NBA Gets Serious About Anti-Tanking Measures

The NBA is getting increasingly serious about implementing specific reforms to address tanking around the league, and have begun to discuss a series of potential measures. 

After tanking was a pressing topic at last weekend’s All-Star Game in Los Angeles, this week’s GM meetings involved discussion about a series of ideas under more direct consideration, according to industry sources and multiple reports. 

Among the measures under consideration are granting every lottery team the same odds for a No. 1 draft pick, allowing draft-pick protections on only top-four positions, adjusting lottery odds to be based on a two-year span, allowing teams in postseason play-in tournament in the draft lottery, and freezing the draft lottery odds at the trade deadline or a different date, instead of the end of the season.

Many of the steps under consideration are still very much at a conceptual stage, but there is a fast-growing push to have at least some measure of anti-tanking rule changes in place for the 2026–27 season.

“Are we seeing behavior that is worse this year than we’ve seen in recent memory?” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said last weekend. “Yes, is my view.” 

Broader Perspective

Silver’s comments come two days after he fined the Jazz $500,000 for sitting forwards Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. in the fourth quarter against the Magic in a game in which they led at the end of the third quarter. The Jazz have a top-eight protected pick in June’s draft that would go to the Thunder if it falls to ninth or lower.

Silver also fined the Pacers $100,000 for sitting forward Pascal Siakam after an independent physician determined he could have played in a Feb. 3 game against the Jazz in which the team ruled him out due to injury. 

Other teams such as the Wizards, Nets, and Mavericks have also been at the center of rising scrutiny around tanking—something capturing greater attention among team owners and executives.

“Tanking is losing behavior done by losers,” Suns owner Mat Ishbia said in a social media post. “Purposely losing is something nobody should want to be associated with. Embarrassing for the league and for the organizations. And the talk about this as a ‘strategy’ is ridiculous. … Purposely shutting down players and purposely losing games is a disgrace and impacts the integrity of the whole league.”

Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban, however, had the direct opposite view, and this week advocated for the NBA to “embrace tanking,” and admitted to doing it multiple times when he had majority control of the team.

“Fans know their team can’t win every game. They know only one team can win a ring. What fans that care about their team’s record want is hope,” Cuban said. “Hope they will get better and have a chance to compete for the playoffs and then maybe a ring. The one way to get closer to that is via the draft. And trades. And cap room. You have a better chance of improving via all three when you tank.”

The NBA’s push to get more aggressive and specific about anti-tanking measures also is likely informed by the NBA’s prior successful move to implement appearance minimums for players to be eligible for All-NBA teams and major awards—which in turn directly influence compensation. That step has helped reduce healthy scratches among players.