INGLEWOOD, Calif. — NBA Commissioner Adam Silver acknowledged Saturday that the practice of “tanking” – teams intentionally losing games to improve their draft position – has reached a concerning level, prompting the league to consider significant changes to the draft process. Silver stated that the current incentives are “misaligned,” leading to behaviors he described as “worse this year than we’ve seen in recent memory.”
The issue has come to a head this season, with the NBA recently fining the Utah Jazz $500,000 for conduct detrimental to the league, specifically for resting key players in consecutive fourth quarters. The Indiana Pacers were likewise fined $100,000 for similar actions. However, Silver conceded that simply issuing fines isn’t a sustainable solution to a problem deeply ingrained in the league’s culture.
“We’re doing, what we’re seeing right now, is not working. There’s no question about it,” Silver told reporters at the Intuit Dome, the home of the Los Angeles Clippers and site of Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game. The commissioner indicated that the league is exploring “every possible remedy,” including a complete overhaul of the NBA draft lottery system.
The 2026 NBA draft is widely considered to be exceptionally strong, featuring several potential franchise-altering players. This heightened anticipation has exacerbated the incentive for teams to secure a higher draft pick, even at the expense of competitive play. The league’s current draft lottery system, designed to grant the worst teams a better chance at the top pick, appears to be having the unintended consequence of encouraging losing.
Fines and Frustration: The Jazz Respond
Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith publicly disagreed with the NBA’s assessment, responding to the fine with a sarcastic statement: “agree to disagree.” Smith also pointed out the irony that the Jazz won one of the games for which they were penalized, questioning the league’s logic. “We won the game in Miami and got fined?” Smith said. “That makes sense.”
A History of Incentives and a Search for Solutions
Silver acknowledged that the issue of tanking isn’t new, but the current analytics-driven approach has amplified the problem. He noted a shift from an “understanding among partners” regarding acceptable behavior to a more calculated strategy based on data and draft projections. The NBA has previously attempted to disincentivize tanking by weighting the draft lottery, so the team with the worst record doesn’t automatically receive the first overall pick. However, Silver expressed doubt about its effectiveness.
“It’s not clear to me, for example, that the 30th (best) performing team is that much measurably worse than the 22nd (best) performing team, particularly if you have incentive to perform poorly to gain a better draft pick,” Silver explained. “So it’s a bit of a conundrum.”
Echoes of the Past: Stern’s Approach
The difficulty in finding a solution was highlighted by comments from talk show host Colin Cowherd, who suggested Silver emulate his predecessor, David Stern, by directly confronting teams suspected of tanking. “I don’t recognize what you do with tanking, they’ve been doing it forever. But they did it a lot less with David Stern,” Cowherd said last week. “People feared David Stern.”
The league’s 80-year history is prompting a reevaluation of fundamental structures, Silver indicated. “The league is 80-years-old. It’s time to take a fresh look at this and to see whether that’s an antiquated way,” he said.
The NBA is actively discussing potential solutions, with approximately ten options under consideration. While the complete abolition of the rookie draft has not been discussed, a significant overhaul of the draft lottery system appears increasingly likely. Any changes would require approval from team owners and the players’ union.
What’s Next for the NBA?
The NBA faces a complex challenge in balancing competitive integrity with the desire to provide struggling teams with opportunities to rebuild. The coming months will be crucial as the league explores potential reforms to address the growing problem of tanking and restore faith in the fairness of the draft process. The league is expected to continue discussions with team owners and the players’ association to find a solution that addresses the concerns raised by Silver and others.
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