Response To NBA’s Anti-Tanking Ideas Has Been Lukewarm
The three lottery reform concepts that the NBA presented at last month’s Board of Governors meeting haven’t generated much enthusiasm around the league, according to Anthony Slater of ESPN, who says the reaction to those proposals was lukewarm.
Each of the three proposals would expand the lottery to at least 18 teams (one of the three would include 22 teams) and would further flatten the odds for the league’s very worst clubs. The three ideas were viewed as frameworks that could use some tweaking rather than finished products.
However, as Slater details, the NBA faces two problems as it attempts to revamp the lottery and alter other rules in an effort to deter tanking. For one, there’s a “wide array of opinions” around the league on the best way to tackle the issue, with little consensus on the ideal solution. Additionally, Slater writes, some of the most popular concepts – such as beginning to count wins as losses for lottery purposes midway through the season – are complicated and wouldn’t be easy to explain plainly to casual fans.
Still, the NBA is determined to do something this offseason to address its tanking problem, which has, in Slater’s words, gone from a “largely ignored side issue to a full-on epidemic.” As he points out, the average margin of victory in games this season is 13.1 points, which would be the highest mark in league history. There have also been a record 89 games decided by at least 30 points.
John Hollinger of The Athletic took a closer look earlier this week at the one-sided nature of many of the games played during the second half of the season, noting that the nine lottery-bound teams that own first-round picks (all but New Orleans) have posted a 17-148 record against the 20 playoff and play-in teams since the All-Star break. To put that in perspective, Hollinger writes, the Bulls alone won 18 games against those top 20 teams prior to the end of January.
Here’s more on the NBA’s tanking problem:
- As Slater observes, teams have gotten more creative about their approach to tanking — one strategy that has been employed this season by teams like the Jazz and Grizzlies is signing non-standout G League players, then having them play significant roles at the NBA level. For instance, rookie guard Bez Mbeng is playing a more significant role in recent weeks for Utah than he did for the Sioux Falls Skyforce, and the Jazz have a net rating of -18.1 in his 406 minutes. “These teams are doing the whole gamut: sitting guys in the fourth, playing analytically bad lineups, drawing up plays for bad shots,” a Western Conference general manager told ESPN. “The creativity is impressive and I don’t blame them. (Losing to get a high lottery pick) is the best strategy to get better.”
- That sort of lineup manipulation is especially frustrating for the veterans who are losing playing time as their teams go into tank mode, Slater notes. “It’s easier to stomach if it’s a young player they’ve just drafted with a future in the franchise,” one Western Conference player told ESPN. “But when they’re just bringing in dudes off the street and playing them over you in a contract year? That s–t will piss anyone off.”
- Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said on Tuesday that he’s a “huge proponent of doing everything we can to make sure that every night is as competitive as humanly possible,” per Jay King of The Athletic. “We have the best players in the world and I think it’s important to let them be that on that stage,” Stevens said. “There are a lot of discussions going on about how to best focus on that, both in the near term and long term, and maybe there is a near-term solution that is a stopgap before a longer-term solution, when people have time to really think about it and break it down.”
- Warriors forward Draymond Green would like to see the NBA be more liberal with the fines it hands out to tanking teams, according to Nick Friedell of The Athletic. The league handed out penalties of $500K and $100K to Utah and Indiana, respectively, earlier in the season, but hasn’t been fining teams for tanking or dubious player management since then. “Just fine the hell out of people,” Green suggested. “We love taking money from players, keep fining the teams. I’ve seen two fines. And we all know everybody tanking. But you’ve seen two fines. … Everybody loves money. The punishment for players is always, let’s take the money. Well, now it becomes time to punish teams and all of a sudden nobody don’t know what to do. Why not? We know exactly what to do when somebody gets a technical foul. Or suspended for a game. We know exactly what to do.”
Coaching Rumors: Jenkins, Wizards, Mosley, Pelicans, Kerr, More
There wasn’t a whole lot of NBA head coaching turnover last spring, when several teams retained coaches who had previously had interim tags and only the Suns and Knicks made new hires. There haven’t been many changes since then either, with only New Orleans having made an in-season change, though Portland was also forced to elevate assistant Tiago Splitter after Chauncey Billups was arrested in October.
The expectation is that a relatively quiet 12 months on the coaching market could result in an eventful few weeks once the regular season ends, writes Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
“There’s going to be eight to 12 (coaching changes),” one source predicted to Fischer.
