NBA mulling 'every possible remedy' as 'tanking' worsens
Silver Issues Stern Warning: Draft Pick Forfeiture on the Table as Tanking Epidemic Grows
The glitz and glamour of All-Star Weekend at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles took a serious turn on Saturday, as NBA Commissioner Adam Silver delivered his starkest warning yet regarding the league’s integrity. Addressing the media ahead of the Sunday showcase, Silver admitted that the league’s current deterrents against "tanking" are failing, signaling that the NBA is prepared to deploy "every possible remedy"—including the unprecedented step of stripping draft picks—to curb the race to the bottom.
Silver’s comments come amidst a flurry of disciplinary actions that have highlighted the severity of the issue. Just days prior, the league office handed down significant fines to the Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers for roster management decisions deemed detrimental to the league. The Jazz were hit with a $500,000 penalty following questionable personnel usage in losses against the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat, while the Pacers received a $100,000 fine for violating player participation policies.
"Are we seeing behavior that is worse this year than we've seen in recent memory? Yes, is my view," Silver stated, acknowledging that the flattened lottery odds and the introduction of the Play-In Tournament have not been enough to dissuade teams from prioritizing draft position over competitiveness.
The Commissioner’s rhetoric marks a significant escalation from previous years. While the league has historically relied on financial penalties to police roster manipulation, Silver conceded that for billionaire owners, six-figure fines are merely the cost of doing business. The potential pivot to stripping draft capital represents a "nuclear option" that would directly undermine the very incentive teams are chasing.
With the 2026 draft class viewed as franchise-altering, the desperation at the bottom of the standings has intensified. Silver’s warning serves as a final notice to front offices: the league is no longer just watching; it is actively investigating the "totality of circumstances" surrounding losses. As the regular season enters its final stretch, teams engaging in blatant non-competitive practices now face a risk far greater than a hit to their bank accounts—they risk losing the future they are trying to build.
The glitz and glamour of All-Star Weekend at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles took a serious turn on Saturday, as NBA Commissioner Adam Silver delivered his starkest warning yet regarding the league’s integrity. Addressing the media ahead of the Sunday showcase, Silver admitted that the league’s current deterrents against "tanking" are failing, signaling that the NBA is prepared to deploy "every possible remedy"—including the unprecedented step of stripping draft picks—to curb the race to the bottom.
Silver’s comments come amidst a flurry of disciplinary actions that have highlighted the severity of the issue. Just days prior, the league office handed down significant fines to the Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers for roster management decisions deemed detrimental to the league. The Jazz were hit with a $500,000 penalty following questionable personnel usage in losses against the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat, while the Pacers received a $100,000 fine for violating player participation policies.
"Are we seeing behavior that is worse this year than we've seen in recent memory? Yes, is my view," Silver stated, acknowledging that the flattened lottery odds and the introduction of the Play-In Tournament have not been enough to dissuade teams from prioritizing draft position over competitiveness.
The Commissioner’s rhetoric marks a significant escalation from previous years. While the league has historically relied on financial penalties to police roster manipulation, Silver conceded that for billionaire owners, six-figure fines are merely the cost of doing business. The potential pivot to stripping draft capital represents a "nuclear option" that would directly undermine the very incentive teams are chasing.
With the 2026 draft class viewed as franchise-altering, the desperation at the bottom of the standings has intensified. Silver’s warning serves as a final notice to front offices: the league is no longer just watching; it is actively investigating the "totality of circumstances" surrounding losses. As the regular season enters its final stretch, teams engaging in blatant non-competitive practices now face a risk far greater than a hit to their bank accounts—they risk losing the future they are trying to build.
