NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is facing mounting pressure to address the practice of tanking across the league.
The issue centers on teams deliberately losing games to improve their odds in the draft lottery. This practice is viewed by some critics as the biggest problem currently facing the NBA because it undermines competitive integrity, and alienates fans.
Discussions regarding these reforms intensified in 2024, including a notable speech delivered by Silver at the Intuit Dome in San Jose, California. The debate focuses on whether the league can implement a cure for tanking that preserves the incentive for teams to remain competitive throughout the entire season.
While tanking is a primary concern for some, other critics argue that the league's integrity is threatened by different factors. Some reports suggest that officiating issues and the length of the regular season are more pressing problems that require immediate attention.
Currently, the NBA regular season consists of 82 games per team [1]. There have been calls for Silver to reduce this number to mitigate player fatigue and improve the quality of play, a move that would fundamentally change the league's operational structure.
Silver said the fight against tanking is a priority. The league continues to evaluate how to balance the need for parity—which allows struggling teams to rebuild through high draft picks—with the necessity of providing a genuine competition for the ticket-paying public.
Opponents of the current system said that when teams stop trying to win, the product on the court suffers. This creates a cycle where the regular season loses value for fans in cities where teams have decided to prioritize a high lottery pick over immediate victory.
“The practice of tanking is viewed by some critics as the biggest problem currently facing the NBA.”
The NBA is struggling to balance its parity-driven ecosystem with the commercial need for a competitive product. If the league cannot discourage tanking, it risks a decline in fan engagement during the regular season, potentially forcing a shift in how draft picks are allocated or a reduction in the total number of games played.
