chris Paul off the roster<\/a>.Paul announced his retirement Friday.<\/a> They have been a resurgent club the past few months, almost guaranteeing themselves a play-in spot, but when James Harden\u2019s plea for a two-year extension was denied, he asked out.<\/p>\n The Clippers, realizing they had no chance to get out of the Western Conference, even with a healthy roster, sent Harden to the Cavaliers for injured guard Darius Garland, who is 10 years younger and has a bigger long-term upside. Los Angeles then dealt productive center Ivica Zubac, a onetime Celtics target, to the Pacers for two first-round picks.<\/p>\n The rebuild is happening in Los Angeles, right at the feet of Leonard, who is playing his best basketball since becoming a Clipper. It\u2019s an awkward time at Intuit Dome, because the franchise is stuck between now and the future. But the Clippers will move on.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, it\u2019s tough, you lose one of your guys in the locker room, especially one of your best players,\u201d Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. \u201c I just told our guys we\u2019re going to be okay, it\u2019s going to be fine. You know, and when James [Harden] gone, we got to play a different style of basketball, and our younger guys, they got to understand that. They know how to do it, they should never be holding a basketball. They also begin the next action, create action. The only one guy that should be holding the ball is Kawhi [Leonard], you know? So, just understanding we got to play a different style of basketball, a different way. It\u2019s going to take a little time, but we\u2019ll get there.\u201d<\/p>\n Harden wanted to be traded to a contender and the Clippers had no interest in paying him $80 million over the next two seasons when the franchise could be in transition. It was the right move at the right time, although any midseason move of a major player is difficult.<\/p>\n \u201dI wasn\u2019t expecting it,\u201d Derrick Jones Jr. said. \u201cI don\u2019t think anybody was. But we can\u2019t dwell on it. But we have to have that next man up mentality. Once [Garland] gets back and gets healthy we\u2019re going to get the chemistry out there and everything is going to be good.\u201d<\/p>\n Leonard has one more year on his contract at $50 million. The Clippers could dangle him for trade this summer or keep him and perhaps agree to a longer-term extension at value. Leonard turns 35 in June and his body has taken a beating with a myriad of injuries but he also appears to have a lot of basketball left. Perhaps those games missed have preserved his body. He dropped the winning bucket in the Clippers\u2019 win at Houston Wednesday and appears pleased with the current situation.<\/p>\n \u201cI could just say what he brings to the table, what he has been doing in the league, obviously, a multiple All-Star, very talented guard, 26, probably still got a bright side to him,\u201d Leonard said of Garland. \u201cI don\u2019t think we\u2019ve seen the best of him yet. But pace, a guy who knows how to pass the ball, to shoot threes, he\u2019s got an amazing touch. A competitor, and I think that\u2019s what he is going to bring to our table.\u201d<\/p>\n Leonard said he was not aware of Harden\u2019s trade demand but said he\u2019s focused on this reshaped roster.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know, it was shocking, but this is the NBA, you know, it\u2019s business. And that\u2019s what comes first,\u201d Leonard said. \u201c[Harden\u201d was a great teammate, we spent time together, had great memories, and I wish him best of luck with him and his career. We are still locked in, and I respect him.\u201d<\/p>\n The NBA got a surprise entry into the free agent market when the Spurs released former lottery pick Jeremy Sochan, who played very little this season and became lost in a youth movement as the club emerges as the primary contender to the Thunder in the Western Conference. He was quickly signed by the Knicks. Sochan started for most of his first two NBA seasons, even some at point guard, and appeared to be part of the team\u2019s future. But the Spurs have loaded up on draft talent the past few years, taking the likes of Stephon Castle, Victor Wembanyama, Dylan Harper, and Carter Bryant, along with signing Luke Kornet<\/a>. Sochan\u2019s playing time decreased dramatically this season and he never improved his ability to shoot from the perimeter \u2026 Just when it appeared the Knicks were unquestionably the second-best team in the Eastern Conference after a 22-point win over the Celtics last Sunday<\/a>, they come back and lose to the tanking Pacers at home two nights later. The Pacers just seem to play well against the Knicks while the Knicks continue their up-and-down play despite having as much talent as any team in the East. Karl-Anthony Towns fouled out of the Indiana game and continues to frustrate Knicks fans by arguing nearly every call. But he did hit two clutch free throws with 0.2 seconds left to send the game into overtime \u2026 After being waived before the trade deadline, Arlington native Pat Connaughton returned to the Hornets on a one-year deal as the club waived former first-round pick Malaki Branham. Connaughton played sparingly with the Hornets but was considered a reliable veteran mentor \u2026 LeBron James won\u2019t be eligible for an All-NBA team for the first time in his amazing career, having sat out his 18th game of the season, a loss to the Spurs, meaning he will not reach the 65-game minimum<\/a>. James missed the first month of the season with sciatica and has been rested for various games because of his age (41). James is expected to play in Sunday\u2019s All-Star Game in Los Angeles, where he was chosen as a reserve by the league\u2019s coaches. There are several standout players, such as Stephen Curry, who are approaching that 17-games-missed plateau. <\/p>\n The Patriots lose Super Bowl LX to the Seahawks in a beatdown by the Bay. Boston Globe Sports Report is live from San Francisco to break everything down.<\/p>\n Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at gary.washburn@globe.com<\/a>. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Recent](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/JZQQEZ4BSB7JBNXHUSNIMWXQNU.JPG\")
Recent roster moves could signal the Celtics think Jayson Tatum will return this season.Danielle Parhizkaran\/Globe Staff<\/p>\n![\"James](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ZPXNS2VUN6KFKJOTBI2UEZQXTA.jpg\")
James Harden was dealt to the Cavaliers after the Clippers wouldn’t give him a contract extension.Sue Ogrocki\/Associated Press<\/p>\n![\"Darius](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/6KIM5RLUFLLWLEASJMBTZIXXU4.jpg\")
Darius Garland will give the Clippers a younger backcourt when he’s healthy.Mark J. Terrill\/Associated Press<\/p>\n