The controversial topic of tanking in the NBA sees Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia having a strong opinion that he isn’t afraid to share. Multiple teams across the league are doing questionable things, like benching stars in the fourth quarter or forcing talents to miss games by over-exaggerating injuries. A generational NBA Draft is causing losing teams to triple down on losing to improve their NBA Draft lottery chances.
Ishbia said the following on the Pat McAfee Show, via ESPN TV:
“It’s an embarrassment, this whole, my perspective is, tanking is loser mentality. I have never been around anyone. You show me someone who wants to lose, who thinks about losing, I will show you a loser, that’s losers, that’s not my stuff.”
Fans and former players have complained about tanking more this season than in previous years. The Utah Jazz benching their best players for the fourth quarter due to leading a game was the low point of tanking this season. Players from Utah, the Sacramento Kings, and Memphis Grizzlies have been ruled out with suspicious injuries. Commissioner Adam Silver may be forced to step in once names like Ishbia are calling the issue out.
Mat Ishbia Is Backing Up His Words
The Suns had a tough situation to figure out after they failed to make the playoffs last season with a big three of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. Phoenix could have blown the entire team up for future draft assets, but they opted to keep Booker and build around him.
Durant and Beal were traded for rotation players acquired to win now instead of looking at the long-term future. Phoenix already traded away multiple of their own draft picks to make tanking harder without having control of their future. However, they made a full effort to continue competing this season.
Players like Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green have shown a brighter short-term future, as the team currently appears on pace to make the play-in and have a great chance at the playoffs. Despite having minimal realistic chances of contending, Ishbia’s Suns play to win and have rewarded their fans with a fun season.
Adam Silver Must Fix This Issue
Pundits have viewed this tanking problem as Silver’s biggest issue that he must solve. Almost a third of the team giving up and trying to lose before the All-Star break could harm attendance and lose fans that love following an entire season from start to finish.
Owners are the biggest obstacle since the losing teams will want to prioritize drafting a future superstar at all costs. Silver must hope more owners like Ishbia speak up to give him the backing to make a radical change to the draft lottery system.
Tanking will only get worse if the bad teams trying to lose get rewarded with high picks this summer. Franchises like the Brooklyn Nets and the Kings must get a top young star to turn their poor state around, so they’ll continue losing. Silver must figure out a way where these teams don’t give up this early into the season to ruin many games.
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