NBA Punishes Two Teams For Blatant Tanking

The NBA is facing serious issues at the moment with teams tanking. It’s been a problem they’ve been trying to fix for years, but it feels like right now, as almost 1/3 of the teams in the league are trying to lose for better draft lottery odds, that things are coming to a head. 

In fact, the NBA just announced that it will be punishing two of the worst offenders when it comes to blatant tanking. 

The NBA announced fines to the Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers in this press release:

‘The Utah Jazz organization has been fined $500,000 for conduct detrimental to the league related to the team’s games against the Orlando Magic on Feb. 7 and the Miami Heat on Feb. 9. During those games, the Jazz removed two of the team’s top players, Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson, Jr., before the beginning of the fourth quarter and did not return them to the game, even though these players were otherwise able to continue to play and the outcomes of the games were thereafter in doubt.

In addition, the Indiana Pacers have been fined $100,000 for violating the Player Participation Policy in connection with the team’s game against the Utah Jazz on Feb. 3.  Following an investigation, including review by an independent physician, the NBA determined that Pascal Siakam, a star player under the policy, and two other Pacers starters, neither of whom participated in the game, could have played under the medical standard in the policy, including by playing reduced minutes.  Alternatively, the team could have held the players out of other games in a way that would have better promoted compliance with the policy.

“Overt behavior like this that prioritizes draft position over winning undermines the foundation of NBA competition, and we will respond accordingly to any further actions that compromise the integrity of our games,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.  “Additionally, we are working with our Competition Committee and Board of Governors to implement further measures to root out this type of conduct.”’

While money isn’t the thing that really punishes these teams, it’s a start. However, if the NBA really wants to crack down on tanking, it’ll need to start punishing teams with draft picks or other non-financial punishments.