Ahhh tanking.
The NBA’s fascination with fighting for a higher draft pick is unique among the major professional sports, tanks to the NBA model of tiny five-man lineups that allow pure individual talent to win over systemic execution of a game plan.
When you’re only playing five guys at a time, the team fielding the best 2-3 players wins more often than not.
All you have to do is to have the best couple of players on the court. One isn’t enough. But two... now you’re getting somewhere. Give me the two best players on the court supported by a league-average rotation and I’ll bring home more wins than losses.