With several head coaching jobs expected to open up this spring, Fischer identifies a few candidates to monitor for those openings, naming current assistants Sean Sweeney (Spurs), Micah Nori (Timberwolves), Jared Dudley (Nuggets), Dave Bliss (Thunder), Chris Quinn (Heat), Royal Ivey (Rockets), and Luke Walton (Pistons).
Here are several more coaching-related rumors from Fischer:
- Confirming that Taylor Jenkins is a potential target to watch for the Bucks if they part ways with Doc Rivers, Fischer says there have been “whispers for months” that the Wizards would also have interest in Jenkins if they decide to move on from Brian Keefe. It’s unclear at this point if Washington intends to bring back Keefe for another season as the team aims to take a step toward contention in 2026/27. “It’s very difficult for any young coach to survive a years-long rebuild and (then) oversee a dramatic cultural shift of losing to competing,” one general manager told The Stein Line.
- If the Magic let go of Jamahl Mosley, he’s expected to draw interest from New Orleans, according to Fischer, who says Pelicans general manager Joe Dumars is a fan. James Borrego is also expected to receive consideration for the permanent job in New Orleans, Fischer notes, adding that Bucks assistant Darvin Ham is another candidate to watch if the team conducts a full-fledged search.
- While it’s too early to say what will happen with Steve Kerr, Fischer has heard that the Warriors would ideally like to sign the veteran coach for more than a single season if he decides to return, since team officials would prefer to avoid a “Last Dance scenario,” if possible. Stephen Curry‘s current contract expires in 2027, as does Jimmy Butler‘s. Draymond Green‘s would too if he exercises his 2026/27 player option.
- The Kings are still evaluating Doug Christie‘s performance and are taking into account that injuries decimated his roster this season, Fischer writes. Christie has one more guaranteed year left on his contract (with a 2027/28 team option) and it’s not impossible that he’ll return for next season, Fischer adds.
- Although the Trail Blazers discussed a potential extension for Splitter at one point, per Fischer, the acting head coach’s future is up in the air with new owner Tom Dundon taking over the franchise. Dundon has talked about evaluating every aspect of the organization. That includes its head coach and its front office, according to Fischer, who suggests that changes in the basketball operations department are possible. For what it’s worth, Dundon said recently that general manager Joe Cronin’s job status is “solid.”
Bulls Notes: Donovan, Front Office, Buzelis, More
As the Bulls embark on a search for their next head of basketball operations, CEO and president Michael Reinsdorf made it clear during a video press conference on Tuesday that he doesn’t want to lose head coach Billy Donovan — and that the team likely wouldn’t be a good match for an executive who wants to make a coaching change.
“If I interview someone and they’re not sold on Billy, they’re not sold on a Hall of Fame coach, they’re not sold on a person who’s won championships in college, who’s gone deep in the playoffs with Oklahoma City,” Reinsdorf said, per Jamal Collier of ESPN. “… If Billy wants to be our coach and someone’s not interested in that, then they’re probably not the right candidate for us.”
While the Bulls want to retain Donovan, the veteran coach will have a say in that decision too. As Collier details, Bulls ownership is scheduled to meet with Donovan right after the regular season ends to discuss his future. On Tuesday, Reinsdorf suggested he expects a resolution – one way or the other – relatively quickly, adding that he’d like Donovan to be more involved in personnel decisions if he sticks with the team.
“I don’t think it’s going to take Billy a long time to come to a conclusion on what he wants to do,” Reinsdorf said, according to Andrew Seligman of The Associated Press. “I don’t think the draft or any of that’s going to come into play. The season ends next week. We’ll sit down with Billy as soon as possible, and we’ll find out where his head’s at.”
Here’s more on the Bulls:
- Reinsdorf confirmed on Tuesday that the Bulls are employing a search firm to lead the hunt for a new top front office executive and said the organization wants to cast a wide net for potential candidates. As Collier observes, the Bulls didn’t use a firm in 2020 when they hired Arturas Karnisovas, and they had to conduct that interview process via video calls during the early days of COVID-19 — Reinsdorf didn’t meet Karnisovas in person until after he’d been hired.
- Describing his ideal candidate to run the front office, Reinsdorf said he wants someone who is “process-oriented” and isn’t afraid to “pull the trigger” on personnel moves, per Seligman. Strong communication skills are also a must, Reinsdorf added. “I want someone who’s really strong in communication not just internally within the organization, but also externally when he’s talking to people like you, talking to our fans,” he said. “I think that’s really important. What are we trying to accomplish? What is the plan? Our fans have a right to understand what we’re trying to accomplish so I think that’s incredibly, incredibly important.”
