Yahoo Sports · Oct 27, 2022
NBA tanking is a problem, so here is one possible solution to encourage quality regular-season play
The NBA’s current lottery system incentivizes less-than-blessed franchises to do all they can to do as little as possible in order to be in the best position to draft someone like, say, Victor Wembanyama.
The league has tried various initiatives to curb the scourge that is tanking — something NBA commissioner Adam Silver is so concerned about he addressed it to team employees with the Phoenix Suns recently — a franchise that seemingly has very little chance of such a worry.
As tantalizingly good as Wembanyama is, it isn’t exclusive to his future draft eligibility. It’s a strategy so many struggling franchises have engaged in it’s almost common practice.