Silver Targets Tanking Teams
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is signaling a crackdown on teams that deliberately lose games for draft advantage. The league may penalize tanking teams by removing draft picks entirely, marking a significant step to preserve competitiveness across all 30 franchises.
- The practice of "tanking" dates back to at least the 1983-84 season when the Houston Rockets, after a 20-26 start, gave more playing time to less talented players to secure the worst record in the Western Conference and the first overall pick in the 1984 draft, which they used to select Hakeem Olajuwon. - In response to early instances of tanking, the NBA introduced the draft lottery system in 1985 to discourage teams from intentionally losing. The league has continued to adjust the formula, most recently in 2019, by flattening the odds to give the teams with the three worst records an equal 14% chance at the top pick. - One of the most infamous examples of systematic tanking was the Philadelphia 76ers' "Process" under General Manager Sam Hinkie, which saw the team win a total of just 47 games between 2013 and 2016. This included a record-setting 28-game losing streak. - Financial penalties for tanking have been issued, but their effectiveness is debated. For instance, the Dallas Mavericks were fined $750,000 in 2023 for resting key players to improve their draft position, a move that successfully allowed them to keep a top-10 protected pick. More recently, in February 2026, the Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers were fined $500,000 and $100,000, respectively, for improper roster management. - Beyond financial penalties, the league is considering more drastic measures, such as preventing teams from drafting in the top four in consecutive seasons. Another proposal is to lock in the lottery odds on March 1st, about six weeks before the end of the regular season, to disincentivize late-season losing. - The current wave of tanking is reportedly influenced by a highly anticipated 2026 draft class, with as many as 10 franchises prioritizing draft position over winning. - Tanking can have a negative impact on player morale. After the Portland Trail Blazers asked star player Damian Lillard to sit out the final 10 games of the 2022-23 season to improve lottery odds, he requested a trade a few months later.