- Although the Bulls signaled with their trade deadline moves in February that they’re in rebuilding mode, Reinsdorf stated on Tuesday that he isn’t a fan of tanking, as Collier relays. “It’s unfair to the coach. It’s unfair to the players. It’s actually unfair to our fans,” Reinsdorf said. “Sure, there are some fans, many fans who might say, ‘Lose games on purpose, tank, do whatever you can to hopefully win the lottery.’ But there are a lot of fans that go to the games who aren’t there to see us get blown out every game and who want to see us compete.”
- Despite his aversion to tanking, Reinsdorf indicated that he wants the Bulls’ front office to have an eye toward the long term rather than focusing on short-term success. “Going forward, it’s about sustainability,” Reinsdorf said. “We want to build this for the long term. I don’t want to be just good for one or two years. I want it to be year in and year out, we have a chance to be competitive and win.”
- Second-year forward Matas Buzelis, who figures to be at the center of the team’s plans going forward, is making it a priority to bulk up and add muscle this offseason, as he tells Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. “I mean, look at me. I’m skinny as hell,” Buzelis said. “I definitely have to add strength. Your body’s a temple, so you really want to take care of it.”
Timberwolves Clinch Playoff Spot
The Timberwolves secured a guaranteed playoff berth on Tuesday night as a result of their 124-104 win in Indiana and the Suns‘ 119-105 home loss to Houston, per the NBA (Twitter link).
The top six teams in the Western Conference have now been determined. While seeding remains up for grabs, the Thunder, Spurs, Nuggets, Lakers, Rockets, and Wolves are each assured of at least a first-round series, while the Suns, Clippers, Trail Blazers, and Warriors will take part in the play-in tournament, vying for the last two playoff spots in the conference.
Minnesota has made the Western Conference finals in each of the past two seasons but will face a difficult path to make it back there for a third straight year. Trailing the No. 4 Lakers and No. 5 Rockets by three games, the Wolves will likely enter the postseason as the West’s No. 6 seed, which could mean a first-round series against Denver and a potential second-round matchup with San Antonio.
As for the Suns, while they’re now guaranteed to be a play-in team after letting a 21-point lead slip away against the Rockets on Tuesday, they still have a two-game cushion on the No. 8 Clippers and will face the 25-54 Mavericks at home on Wednesday while L.A. hosts the 63-16 Thunder. A Phoenix win and a Clippers loss would assure the Suns of finishing the regular season in seventh, which would mean they’d potentially have two chances at the Mortgage Matchup Center to earn a playoff berth in the play-in tournament.
Over in the East, the congestion in the back end of the playoff race began to clear a little on Tuesday, with Miami becoming the first team to be locked into a play-in berth. The Heat‘s loss in Toronto last night means that they can’t finish the regular season higher than seventh in the conference standings.
The Hawks, Raptors, Sixers, Magic, and Hornets continue to battle for the fifth and sixth seeds in the East, with Atlanta and Toronto currently holding those spots.
Mavs Deny They Botched Austin Reaves’ MRI
The Mavericks denied Lakers coach JJ Redick‘s claim that they botched Austin Reaves‘ MRI, Christian Clark of The Athletic reports.
Reaves underwent an MRI on his left oblique/rib area on Saturday ahead of Sunday’s game in Dallas after suffering the injury against Oklahoma City on Thursday. Redick told the media that Reaves had to get two MRIs done because the first one didn’t focus on the correct portion of his body.
“I don’t know where the chain of command lies with Dallas imaging, but they scanned the wrong area,” Redick said. “Not on our end. We made it explicit what was supposed to be scanned, but they scanned the wrong area.”
The Mavericks issued an official statement that they didn’t make a mistake administering an MRI on Reaves.
“Our medical team followed standard imaging protocols based on the information provided at the time,” the statement read. “There was no error in the scan performed.”
Reaves was eventually diagnosed with a Grade 2 oblique strain, which is expected to sideline him for four-to-six weeks.
Wizards Hold Onto Lottery Pick As Losses Pile Up
The Wizards preserved their 2026 lottery pick with their latest loss.
Washington won’t have to convey its first-round pick to the Knicks after falling to 17-62 on the season with a 129-98 loss to Chicago on Tuesday. The pick was top-eight protected and the Wizards are now assured of finishing among the bottom three teams in the league, Josh Robbins of The Athletic points out (Twitter link). That means Washington can’t wind up with a pick lower than seventh, regardless of the draft lottery results.
The Wizards no longer owe the Knicks a first-rounder. Instead, they’ll convey their second-round pick this June and their 2027 second-rounder to New York. This year’s second-round selection will be No. 31 overall if the Wizards don’t win one at least one of their final three games.
