NBA Tanking Strategies Grow More Audacious, Frequent

With tanking tactics spreading across the league, the NBA is vowing to implement new rules to curb the practice that has made games increasingly unwatchable.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 11:06am

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The NBA's tanking problem has grown from a subtle side issue to a full-on epidemic, with at least eight teams actively trying to lose as much as possible to improve their lottery odds. Teams are deploying creative strategies like signing and overplaying G League-level players, benching starters in the fourth quarter, and drawing up plays for bad shots. While coaches and players hate the practice, many acknowledge it's often the best path to rebuild. The league is now vowing to implement new rules before the 2026 draft to fundamentally change the incentives and curb the rampant tanking.

Why it matters

Tanking has become so widespread that it's making many NBA games unwatchable, with record-high margins of victory and an increasing number of blowouts. The practice also risks damaging the development and careers of young players forced to endure months of meaningless, losing basketball. The league sees tanking as a threat to the integrity of the game, especially as sports betting becomes more prevalent.

The details

Teams like the Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies, and Oklahoma City Thunder have deployed tactics like signing and overplaying G League-level players to tank for better draft position. Coaches have also been caught benching starters in the fourth quarter of close games to ensure losses. The league has fined teams for these overt tanking behaviors, but the practice continues to spread. Veteran players have also expressed frustration at being pushed out of the rotation in contract years to benefit tanking teams.

  • In early March, the Utah Jazz signed Andersson Garcia to a 10-day contract and played him heavy minutes, being outscored by 69 points in his 169 minutes.
  • In recent weeks, the Memphis Grizzlies have set an NBA record by starting 25 different players this season as they've lost 15 of 17 games.
  • In the final week of the 2021-22 season, the Oklahoma City Thunder signed three G League-level players and gave them 40-minute per night roles, being outscored by a combined 272 points in their court time.

The players

Andersson Garcia

A college backup and defensive-minded role player for the Mexico City Capitanes who was signed by the Jazz to a 10-day contract and played heavy minutes as part of their tanking strategy.

Bez Mbeng

A player signed by the Jazz who is currently getting more minutes per game for Utah than he did for the Sioux Falls Skyforce, with the team being minus-146 with him on the floor this month.

Georgios Kalaitzakis

A non-NBA level talent signed by the Thunder in the final week of the 2021-22 season and given a 40-minute per night role, with the team being outscored by 85 points in his court time.

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What’s next

The NBA has presented three comprehensive solutions to its board of governors to curb tanking, all of which would widen the lottery to 18 teams and further flatten the odds. Commissioner Adam Silver said the league aims to implement new rules before the 2026 draft to fundamentally change the incentives around tanking.

The takeaway

The NBA's tanking problem has spiraled out of control, with a growing number of teams employing increasingly audacious strategies to lose as many games as possible and improve their lottery odds. While coaches, players, and executives universally hate the practice, many acknowledge it's often the best path to rebuild in the current system. The league is now vowing to implement sweeping new rules before the 2026 draft to curb this epidemic and restore integrity to the game, especially as sports betting becomes more prevalent.