Tanking has become a major topic in the NBA this season, and the league is addressing it head-on. Commissioner Adam Silver used All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles to send a clear message to teams: the NBA will not ignore efforts to manipulate draft positioning.
The league backed this up with fines shortly before, hitting the Utah Jazz with $500,000 and the Indiana Pacers with $100,000 for breaching the Player Participation Policy.
Both fines were issued because these teams made choices based on draft positioning instead of competing. The penalties sent a strong message, but not everyone agrees.
Mark Cuban Critiques NBA Focus
Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban expressed his disagreement publicly, sharing a detailed response on X about what he sees as the league’s misdirected priorities.
“The NBA has been wrong in thinking fans want to see their teams win every game. That’s not the case.”
“What fans want is hope. Hope for improvement, playoff opportunities, and possibly a championship. The draft offers the best chance for that, along with trades and salary cap space. Tanking can help with all three.”
“The NBA should prioritize the fan experience over tanking. They should focus more on ticket prices than on tanking. Parents who can’t take their children to games because of costs don’t care about tanking. Affordability and game quality are what matter most.”