The Wizards cycled through 26 players this season while failing to win more than two games in a row. They added former All-Stars Trae Young and Anthony Davis via midseason deals, but Young only appeared in five games for the team while Davis has yet to make his D.C. debut.
After winning their first two games following the All-Star break, the Wizards went into all out tank mode and have won just one of their last 24 games. They’ll wrap up their season with home games vs. Chicago on Thursday and Miami on Friday, followed by a visit to Cleveland on Sunday.
Blazers Notes: Dundon, Arena Renovation, Cronin, Splitter, Roster
After officially taking over as the Trail Blazers‘ majority owner last week, Tom Dundon didn’t exactly offer a full-throated vow to keep the team in Portland long-term. Dundon’s ambiguous remarks at his introductory press conference and in interviews with local media left Jason Quick of The Athletic wary about the new owner’s long-term plans. Explaining that he hasn’t gotten the sense that Dundon has much attachment to the city, Quick notes that Dundon responded to a question about why he bought the Blazers by suggesting it was the only NBA team for sale.
Still, as Sean Highkin of the Rose Garden Report (Substack link) observes, Dundon’s unwillingness to unequivocally commit to Portland may have been about preserving some leverage in negotiations with the city government as the franchise seeks the public funding necessary to complete a $600MM renovation project on the Moda Center.
Blazers alternative governor Sheel Tyle, the only member of the new ownership group who resides in Portland, was essentially playing “good cop” to Dundon’s “bad cop” at that introductory presser, Highkin observes. Tyle stated in plainer terms that relocation isn’t something the group is considering.
“Tom would not have asked me to join this group had that been on the table,” Tyle told reporters, including Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. “And so I just want you guys to know, we’re optimistic people. We met with the mayor (on Thursday). We know that the state has done some amazing work (on funding an arena renovation). We’re full-speed ahead.”
For what it’s worth, when Bill Oram of The Oregonian (subscription required) asked Dundon if securing the necessary public funding from the city and Multnomah County would take the idea of relocation off the table, he replied, “Of course.”
Here’s more from the new Blazers’ owner:
- Speaking to Freeman of The Oregonian (subscription required), Dundon said that he’ll be “looking at everything” and that he has high expectations for every area of the organization, but he stressed that he doesn’t want to make changes for the sake of change. “I seek out improvement,” he said. “The first thing I’m going to do is give the people there a chance to see if they can go at my pace.” To that end, he said he views the job statuses of general manager Joe Cronin and team president Dewayne Hankins as “solid.”
- With head coach Chauncey Billups on indefinite leave after being arrested on money laundering and wire fraud conspiracy charges, interim coach Tiago Splitter will have a chance to earn the permanent job, but Dundon acknowledged that he’ll likely consider other candidates as well. “If we go win the championship, (Splitter) probably puts himself in a pretty good spot,” Dundon told Freeman. “I’d love to keep everybody. It’s way easier than making changes. Reaching in the mystery box isn’t always the best thing. There’s no guarantee the next person is going to be better than the one you’ve got. I just want to maximize our probability of winning.”
- Dundon stressed in his conversations with Freeman, Oram, Quick, and other local media members that he wants to turn the Blazers into a team capable of contending for titles. With that in mind, he’ll be interested in finding a way to add more star power to Portland’s roster. “I think our plan is to work hard to make good decisions,” Dundon told reporters when asked if he wants to make a big splash this offseason. “Joe had a deal that he looked at at the trade deadline that I was aware of that would have been what you would describe as a big splash. And if that opportunity exists, I’m probably more aggressive than most. If it doesn’t exist, then you’ve got to go about finding the pieces to continue to get better, and then decide if you can do good enough to win a championship or you have to take a step back. Joe and I have talked about this a lot. There’s no one way this is going to go for sure. If we get a star, we have a chance to win. If we can’t find a star, then we’ve got to add some pieces and hope some things develop. And if that doesn’t work, then we’ve got to try again with a new plan and I think there’s equal chances for all those things to happen.”
- Dundon spoke privately last week with Deni Avdija, Donovan Clingan, Jrue Holiday, and Damian Lillard last week and met briefly with the entire team — he came away with the impression that the Blazers’ players are eager to push forward next season, per Freeman. “What stuck out is, they want to win, they know there’s more here,” Dundon said. “They’re very confident in their team. They think there’s a lot of talent and that it’s kind of ready for that next step. I think everybody wants it to be just a little more demanding, a little more structured, a little higher expectations.”
