NBA commissioner Adam Silver plans to implement rule changes aimed at reducing tanking after this season. Meanwhile, the league’s weakest teams continue to struggle.
The bottom 10 teams in the NBA are experiencing a combined 40-game losing streak. The Brooklyn Nets have lost nine games in a row, while the Utah Jazz, Indiana Pacers, and Washington Wizards have not won in their last six games. A mix of star player injuries, an appealing draft, and avoiding other underperforming teams has led to poor performances on the court.
Injuries Worsen Teams’ Chances
The NBA draft lottery encourages teams to be significantly worse rather than just slightly underperforming when they find themselves out of playoff contention. This season, injuries have increased the number of teams lacking playoff aspirations sooner than usual.
Some teams initially intended to compete. The Dallas Mavericks dealt with the absence of Anthony Davis for most of the season and later traded him, while also deciding not to re-sign Kyrie Irving. The Sacramento Kings have faced injuries to Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Murray. Giannis Antetokounmpo also suffered two serious injuries with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Additionally, various players opted for season-ending surgeries, including Jaren Jackson, Jr. of the Jazz, Zach LaVine of the Kings, and Zach Edey of the Memphis Grizzlies. As a result, a significant portion of the league is left searching for wins.
Attractive Draft Prospects on the Horizon
Freshman AJ Dybantsa leads the nation in scoring with an average of 24.8 points per game for the BYU Cougars. Cameron Boozer records 22.6 points and 10 rebounds while shooting over 40 percent from beyond the arc for the Duke Blue Devils. North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson closely follows with 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds, yet Darryn Peterson of Kansas is projected to be the top pick.
These prospects make acquiring a high draft pick even more appealing, which could lead to more teams considering tanking. The Wizards signed Jordan Reese, brother of Angel Reese, from the G League and played him for 61 minutes in his first two NBA games. Meanwhile, Cam Thomas, who ranked second in scoring for the Nets, was released.
The ongoing losing streak is also attributed to the struggling teams not facing each other recently. Despite the desire to avoid losses at the bottom of the standings, each game still requires a victor, even if the winning team ultimately feels they’ve not gained much.