The NBA's Tanking Problem Is Getting Worse, and Everybody Knows It

The 2025-26 NBA regular season is winding down, but the real story isn't happening on the court anymore. It's happening in front offices, where teams are tanking harder than ever before, and league insiders are finally admitting what everyone watching the games already knows: the strategy is working, it's ugly, and nothing is going to stop it anytime soon.

ESPN talked to dozens of players, coaches, and front office executives about tanking, and the message was consistent: nobody likes it, but almost everyone agrees it's the smartest move when your team is stuck near the bottom. Even Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr didn't mince words. "I hate it," he said. But the reality? Teams keep doing it because it works.

The Tanking Arms Race Is Out of Control

The creativity has gotten wild. Teams are sitting guys in the fourth quarter, running analytically bad lineups, and drawing up plays designed to fail. One Western Conference general manager laid it out bluntly: "The creativity is impressive and I don't blame them. It's the best strategy to get better." He pointed to the most promising teams in the league right now: Thunder, Spurs, Pistons, Rockets, Hornets. All of them spent years being bad and built up through high draft picks.

The 2026 draft is being widely viewed as deep and talented, with several top players expected to be future stars. That's turned up the intensity. Management orders are coming in earlier in the season, and the results are brutal to watch. The average margin of victory in NBA games this season is 13.1 points, the largest spread in history. A record 89 games have been decided by 30 or more points.

Chicago Makes a Move While the Draft Drama Builds

Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls are expected to engage a search firm to find replacements for vice president Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley, whom the team fired. The move signals the franchise could finally be heading in a new direction.

With 10 teams already eliminated from playoff contention and the draft lottery set for May 10, the offseason buzz is ramping up fast. Everyone agrees tanking will continue until the NBA figures out proper rules or punishments to stop it. Until then, expect more creative tank jobs and more unwatchable basketball.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.