Shaedon Sharpe, Out For Two Months, Upgraded To Doubtful
The Trail Blazers are close to getting a key player back for the play-in tournament.
Shaedon Sharpe, who has not played since Feb. 6, has been upgraded to doubtful for Portland’s game against San Antonio on Wednesday, according to Joe Freeman of Oregonlive.com. Sharpe has been sidelined by a stress fracture in his left fibula.
While Sharpe likely won’t be activated on Wednesday, it’s a signal that his return isn’t far off, which is a major development for a club sitting in the ninth spot in the Western Conference standings. The 2022 lottery pick is averaging a career-high 21.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.4 steals in 30.0 minutes per game while appearing in 48 contests (42 starts).
The latest development is somewhat of a surprise, according to Freeman. Acting coach Tiago Splitter said last week that Sharpe had not yet resumed full basketball activities.
“He’s getting better, but still not like on a court,” Splitter said. “He’s shooting free throws and stuff like that.”
Sharpe signed a four-year, $90MM rookie scale extension in October, which kicks in next season.
Vit Krejci, who has not played since March 15, is also listed as doubtful. He has missed the last 11 games with a left calf bruise. The Blazers acquired him on Feb. 1 from Atlanta for Duop Reath and two second-round picks. He’s averaged 7.4 points and 2.8 rebounds in 18 games.
Atlantic Notes: George, Knicks, Poeltl, Queta, Stevens
Paul George has come back strong from his 25-game league suspension for violating the league’s drug policy, averaging 24.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.0 assists in his last seven games. However, it’s unlikely the Sixers forward has meaningfully increased his trade value, according to Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice.com.
Aaronson notes that George will soon turn 36 years old and will make over $54.1MM next season while holding a player option worth more than $56.5MM for the following season. George’s injury history would also likely discourage any potential suitors this offseason.
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Knicks coach Mike Brown doesn’t anticipate making a starting lineup change in the postseason, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post reports. “I don’t believe in never ever. But right now we’re going to start that five and that’s how I foresee it,” the coach said. “If I feel I need to make a change at any time, I’ll make a change. But I don’t feel that way right now.” There were discussions about moving Landry Shamet into the lineup. Earlier this season, Brown downsized his starting five, replacing Mitchell Robinson with Josh Hart.
- Jakob Poeltl was handed a three-year contract extension last offseason to remain with the Raptors. Now, the big man appears to be an awkward fit for Toronto’s rotation and cap sheet, The Athletic’s Eric Koreen opines. Poeltl has appeared in just 42 games due to a back ailment. He’s also not a scoring threat outside the paint and isn’t a good enough defensive player in the paint to make up for that, Koreen adds. Making a move involving Poeltl will be complicated due to his contract being guaranteed through 2028/29.
- Celtics forward Jaylen Brown is lobbying for Neemias Queta to receive consideration for the Most Improved Player award. “Neemi’s been great,” Brown said, per The Athletic’s Jay King. “He’s been just consistently getting better, protecting the rim, finishing, making those little shots, rebounding. He’s been great. In my opinion, he’s probably one of the most improved players this year. And I don’t know if he’s up for the award, but he should be.” Queta has started 72 of 73 games, averaging career bests in points (10.2), rebounds (8.4) and blocks (1.3) per game.
- Celtics top executive and former head coach Brad Stevens guided Butler to two NCAA Tournament championship games. However, Stevens indicated he has no interest in going back to the college ranks, Brian Robb of MassLive.com tweets. “I’m not motivated to do anything but what I’m doing,” he said.
Bucks Guard Kevin Porter Jr. Undergoes Knee Surgery
Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on Tuesday, the team tweets. Porter will miss the rest of the season and the team has not yet determined a timetable for his recovery.
Porter hasn’t played since March 17, when he racked up 25 points and 10 assists against Cleveland. The 25-year-old put up good numbers when he was able to suit up this season but only appeared in 38 total games.
Porter averaged 17.4 points — the second-highest total of his career — and a career-best 7.4 assists per game in 2025/26. He also posted averages of 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 steals per night.
This is actually the second knee procedure for Porter this season. He sprained his left ankle in the Bucks’ season opener, and as he was working to make his way back from that injury, he sustained a torn meniscus in his right knee. The guard wound up missing another four weeks due to that injury following surgery and also missed four straight games earlier in March due to swelling in his right knee.
Porter Jr. was re-signed by the Bucks last summer on a two-year, $10.5MM contract that also included a $5.4MM player option for next season. He’ll have an interesting decision to make whether to take the guaranteed money or become a free agent again. His knee injury could factor into that choice.